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Xbox One DRM policies: Microsoft drops pre-owned games restrictions on new console

Nancy Clayson
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Xbox One DRM policies: Microsoft drops pre-owned games restrictions on new console

Microsoft has made an U-turn over its decision to impose restrictions on pre-owned titles on its new Xbox One console.

Microsoft had said it would restrict the free trade of pre-owned games, and that an internet connection was required to play all titles.

But following gamers’ anger, Microsoft said it would drop the policies.

Microsoft interactive president Don Mattrick said the company had “heard loud and clear” from its customers.

“You told us how much you loved the flexibility you have today with games delivered on disc,” Don Mattrick said in a statement posted online.

“The ability to lend, share, and resell these games at your discretion is of incredible importance to you. Also important to you is the freedom to play offline, for any length of time, anywhere in the world.”

Microsoft has made an U-turn over its decision to impose restrictions on pre-owned titles on its new Xbox One console
Microsoft has made an U-turn over its decision to impose restrictions on pre-owned titles on its new Xbox One console

The statement, which was for some time inaccessible due to heavy traffic, went on to backtrack fully on the controversial aspects of their DRM – digital rights management – plans:

  • “An internet connection will not be required to play offline Xbox One games – after a one-time system set-up with a new Xbox One, you can play any disc based game without ever connecting online again. There is no 24-hour connection requirement and you can take your Xbox One anywhere you want and play your games, just like on Xbox 360.
  • “Trade-in, lend, resell, gift, and rent disc based games just like you do today – there will be no limitations to using and sharing games, it will work just as it does today on Xbox 360.”

The rules apply to games bought as physical discs only, and do not affect games downloaded via the online Xbox store.

“While we believe that the majority of people will play games online and access the cloud for both games and entertainment, we will give consumers the choice of both physical and digital content,” Don Mattrick said.

“We have listened and we have heard loud and clear from your feedback that you want the best of both worlds.”

However, there will be something of a trade-off for gamers.

Microsoft had planned to allow customers to “trade” downloaded games online in exchange for money off new titles. The change of stance means that gamers will no longer be able to do this – something gamers may regret in the future, one analyst suggested.

Questions over the handling of pre-owned games was an unexpected talking point at last week’s E3 conference – the largest games industry event in the calendar.

Sony took the opportunity during its press conference to make a direct attack on Microsoft’s policy.

“PS4 will not impose any new restrictions on your use of PS4 game discs,” said Jack Tretton, boss of Sony Computer Entertainment America, drawing cheers from some attendees.

For Microsoft, it means a second high-profile U-turn in short succession. Last month, it told Windows 8 users that it would be bringing back the iconic “Start” button to its operating system, having previously dropped it from its redesign.

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Robert Mueller: FBI uses drones for surveillance in limited cases over US soil

Roy Siemens
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Robert Mueller: FBI uses drones for surveillance in limited cases over US soil

The Federal Bureau has used drones for surveillance in limited cases over US soil, FBI Director Robert Mueller has told a US Senate committee.

Robert Mueller said the agency had “very few” drones and had used them in “a very minimal way” and “very seldom”.

But the director said the FBI was in the “initial stages” of developing drone policies.

In May, President Barack Obama said he would curtail the use of armed drones in operations outside the US.

Under the new policy described by the White House, the US will only allow drones to be used in areas that are not overt war zones when there was a “continuing, imminent threat” to the US and capture was not feasible.

Robert Mueller has told a US Senate committee the FBI has used drones for surveillance in limited cases over US soil
Robert Mueller has told a US Senate committee the FBI has used drones for surveillance in limited cases over US soil

Wednesday’s acknowledgment that the US federal investigative service has also used drones comes as the nation debates electronic surveillance following the recent disclosure of massive internet and telephone data snooping programmes.

Robert Mueller, who is retiring in July after 12 years as FBI director, described the drone use in testimony in a hearing of the US Senate judiciary committee.

“I will tell you that our footprint is very small,” he said.

He said drones were used in “particular incidents where you need the capability” but said he was unsure how long images captured by the drones were kept.

A surveillance drone was used during a February stand-off with an Alabama man who shot dead a school bus driver and then took a five-year-old boy hostage, according to media reports at the time.

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Kate Middleton and Prince William decide not to find out their baby’s gender

Lisa.Felice
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Kate Middleton and Prince William decide not to find out their baby’s gender

Kate Middleton and Prince William have “decided not to find out” the gender of their baby, royal officials say.

The royal baby will be delivered in the private Lindo Wing of St Mary’s Hospital in Paddington, west London – where Princess Diana had her sons.

The baby is due in mid-July, and Prince William hopes he will be present if his RAF duties allow.

St James’s Palace officials have appealed for an “appropriate degree of sensitivity” regarding the birth.

It is understood Prince William will take two weeks’ paternity leave – as allowed by the Ministry of Defence – but royal officials said the length of the duchess’s maternity leave is a personal matter for her.

