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Karl Slym suicide: Tata Motors managing director killed himself at Shangri-La hotel in Bangkok

Clyde K. Valle
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Karl Slym suicide: Tata Motors managing director killed himself at Shangri-La hotel in Bangkok

Tata Motors’ Managing Director Karl Slym apparently killed himself when he fell from the 22nd floor of a Bangkok hotel on Sunday, Thai police say.

The British executive was in Thailand to attend a board meeting of the company’s local affiliate.

Investigators believe Karl Slym may have taken his own life because of a note left in his room referring to domestic problems.

Police said it was being analyzed to confirm Karl Slym wrote it.

Thai police said they were called to the Shangri-La hotel around 07:45 a.m. on Sunday, after staff found Karl Slym’s body on the fourth floor, which juts out above lower storeys of the luxury complex.

Tata Motors' Managing Director Karl Slym apparently killed himself when he fell from the 22nd floor of Shangri-La hotel in Bangkok
Tata Motors’ Managing Director Karl Slym apparently killed himself when he fell from the 22nd floor of Shangri-La hotel in Bangkok

They then woke up Karl Slym’s wife, who seemed shocked, they said. The couple had been married for about 30 years and did not have any children.

In a statement, Company Chairman Cyprus P. Mistry paid tribute to Karl Slym, describing him as “a valued colleague who was providing strong leadership at a challenging time for the Indian auto industry”.

Aged 51, Karl Slym ran led the automaker’s operations in India and international markets including South Korea, Thailand and South Africa.

He was not responsible for the Jaguar and Land Rover luxury unit that Tata Motors acquired in 2008.

Karl Slym, who was from Derby, England, had worked for Toyota in the UK, and then General Motors in India and China.

He had been managing director of Tata Motors, part of the giant Tata Group, since being hired in October 2012 to revive Tata’s flagging sales in India.

Following news of Karl Slym’s death, Tata Motors stock closed down 6% at 347.8 rupees.

Police official Somyot Boonyakaew said investigators “didn’t find any sign of a struggle” in the room Karl Slym was sharing with his wife in the Shangri-La Hotel.

“We found a window open. The window was very small so it was not possible that he would have slipped,” he told Reuters news agency.

“He would have had to climb through the window to fall out because he was a big man. From my initial investigation, we believe he jumped.”

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Bitcoin exchange operators arrested in US for money laundering

Nancy Clayson
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Bitcoin exchange operators arrested in US for money laundering

Two Bitcoin exchange operators have been arrested in the US.

The Department of Justice said Robert Faiella, known as BTCKing, and Charlie Shrem from BitInstant.com have both been charged with money laundering.

The authorities said the two operators engaged in a scheme to sell more than $1 million in Bitcoins to users of online drug marketplace the Silk Road.

Silk Road site was shut down last year and its alleged owner was arrested.

Robert Faiella, known as BTCKing, and Charlie Shrem from BitInstant.com have both been charged with money laundering
Robert Faiella, known as BTCKing, and Charlie Shrem from BitInstant.com have both been charged with money laundering

Charlie Shrem, 24, was arrested on Sunday at New York’s JFK airport. He was expected to appear in court on Monday, prosecutors said.

Robert Faiella, 52, was arrested on Monday at his home in Cape Coral, Florida.

Bitcoin exchanges are services that allow users to trade bitcoins for traditional currencies.

Charlie Shrem is accused of allowing Robert Faiella to use BitInstant to purchase large quantities of Bitcoins to sell on to Silk Road users who wanted to anonymously buy drugs.

The authorities said Charlie Shrem was aware that the Bitcoins were being used for such purchases, and therefore he was in violation of the Bank Secrecy Act.

The Act requires financial institutions in the US to alert authorities to any suspicious activity that may suggest money laundering is taking place.

Charlie Shrem is a founding member and the current vice chairman of the Bitcoin Foundation, a trade group set up to promote Bitcoin as an alternative currency.

Last year, Charlie Shrem set up a bar in New York that accepted Bitcoins.

BitInstant was one of the largest Bitcoin exchanges on the internet.

However, the service has been inaccessible for some time, explained Mike Hearn, another board member at the Bitcoin Foundation.

BitInstant’s investors include Tyler and Cameron Winklevoss – the twins who previously sued Mark Zuckerberg claiming he had stolen their idea for Facebook.

Cory Monteith’s name misspelled during Grammys In Memoriam

Lisa.Felice
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Cory Monteith’s name misspelled during Grammys In Memoriam

The Grammy Awards organizers made a pretty big mistake during its In Memoriam tribute Sunday night as Cory Monteith’s name was misspelled during the annual montage.

The late Glee star’s name was written with the “e” and the “i” reversed. Glee fans immediately noticed the error and took to Twitter to express their anger.

Cory Monteith's name was misspelled during Grammys In Memoriam
Cory Monteith’s name was misspelled during Grammys In Memoriam

“Dear Recording Academy, it’s 2014 & no one has spell check? His name is Cory MONTEITH!!! Fire the fact check clerk!” one fan tweeted.

Cory Monteith died in July from a fatal combination of drugs and alcohol.

First chocolate toothpaste to be unveiled by Crest

Nancy Clayson
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First chocolate toothpaste to be unveiled by Crest

Procter & Gamble R&D department revealed during a conference call with investors and analysts Monday morning they are developing a new line of Crest toothpaste.