The birth was a “very personal matter for the duke and duchess,” officials said.

“But they also know it’s a time to celebrate and many will want to share in their joy.”

Asking for “sensitivity”, officials added that events at the King Edward VII Hospital – where a nurse was found hanged after a prank call to the hospital when the duchess was being treated for morning sickness – were “still strong in the memory”.

Kate Middleton and Prince William have decided not to find out the gender of their baby
Kate Middleton and Prince William have decided not to find out the gender of their baby

The unborn child is in line to become the 43rd monarch since the Norman Conquest.

Once Kate Middleton goes into labor, there will be no further public statement until the baby is born and the Queen, the Middleton family and other senior Royals have been told.

The baby will be delivered by Marcus Setchell, the Queen’s gynaecologist.

When the baby is born, an official announcement will be signed by medical staff and driven to Buckingham Palace – almost certainly under police escort.

The notice will then be placed at the palace central gates. This will form the official announcement, as was the case when Prince William’s birth was announced 31 years ago this Friday.

Reports suggest there will also be a gun salute to mark the birth.

But the name of the child – who will be third in line to the throne – remains a subject for speculation. It is not yet known how long after the birth an announcement will be made.

When Prince Harry was born, the public were told his name the day his mother left hospital. But it took almost a week for his older brother’s name to be announced.

Princess Diana gave birth to both William, in 1982, and Harry, in 1984, in the Lindo Wing where fees for a delivery start at £5,000 ($8,000).

A palace spokesman asked the media to “ensure that the normal functions of the hospital are not impeded” by the presence of journalists.

Kate Middleton attended the Trooping the Colour ceremony on Saturday – the last time she is expected to be seen in public before the baby is due.

Kim Kardashian’s labor was worst ordeal of her life

Lisa.Felice
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Kim Kardashian’s labor was worst ordeal of her life

Kim Kardashian’s labor was reportedly the worst ordeal of her life.

Warned by doctors that she was most likely suffering from the life-threatening condition preeclampsia, Kim Kardashian was forced to deal with going into premature labor on Friday night to save the life of her baby girl.

With her “blood pressure skyrocketing” and “the baby in distress” according to Us Weekly, the pampered doyenne of reality TV was forced to grit her teeth and get on with the delivery.

Kim Kardashian, 32, was so brave in dealing with the terrifying ordeal that her often absent beau, Kanye West, 36, is now desperate to marry her as soon as possible.

“They’ll start planning their next project, a wedding, sooner rather than later,” a source told People magazine.

“He definitely wants to marry her, he hasn’t left her side.”

Kim Kardashian’s friend Robin Antin, with whom she spent the last few days of her pregnancy relaxing in the sunshine, offered an insight into how Kim’s stoic and tenacious behavior this weekend impressed the often lugubrious rapper.

Kim Kardashian’s labor was reportedly the worst ordeal of her life
Kim Kardashian’s labor was reportedly the worst ordeal of her life

“This was a lot to go through,” the founder of music group GRL told the magazine.

“I’m sure she was exhausted but she handled it like a pro.”

Doctors have warned Kim Kardashian – who is desperate to start exercising in order to get her body back into shape – that she needs to watch her blood pressure as hypertension can be a real issue after these kinds of emergencies.

A source told Us Weekly: “After discharge she should follow up with blood pressure checks. The condition can cause problems after birth.”

However, Kanye West will be by Kim Kardashian’s side constantly from now on to monitor the health of his partner and their baby: “For the next two weeks, Kim wants Kanye around 24/7,” the mole continued.

Kim Kardashian and Kanye West will also employ the services of a nurse for a year, according to Us Weekly who report that the helper will wear “a custom-made black-and-white uniform”.

“Kim is a bit freaked out, but the baby’s breathing is fine,” the magazine continued.

Kabye West made sure he was front and centre for the birth of his first child.

The rapper had been scheduled to make an appearance at a release party in Los Angeles for his new album Yeezus, which is due out on Tuesday.

But Kim Kardashian had started feeling ill Friday and, after having contractions, admitted herself to Cedars-Sinai Medical Center near Beverly Hills five weeks ahead of her scheduled due date, causing Kanye West to skip out on his own party.

M&S launches Perky Profile Bra to help shoppers getting Dita Von Teese’s look for less

Lisa.Felice
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M&S launches Perky Profile Bra to help shoppers getting Dita Von Teese’s look for less

Marks and Spencer has launched the “Perky Profile” bra to help shoppers get Dita Von Teese’s look for less.

M&S aims to give breasts a retro cone shape thanks to specially constructed padding.

The bra, which is available in Dita esque black and pink, as well as a ladylike cream, will, say M&S, give you a “push out” rather than a push up profile.

Soozie Jenkinson, Head of Lingerie Design at M&S says: “Modern day celebrities like Dita Von Teese have championed this glamorous retro forties style.