The new line, which P&G promises to start selling soon, comprises three flavors: Mint Chocolate Trek, Lime Spearmint Zest and Vanilla Mint Spark.

Procter & Gamble R&D department is developing a new line of Crest toothpaste
Procter & Gamble R&D department is developing a new line of Crest toothpaste

Chocolate toothpaste is squarely aimed at winning new customers.

P&G’s biggest releases in that time include a really tough paper towel and a deodorant intended to fight stress-related sweat.

Australia crocodile snatches 12-year-old boy

Nancy Clayson
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Australia crocodile snatches 12-year-old boy

A crocodile is being hunted by Australian police as they believe the animal snatched a 12-year-old boy while he was swimming with his friends.

Police officers have been given orders to shoot any crocodile more than eight feet long in a bid to find the boy’s remains. They have so far killed two of the animals but neither had anything in their stomachs.

Northern Territory Police said in a statement the boy was swimming in the Mudginberri Billabong, a creek in the Kakadu National Park, in Australia’s Northern Territory. They said they believe the boy was taken at 2:15 p.m. Saturday.

Saltwater crocodiles are the largest living reptiles on Earth
Saltwater crocodiles are the largest living reptiles on Earth

“It is believed the 12-year-old boy was taken by a crocodile as he and a number of other young boys were swimming in the billabong,” Acting Commander Michael White said.

Another boy, also 12, suffered severe bites to both arms fighting off the beast. Police believe the “saltie” – as the sometimes salt-water animals are known in Australia – then dragged his friend under the water.

Saltwater crocodiles are the largest living reptiles on Earth and can grow up to 23 feet and 2,200 pounds. They have gained a reputation as a man-eater and can live in freshwater, brackish, or saltwater.

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Trey Radel to resign from Congress

Diane A. Wade
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Trey Radel to resign from Congress

Florida Republican congressman Trey Radel who was convicted on cocaine possession charges, will resign from Congress on Monday.

Trey Radel’s future in Congress had been in question following his guilty plea to misdemeanor cocaine possession after being arrested in Washington, D.C. in November, and a subsequent leave of absence from his official duties to attend rehab.

“While I have dealt with those issues on a personal level, it is my belief that professionally I cannot fully and effectively serve as a United States Representative to the place I love and call home, Southwest Florida,” the Florida Rep. wrote in a letter to House Speaker John Boehner.

Trey Radel's future in Congress had been in question following his guilty plea to misdemeanor cocaine possession after being arrested in Washington, D.C. in November
Trey Radel’s future in Congress had been in question following his guilty plea to misdemeanor cocaine possession after being arrested in Washington, D.C. in November

News of Trey Radel’s plans to resign was first reported by Politico, and was confirmed by an aide to the congressman.

Trey Radel had sidestepped questions about whether he intended to resign after his arrest and stint in rehab, and returned to Capitol Hill earlier this month. He apologized to fellow Republican lawmakers during a closed-door meeting on January 8.

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Bachelor Sean Lowe marries Catherine Giudici on live TV

Lisa.Felice
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Bachelor Sean Lowe marries Catherine Giudici on live TV

Bachelor Sean Lowe and Catherine Giudici got married in a lavish ceremony at the Four Seasons resort The Biltmore in Santa Barbara, California, in the franchise’s first-ever live TV wedding.

Sean Lowe and Catherine Giudici got engaged ten months ago on The Bachelor Season 17 finale.

On January 26, Sean Lowe walked down the aisle first, flanked by his mom, Sherry, and his dad, Jay, who officiated the vows. They were followed by the rest of the wedding party, including Catherine Giudici’s many bridesmaids, who wore ethereal blush-colored gowns with gold accents.

Bachelor Sean Lowe and Catherine Giudici got married in a lavish ceremony at the Four Seasons resort The Biltmore in Santa Barbara
Bachelor Sean Lowe and Catherine Giudici got married in a lavish ceremony at the Four Seasons resort The Biltmore in Santa Barbara

Resplendent in a strapless lace Monique Lhuillier gown, Catherine Giudici appeared at the end of the aisle.

Sean Lowe and Catherine Giudici’s love “has been an epic fairy-tale, on display for all the world to see,” his dad began, as the camera panned to other Bachelor alum – including Ryan and Trista Sutter, and Ashley Hebert and J.P. Rosenbaum – in the crowd.

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Eric Lawson dead: Marlboro Man dies from smoking-related disease at 72

Lisa.Felice
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Eric Lawson dead: Marlboro Man dies from smoking-related disease at 72

Actor Eric Lawson, who portrayed the Marlboro Man during the late 1970s, has died at the age of 72 from smoking-related disease.

Eric Lawson’s wife, Susan Lawson, said Sunday that her husband died on January 10 at his California home. The cause was respiratory failure due to chronic obstructive pulmonary disease, or COPD.

Eric Lawson portrayed the Marlboro Man during the late 1970s
Eric Lawson portrayed the Marlboro Man during the late 1970s

He portrayed the smoking cowboy in Marlboro print ads from 1978 to 1981. He also had bit parts in such TV shows as Baretta and Charlie’s Angels before injuries sustained on the set of a Western film ended his acting career.

A smoker since age 14, Eric Lawson later appeared in an anti-smoking commercial that parodied the Marlboro Man and an Entertainment Tonight segment to discuss the negative effects of smoking.

Eric Lawson is also survived by six children.

Egypt’s army supports Field Marshal Abdel Fattah al-Sisi presidential bid

Roy Siemens
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Egypt’s army supports Field Marshal Abdel Fattah al-Sisi presidential bid

Egypt’s army chief Field Marshal Abdel Fattah al-Sisi has been given approval by the country’s top military body to run for the presidency, state media report.

Field Marshal Abdel Fattah al-Sisi led the overthrow of President Mohamed Morsi, Egypt’s first democratically elected leader, in July.

He is expected to accept the nomination from the Supreme Council for Armed Forces (SCAF) and resign from his military position within days.

Field Marshal Abdel Fattah al-Sisi led the overthrow of President Mohamed Morsi, Egypt's first democratically elected leader
Field Marshal Abdel Fattah al-Sisi led the overthrow of President Mohamed Morsi, Egypt’s first democratically elected leader

Earlier, the interim president promoted him from general to field marshal.

Field Marshal Abdel Fattah al-Sisi is popular with much of the Egyptian public and analysts say he would be expected to win the presidential election, to be held by late April.

On Saturday, tens of thousands of people joined a rally in Cairo to mark the anniversary of the 2011 uprising against President Hosni Mubarak by calling on Field Marshal Abdel Fattah al-Sisi to stand.

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Pope John Paul II relic stolen from San Pietro della Ienca church

Diane A. Wade
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Pope John Paul II relic stolen from San Pietro della Ienca church

Dozens of Italian police officers are hunting for a stolen holy relic that contains the blood of Pope John Paul ll.

It appears to have been taken during the burglary of a small chapel that was a place of special significance to Pope John Paul II.

The church of San Pietro della Ienca lies in an isolated spot in the mountains of central Abruzzo region.

Over the weekend, thieves broke some protective iron bars and forced their way in through a window.

The stolen holy relic contains the blood of Pope John Paul ll
The stolen holy relic contains the blood of Pope John Paul ll

They left the collection box, but took a crucifix and the priceless relic, which contains a piece of gauze once soaked in the blood of the late Pope – one of only three such relics in the world.

Members of the local cultural association supporting the chapel are distraught.

Pope John Paul II used to escape the pressures of life in the Vatican by coming to the mountains.

Dozens of police officers are now searching the area with sniffer dogs.

Ride Along tops North American box office with $21 million

Sonia Pantiss
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Ride Along tops North American box office with $21 million

Ice Cube’s cop comedy Ride Along stayed firm at number one in North American box office, taking $21.2 million.

Lone Survivor, starring Mark Wahlberg, held its nerve in second spot, taking £12.6 million.

The film, about the war in Afghanistan, was relatively inexpensive to make and is heading towards a cumulative total of $100 million.

Animated films The Nut Job stayed at number three, with Frozen just behind in its 10th week of release.

The Disney movie has becomes the second biggest original animation of all time, behind Finding Nemo.

Political thriller Jack Ryan: Shadow Recruit, boasting a line-up including director-actor Kenneth Branagh and Keira Knightley, slipped back to fifth place after a modest debut at four last week.

The latest big screen version of Frankenstein has failed to impress cinema audiences in North America, debuting in a lowly sixth place.

Ice Cube's cop comedy Ride Along stayed firm at number one in North American box office
Ice Cube’s cop comedy Ride Along stayed firm at number one in North American box office

Aaron Eckhart’s beefy vision of the legendary monster made $8.3 million, while the film cost $65 million.

Variety magazine is calling I, Frankenstein the “year’s biggest financial flop so far”, which is likely to slip even further next week as it loses big screen slots to other films including the remake of Robocop.

In the race towards the Oscars at the beginning of March, American Hustle has made the biggest box office headway so far at number seven.

The leading Academy Awards contender, with 10 nominations, was ahead of August: Osage County and Martin Scorsese’s The Wolf of Wall Street with North American audiences.

Other best picture contenders had nationwide debuts this weekend, including Dallas Buyers Club, which made a modest $2 million.

It previously opened in autumn but had a limited run at a smaller number of cinemas.

North American box office Top 5:

1. Ride Along – $21.2 million

2. Lone Survivor – $12.6 million

3. The Nut Job – $12.3 million

4. Frozen – $9 million

5. Jack Ryan: Shadow Recruit – $8.8 million

Source: Rentrak

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Ukraine: Justice Minister Olena Lukash in state of emergency warning

Diane A. Wade
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Ukraine: Justice Minister Olena Lukash in state of emergency warning

Ukraine’s Justice Minister Olena Lukash has warned anti-government protesters occupying her ministry she will call for a state of emergency if they do not leave.

Olena Lukash told local media she would ask the National Security and Defense Council to introduce the measures.

Protesters seized the building in Kiev late on Sunday and set up barricades outside with bags of snow.

Unrest is spreading across Ukraine, with activists taking over municipal buildings in several towns and cities.

Buildings have come under attack even in eastern areas, which have traditionally had closer ties with Russia and where President Viktor Yanukovych has enjoyed strong support.

The crisis was sparked by the president’s decision not to sign a deal with the European Union, and has escalated with the deaths of four activists in recent days.

Correspondents say protesters entered the justice ministry building in the capital without resistance.

Unrest is spreading across Ukraine, with activists taking over municipal buildings in several towns and cities
Unrest is spreading across Ukraine, with activists taking over municipal buildings in several towns and cities

“The seizure of the Ministry of Justice is a symbolic act of the people of the uprising. Now, these authorities are stripped of justice,” one protester told reporters.

But Olena Lukash told Inter TV channel: “If the protesters do not leave the justice ministry building… I will ask the National Security and Defense Council of Ukraine to impose the state of emergency.”

The minister is an ally of President Viktor Yanukovych and involved in the ongoing negotiations between the government and protest leaders.

She said she would be “forced to turn to the Ukrainian president with a request to stop the negotiations unless the justice ministry building is vacated without delay and the negotiators are given a chance to find a peaceful solution to the conflict”.

Last week, the parliament of the Crimean Autonomous Republic – seen as a staunch supporter of Viktor Yanukovych – also urged the president to declare a state of emergency.

The government has previously insisted it would not resort to the army, a measure our correspondent says would likely further antagonize the protesters and worsen the violence.

The parliament is due to meet for an extraordinary session on Tuesday, but the speaker has previously said a state of emergency will not be under discussion.

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Jade Rabbit Moon rover in trouble after experiencing a mechanical control abnormality

James J. Williams
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Jade Rabbit Moon rover in trouble after experiencing a mechanical control abnormality

Chinese Moon rover Jade Rabbit is in trouble after experiencing a “mechanical control abnormality”, state media report.

The Moon exploration vehicle ran into problems due to the moon’s “complicated lunar surface environment”, Xinhua news agency said, citing science officials.

Jade Rabbit landed in December as part of China’s Chang’e-3 mission – the first “soft” landing on the Moon since 1976.

It was expected to operate for around three months.

Earlier this month, the Beijing Aerospace Control Centre said that Jade Rabbit, also known as Yutu, had successfully explored the surface of the moon with its mechanical arm.

The malfunction emerged before the rover entered its scheduled dormancy period on Saturday, Xinhua reported, citing the State Administration of Science, Technology and Industry for National Defence (SASTIND).

Chinese Moon rover Jade Rabbit is in trouble after experiencing a mechanical control abnormality
Chinese Moon rover Jade Rabbit is in trouble after experiencing a mechanical control abnormality

Scientists were organizing repairs, the news agency added, without providing further details.

The rover was due to become dormant for 14 days during the lunar night, when there would be no sunlight to power the rover’s solar panel, reports said.

Xinhua said the news of the rover’s troubles had generated extensive discussion on Chinese social media.

“People not only hailed the authority’s openness to the accident, but also expressed concern,” it said.

On Sina Weibo, China’s largest microblog provider, users began tagging their posts with the hash tag “#hang in there Jade Rabbit”.

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Jose Emilio Pacheco dies at 74 after hurting his head in a fall

Sonia Pantiss
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Jose Emilio Pacheco dies at 74 after hurting his head in a fall

Novelist and poet Jose Emilio Pacheco has died at the age of 74, a day after hurting his head in a fall.

The poet’s daughter, Laura Emilia Pacheco, said he died “very peacefully” after suffering a heart attack.

In 2009, Jose Emilio Pacheco was awarded the Cervantes Prize, the highest literary honor in the Spanish-speaking world.

In 2009, Jose Emilio Pacheco was awarded the Cervantes Prize, the highest literary honor in the Spanish-speaking world
In 2009, Jose Emilio Pacheco was awarded the Cervantes Prize, the highest literary honor in the Spanish-speaking world

Jose Emilio Pacheco was born in Mexico City in 1939, and is best-known for his accounts of adolescents growing up in a corrupt and unjust Mexico in the 1940s and 1950s.

He is seen as one of Mexico’s foremost poets and a leading representative of his generation.

Jose Emilio Pacheco also translated works by Samuel Beckett, Tennessee Williams and TS Eliot, and taught literature at universities in the US, UK and Canada, besides his work in Mexico.

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Edward Snowden: NSA spied on German companies

Diane A. Wade
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Edward Snowden: NSA spied on German companies

Edward Snowden has alleged the National Security Agency (NSA) engaged in industrial espionage.

In an interview with Germany’s ARD TV channel, Edward Snowden said the agency would spy on big German companies that competed with US firms.

The former NSA contractor, who was granted temporary asylum by Russia, also said he believed that US officials wanted to kill him.

Edward Snowden’s leaks caused outrage in Germany when it came to light Chancellor Angela Merkel’s phone had been bugged.

After the row broke out last year, Angela Merkel accused the US of an unacceptable breach of trust.

Last week President Barack Obama indicated to Germany’s ZDF TV that US bugging of Angela Merkel’s mobile phone had been a mistake and would not happen again.

Edward Snowden has alleged the NSA engaged in industrial espionage
Edward Snowden has alleged the NSA engaged in industrial espionage

Referring to the German engineering company Siemens, Edward Snowden told ARD: “If there is information at Siemens that they [the NSA] think would be beneficial to the national interests, not the national security, of the United States, they will go after that information and they’ll take it.”

Edward Snowden also said he believed US agents want to kill him, referring to an article published by the Buzzfeed website in which intelligence operatives are quoted as saying they want to see him dead.

In August, Russia granted Edward Snowden asylum for one year, after he leaked details of US electronic surveillance programs.

The US has charged Edward Snowden with theft of government property, unauthorized communication of national defense information and willful communication of classified communications intelligence.

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Grammys 2014: Daft Punk wins five awards

Sonia Pantiss
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Grammys 2014: Daft Punk wins five awards

Daft Punk has taken top honors at this year’s Grammy Awards, winning five prizes including album and record of the year.

Hip-hop duo Macklemore and Ryan Lewis took four awards – best new artist plus best rap album, song and performance.

Justin Timberlake won three, while New Zealand teenager Lorde picked up two including song of the year for Royals.

Paul McCartney was among the other double winners and also reunited with his Beatles bandmate Ringo Starr.

The pair teamed up for Paul McCartney’s song Queenie Eye during the ceremony, which is known for its heavyweight on-stage collaborations.

The show was opened by Jay-Z and his wife Beyonce, while Madonna joined Macklemore and Ryan Lewis during their anti-homophobia anthem Same Love, as 33 couples got married on stage.

Other collaborations included Metallica performing with pianist Lang Lang and Daft Punk, Nile Rodgers and Pharrell Williams being joined by Stevie Wonder to perform Get Lucky.

Get Lucky, which featured producer and singer Pharrell Williams and disco guitarist and producer Nile Rodgers, was one of the biggest hits of 2013.

Daft Punk has taken top honors at this year’s Grammy Awards, winning five prizes including album and record of the year
Daft Punk has taken top honors at this year’s Grammy Awards, winning five prizes including album and record of the year

As well as scooping album and record of the year, Daft Punk won best pop duo/group performance for Get Lucky and best dance/electronica album for Random Access Memories.

The album was also named best engineered album, non-classical, which was credited to its engineers.

The French dance pioneers, real names Thomas Bangalter and Guy-Manuel de Homem-Christo, never appear in public without their trademark robot helmets.

As well as performing, Paul McCartney picked up the trophies for best music film and best rock song for Cut Me Some Slack, a collaboration with the surviving members of Nirvana.

It beat The Rolling Stones’ Doom And Gloom, from their 50th anniversary album GRRR!, as well as tracks by veteran metal band Black Sabbath, stadium rockers Muse and singer-guitarist Gary Clark Jr.

Black Sabbath did scoop best metal performance, while Led Zeppelin won best rock album for their live recording Celebration Day.

Rapper Macklemore and producer Ryan Lewis, who found fame after self-releasing their album The Heist, won four awards from seven nominations.

Seventeen-year-old Lorde’s debut single Royals earned song of the year and best pop solo performance after catapulting her to the top of the charts around the world last year.

Jay-Z started the night with the most nominations, up for nine awards. He won best rap/sung collaboration for Holy Grail, featuring Justin Timberlake.

Justin Timberlake, Pharrell Williams and rapper Kendrick Lamar were among the acts who went into the ceremony with seven nominations.

Other winners included Adele for her James Bond theme Skyfall, which won the prize for best song written for visual media, and Scottish percussionist Evelyn Glennie, who won best classical instrumental solo.

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Grammys 2014: Winners Full List

Sonia Pantiss
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Grammys 2014: Winners Full List

Grammy Awards 2014 Winners:

Album of the Year: Daft Punk

Record of the Year: Daft Punk, Get Lucky

Best New Artist: Macklemore & Ryan Lewis

Best Pop Duo/Group Performance: Get Lucky, Daft Punk ft. Pharrell Williams and Nyle Rodgers

Best Rock Song: Cut Me Some Slack, Dave Grohl, Paul McCartney, Krist Novoselic & Pat Smear

Best Pop Solo Performance: Royals, Lorde

Best Rap/Sung Collaboration: Holy Grail, Jay Z ft. Justin Timberlake

Best Country Album: Same Trailer Different Park, Kacey Musgraves

Song of the Year: Royals, Lorde

Best Pop Instrumental Album: Stepping Out, Herb Albert

Best Traditional Pop Vocal Album: To Be Loved, Michael Buble

Best Reggae Album: Ziggy Marley In Concert, Ziggy Marley

Best Spoken Word Album: America Again: Re-becoming The Greatness We Never Weren’t, Stephen Colbert

Best Remixed Recording, Non-Classical: Summertime Sadness, Cedric Gervais, Remixer (Lana Del Rey)

Best Gospel/Contemporary Christian Music Performance: Break Every Chain [Live], Tasha Cobbs

Best Gospel Song: If He Did It Before… Same God [Live], Tye Tribbett

Best Gospel Album: Greater Than [Live], Tye Tribbet,

Best Latin Pop Album: Vida, Draco Rosa,

Best Song Written For Visual Media:  Skyfall, Thomas Newman

Best Chamber Music/Small Ensemble Performance: Brady Wells and Roomful of Teeth, Roomful of Teeth

Best New Age Album: Love’s River, Laura Sullivan

Best Jazz Vocal Album:  Liquid Spirit, Gregory Porter

Former Beatles Sir Paul McCartney and Ringo Starr reunited on stage at Grammy Awards 2014
Former Beatles Sir Paul McCartney and Ringo Starr reunited on stage at Grammy Awards 2014

Best Jazz Instrumental Album: Money Jungle: Provocative In Blue, Terri Lyne Carrington

Best Latin Jazz Album: Song For Maura, Paquito D’Rivera And Trio Corrente

Best Compilation Soundtrack Album: Sound City: Real To Reel, Butch Vig (Compilation Producer)

Best Musical Theater Album: Kinky Boots, Cyndi Lauper

Best Americana Album: Old Yellow Moon, Emmylou Harris, Rodney Crowell

Best Folk Album: My Favorite Picuture of You, Guy Clark

Best Dance Recording: Clarity, Zedd ft. Foxes

Best Dance/Electronica Album: Random Access Memories, Daft Punk

Best Comedy Album: Calm Down Gurrl, Kathy Griffin

Best Rap Performance: Thift Shop, Macklemore & Ryan Lewis

Best Rap Song: Thift Shop, Macklemore & Ryan Lewis

Best Rap Album: The Heist, Macklemore & Ryan Lewis

Best R&B Performance:  Something, Snarky Puppy With Lalah Hathaway

Best Traditional R&B Performance: Please Come Home, Gary Clark Jr.

Best R&B Song: Pusher Love Girl, Justin Timberlake

Best Urban Contemporary Album: Unapologetic, Rihanna

Best R&B Album: Girl on Fire, Alicia Keys

Best Blues Album: Get Up! Ben Harper With Charlie Musselwhite

Best Music Film: Live Kisses, Paul McCartney

Best Country Duo/Group Performance: From This Valley, The Civil Wars

Best Country Solo Performance: Wagon Wheel, Darius Rucker

Best Country Song: Merry Go Round, Shane McAnally, Kacey Musgraves & Josh Osborne

Best Rock Performance: Radioactive, Imagine Dragons

Best Alternative Music Album: Modern Vampires of the City, Vampire Weekend

Producer of the Year, Non-Classical: Pharrell Williams

Best Metal Performance: God Is Dead, Black Sabbath

Best Rock Album: Celebration Day, Led Zeppelin

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Good cholesterol HDL can become dysfunctional and contributes to heart disease development

Kathryn R. Bown
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Good cholesterol HDL can become dysfunctional and contributes to heart disease development

According to a medical team at Cleveland Clinic, good cholesterol, or HDL, also has a nasty side that can increase the risk of heart attacks.

HDL (high-density lipoprotein) cholesterol normally helps to keep arteries clear and is good for heart health.

But the team at the Cleveland Clinic showed it can become abnormal and lead to blocked blood vessels.

Doctors say people should still eat healthily, but that the good cholesterol story is a more complex tale than previously thought.

Low-density lipoprotein (LDL) cholesterol is “bad” because it is deposited in the walls of arteries and causes hard plaques to build up that can cause blockages, resulting in heart attacks and stroke.

HDL cholesterol is “good” because the cholesterol is instead shipped to the liver.

HDL cholesterol also has a nasty side that can increase the risk of heart attacks
HDL cholesterol also has a nasty side that can increase the risk of heart attacks

The evidence shows that having a high ratio of good to bad cholesterol is good for health.

However, researchers at the Cleveland Clinic say trials aimed at boosting levels of HDL have “not been successful” and the role of good cholesterol is clearly more complicated.

In their study, published in the journal Nature Medicine, doctors showed how HDL cholesterol could become abnormal.

One of the researchers, Dr. Stanley Hazen, said HDL cholesterol was being modified in the walls of the artery: “In the artery walls it is acting very differently to in the circulation. It can become dysfunctional, and contributes to the development of heart disease.”

Small quantities of the abnormal HDL seep back into the bloodstream and this can be detected.

Tests on 627 patients showed that levels of abnormal HDL in the blood could be used to predict the risk of cardiovascular disease.

Dr. Stanley Hazen added: “This data does not change the message of eat healthily.”

Instead, he said the findings would be used to develop new tests for abnormal HDL cholesterol and research on drugs to help block its formation.

Geneva peace talks: Syria to allow women and children to leave besieged area of Homs

Roy Siemens
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Geneva peace talks: Syria to allow women and children to leave besieged area of Homs

UN mediator at the Geneva peace talks Lakhdar Brahimi has announced that Syria will allow women and children to leave the besieged area of Homs “from now”.

Syrian Deputy Foreign Minister Faisal Mekdad said women and children were free to leave. He alleged armed groups were preventing them from leaving.

Lakhdar Brahimi said that the opposition had agreed to give the government lists of detainees held by armed groups.

He said it was “too early” to assess the prospects of a comprehensive deal.

Lakhdar Brahimi admitted the talks were proceeding slowly but said that on Monday he “expected the two parties to make some general statement about the way forward”.

The envoy said he hoped a humanitarian convoy from the UN and the Red Cross would be able to go to Homs on Monday.

Hundreds of people are reportedly trapped in besieged parts of the city, including some who are very ill.

Syria will allow women and children to leave the besieged area of Homs
Syria will allow women and children to leave the besieged area of Homs

Faisal Mekdad said he hoped arrangements could be made with local officials to allow the convoy access but that the aid must not fall into “the hands of terrorists”, the term Syrian officials for all armed opposition.

Lakhdar Brahimi said that the government would allow women and children to leave immediately but had asked for a list of adult male civilians who wanted to leave to ensure they were not fighters.

The envoy said the opposition had pledged to gather names of detainees from groups it had “authority over or contact with” but admitted that this did not include all anti-government groups fighting in Syria.

The opposition in turn has been asking for the release of thousands of prisoners in government detention.

Lakhdar Brahimi said the talks in Geneva had taken the form of a joint session with the government and opposition in the morning before he met the sides separately in the afternoon.

He added that he expected this pattern to be repeated on Monday.

Lakhdar Brahimi said he had been encouraged by the atmosphere at the talks on Sunday, saying they had been characterized by “respect and exchange”.

No direct words had been exchanged between the delegations but the two sides were talking to each other through him, Lakhdar Brahimi said.

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Sundance Film Festival 2014: Whiplash wins grand jury prize

Sonia Pantiss
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Sundance Film Festival 2014: Whiplash wins grand jury prize

Damien Chazelle’s Whiplash has won the grand jury prize and the audience award at the Sundance Film Festival in Park City, Utah.

The opening night film, about an obsessive jazz drummer, has now been bought by Sony Picture Classics, which will bring it to a wider audience.

Rich Hill, about a group of teenagers living in a deprived area of rural America, won the documentary prize.

Sundance is the US’s leading indie film festival, backed by Robert Redford’s institute of the same name.

Whiplash‘s writer and director, Damien Chazelle, won the US fiction short film grand jury prize last year at Sundance for his original short version of Whiplash.

Damien Chazelle, 28, then expanded his short to make it into a feature film for this year’s festival.

Damien Chazelle's Whiplash has won the grand jury prize and the audience award at the Sundance Film Festival 2014
Damien Chazelle’s Whiplash has won the grand jury prize and the audience award at the Sundance Film Festival 2014

“I remember my first time here was with a short, and the whole reason we made a short was because of my experiences as a drummer,” Damien Chazelle said.

“No-one wanted to finance the film because no-one wants to make a film about a jazz drummer – surprising,” he jokily added.

Rich Hill co-director Tracy Droz Tragos dedicated the win to the film’s subjects.

The documentary audience award went to Alive Inside: A Story of Music & Memory, which explores the effect of music on elderly patients suffering from Alzheimer’s disease.

The annual film festival, now in its 30th year, opened on January 16 in Park City, and will close on Sunday.

Other awards given out on Saturday included the short film audience prize, sponsored by YouTube and based on the number of online hits each entry had. This year’s prize went to Chapel Perilous, a comedy about a man who is visited by a salesman with nothing to sell.

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La Braña 1: Ancient Europeans had blue eyes and dark skin

James J. Williams
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La Braña 1: Ancient Europeans had blue eyes and dark skin

Researchers have found that a 7,000-year-old man whose bones were left behind in a Spanish cave had the dark skin of an African, but the blue eyes of a Scandinavian.

The man was a hunter-gatherer who ate a low-starch diet and couldn’t digest milk well – which meshes with the lifestyle that predated the rise of agriculture. But his immune system was already starting to adapt to a new lifestyle.

Researchers found all this out not from medical records, or from a study of the man’s actual skin or eyes, but from an analysis of the DNA extracted from his tooth.

The study, published online by the journal Nature, lays out what’s said to be the first recovered genome of a European hunter-gatherer from a transitional time known as the Mesolithic Period, which lasted from 10,000 to 5,000 years ago. It’s a time when the hunter-gatherer lifestyle was starting to give way to a more settled existence, with farms, livestock and urban settlements.

La Braña 1 ancient man had dark skin and blue eyes
La Braña 1 ancient man had dark skin and blue eyes

The remains of the Mesolithic male, dubbed La Braña 1, were found in 2006 in the La Braña-Arintero cave complex in northwest Spain. In the Nature paper, the researchers describe how they isolated the ancient DNA, sequenced the genome and looked at key regions linked to physical traits – including lactose intolerance, starch digestion and immune response.

The biggest surprise was that the genes linked to skin pigmentation reflected African rather than modern European variations. That indicates that the man had dark skin, “although we cannot know the exact shade,” Carles Lalueza-Fox, a member of the research team from the Spanish National Research Council, said in a news release. At the same time, the man possessed the genetic variations that produce blue eyes in current Europeans.

That combination makes for a rare genetic profile, but perhaps it was more typical of the Mesolithic Period. To find out, the researchers say they’ll need to analyze more genomes from that time – starting with La Braña 2, another male whose skeleton was found in the Spanish cave.

DGA Awards 2014: Winners Full List

Sonia Pantiss
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DGA Awards 2014: Winners Full List

Outstanding Directorial Achievement Winners at 66th Annual DGA Awards 2014:

Feature Film: Alfonso Cuarón, Gravity

Dramatic Series: Vince Gilligan – Breaking Bad, <<Felina>>

Movies For Television And Mini-Series: Steven Soderbergh – Behind The Candelabra

Comedy Series: Beth McCarthy-Miller – 30 Rock, <<Hogcock!/Last Lunch>>

Gravity film-maker Alfonso Cuaron has picked up the top film honor from the Directors Guild of America
Gravity film-maker Alfonso Cuaron has picked up the top film honor from the Directors Guild of America

Variety/Talk/News/Sports – Series: Don Roy King – Saturday Night Live, <<Saturday Night Live With Host Justin Timberlake>>

Variety/Talk/News/Sports – Specials: Glenn Weiss – The 67th Annual Tony Awards

Reality Programs: Neil P. DeGroot – 72 Hours, <<The Lost Coast>>

Children’s Programs: Amy Schatz – An Apology To Elephants

Documentary: Jehane Noujaim – The Square

Commercials: Martin de Thurah – Epoch Films

Robert B. Aldrich Award: Steven Soderbergh

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DGA Awards 2014: Alfonso Cuaron picks up top film honor for Gravity

Sonia Pantiss
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DGA Awards 2014: Alfonso Cuaron picks up top film honor for Gravity

Alfonso Cuaron has picked up the top film honor from the Directors Guild of America (DGA) for space drama Gravity.

The prestigious win for Gravity could give Alfonso Cuaron the edge at March’s Academy Awards.

In the DGA’s 65-year history, the winner has only failed to also pick up the best director Oscar seven times.

Accepting the award, Alfonso Cuaron said: “What you cannot see from up there [in space] is this bizarre experiment of nature that is the human experience.

“That experiment is what directors try to sort out with our films. Thankfully, that experience is as diverse as the films as these film-makers make.”

The film-maker also thanked his son and Gravity co-writer Jonas Cuaron.

Alfonso Cuaron has picked up the top film honor from the Directors Guild of America for space drama Gravity
Alfonso Cuaron has picked up the top film honor from the Directors Guild of America for space drama Gravity

Alfonso Cuaron’s film saw off competition from Paul Greengrass’s piracy film Captain Phillips, Steve McQueen’s historical drama 12 Years a Slave, David O. Russell’s 1970s crime caper American Hustle and Martin Scorsese’s black comedy The Wolf of Wall Street.

Other than the Writers’ Guild Awards on February 1st, there are no more major US awards before the Oscars, which take place on March 2nd. The UK’s BAFTA awards take place in London on February 16.

Recent awards, including the Golden Globes and the Producers’ Guild Awards, have seen a split in honors between Gravity, 12 Years a Slave and American Hustle.

Gravity and American Hustle lead the Oscar nominations with 10 nods apiece. 12 Years A Slave has nine nominations.

Other DGA winners included Jehane Noujaim, who won the documentary prize for The Square, about the Egyptian uprising that began in 2011. The film was acquired by subscription service Netflix last year.

Steven Soderbergh’s Behind the Candelabra mirrored its Golden Globes success by winning the best TV movie or mini-series. The film stars Michael Douglas and Matt Damon as flamboyant pianist Liberace and his partner Scott Thorson respectively.

Steven Soderbergh, who was once a first vice-president of the Directors’ Guild, was also honoured with the Robert B. Aldrich Award for his services to the organization.

Breaking Bad creator Vince Gilligan won his first DGA award for the series finale of the hit drama.

Other winners included Beth McCarthy-Miller for 30 Rock (best comedy series) and Don Roy King for Saturday Night Live (best variety series).

The awards took place at the Hollywood and Highland complex in Los Angeles, hosted by Glee actress Jane Lynch – the first woman to present the ceremony.

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Who died in American Horror Story: Coven? Season finale.

Sonia Pantiss
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Who died in American Horror Story: Coven? Season finale.

Spoiler alert!

American Horror Story: Coven came to an end thanks to Fiona’s daughter Cordelia.

When Cordelia (Sarah Paulson) got her “sight” back, she had a vision of Fiona (Jessica Lange) standing over all the dead bodies of her fellow coven members.

In order to prevent the inevitable, she told the Axeman (Danny Huston) that Fiona planned to leave him once she got her powers back. Once he had proof, the Axeman used his, well, axe on Fiona, killing her and leaving her body in the swamp.

American Horror Story fans received some shocking news in this week's episode
American Horror Story fans received some shocking news in this week’s episode

Even though the season has been full of resurrections, Fiona is gone for good. Misty (Lily Rabe) even pointed out that she can’t bring someone back once they’re “gator sh–.”

Despite knowing how evil Fiona has been, the coven brutally killed the Axeman. Cordelia then declared that the whole coven will go through the Seven Wonders test to find out who will replace Fiona.

American Horror Story: Coven’s season finale airs Wednesday at 10 P.M. ET/PT on FX.

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Pope Francis’ peace doves attacked by seagull and crow at Angelus prayer

Nancy Clayson
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Pope Francis’ peace doves attacked by seagull and crow at Angelus prayer

Two white doves released by Pope Francis and two children in Vatican City as a peace gesture have been attacked by a seagull and a crow.

The birds swept down on the doves after they were set free from the Apostolic Palace during the Pope’s weekly Angelus prayer.

Two white doves released by Pope Francis and two children in Vatican City as a peace gesture have been attacked by a seagull and a crow
Two white doves released by Pope Francis and two children in Vatican City as a peace gesture have been attacked by a seagull and a crow

Tens of thousands of people watched as one dove struggled to break free.

The crow pecked repeatedly at the other dove. It is not clear what happened to the doves that flew away.

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