“The perfect underpinnings are essential in achieving this look, which is why we launched our Perky Profile bra which projects the bust giving you a fuller, more pronounced shape for the ultimate Sweater Girl look.

“This lingerie innovation uses a completely new cup shape creating a higher bust point giving a more stand out shape.”

Marks and Spencer has launched the “Perky Profile” bra to help shoppers get Dita Von Teese's look for less
Marks and Spencer has launched the “Perky Profile” bra to help shoppers get Dita Von Teese’s look for less

Paschal Little, head of lingerie innovation at M&S added: “The unique and innovative smoothing cups have been engineered with extra projection at the bust point providing a modern silhouette which emulates glamour icons from the 1940’s Hollywood era.

“This gives a great new shape under this season’s <<New Look>> silhouette.”

Although the perky profile bra and drop a dress size dress have been grabbing most of the headlines, they aren’t the only body enhancing pieces to have arrived at M&S in recent months.

Other new additions to the brand’s output include the “no gap shirt” which has a hidden placket and an extra button to ensure that you never flash your bra again.

Also proving popular is the new Light as Air bra, which weighs just 39 grams – a whopping 11 grams less than the average bra.

With no padding and made using new moulding techniques, the bra gives a smooth shape without adding weight.

“The ultra light weight and breathable materials used in our Light as Air bra [were] developed to keep you cool and comfortable in the warmer months,” added Little.

“We have incorporated an airy, open work channel below the cup to increase the feeling of coolness, comfort and airflow through the garment.

“This modern concept bra is neither padded nor non padded, but is molded to give you a feminine shape with definition.”

Dolce and Gabbana sentenced to jail for 1 billion euros tax evasion

Lisa.Felice
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Dolce and Gabbana sentenced to jail for 1 billion euros tax evasion

Domenico Dolce and Stefano Gabbana have been sentenced to jail in Italy for one year and eight months for tax evasion.

The Italian fashion designers were accused of hiding millions of euros from tax authorities.

Domenico Dolce and Stefano Gabbana, whose customers have included Madonna, Kate Moss and Kylie Minogue, were not at the trial, deny the charges and have appealed.

Domenico Dolce and Stefano Gabbana have been sentenced to jail in Italy for one year and eight months for tax evasion
Domenico Dolce and Stefano Gabbana have been sentenced to jail in Italy for one year and eight months for tax evasion

The designers have not commented on their sentences, which have been suspended pending their appeal.

The investigation by the Italian authorities began around six years ago as part of a government plan to crack down on tax avoidance.

At the hearing on Wednesday, the judge ruled that the designers moved their brand to a Luxembourg-based holding company Gado – an anagram of their two surnames – in 2004.

He said they had done this to avoid declaring taxes on royalties of around 1 billion euros ($1.3 billion).

Prosecutors alleged they sold the business for well below actual market value.

They were initially cleared of the charges at a previous trial in April 2011 but Italy’s highest court overturned that ruling, ordering that the case should be sent back.

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Barack Obama speaking at Brandenburg Gate 50 years after JFK’s “Ich bin ein Berliner” speech

Diane A. Wade
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Barack Obama speaking at Brandenburg Gate 50 years after JFK’s “Ich bin ein Berliner” speech

President Barack Obama has used his public speech in Berlin to propose cuts of one-third in American and Russian nuclear arsenals.

Speaking at the Brandenburg Gate, Barack Obama called for reductions in the number of tactical warheads deployed in Europe.

The US president also pledged to boost efforts to close the Guantanamo Bay detention centre and tackle climate change.

Earlier, Barack Obama met Chancellor Angela Merkel, who criticized the broad scope of US surveillance programmes.

This is Barack Obama’s first visit to Berlin as American president.

His address to students and government officials at the Brandenburg Gate, which once divided East and West Germany, comes almost 50 years after President John F. Kennedy’s celebrated “Ich bin ein Berliner” speech.

In a speech which centred on a theme of freedoms, Barack Obama said the gate was a symbol that “no wall can stand against the yearnings for justice… that burn in the human heart”.

“Today’s threats are not as stark as they were half a century ago, but the struggle for freedom and security and human dignity, that struggle goes on,” he said.

“We may no longer live in fear of global annihilation but so long as nuclear weapons exist, we are not truly safe,” calling for intensified efforts to limit their spread.

Barack Obama said he had determined that the US could ensure its own and its allies security and maintain a credible deterrent “while reducing our deployed strategic nuclear weapons by up to one third”.

“I intend to seek negotiated cuts with Russia to move beyond Cold War nuclear postures,” he said.

Under the New Start treaty which the US signed with Russia in 2010, each side is allowed a maximum of 1,550 warheads and no more than 700 deployed launchers.

The new limit on delivery systems is less than half the ceiling of 1,600 specified in the original Start treaty from 1991.

Barack Obama spoke at Brandenburg Gate 50 years after JFK's "Ich bin ein Berliner" speech
Barack Obama spoke at Brandenburg Gate 50 years after JFK’s “Ich bin ein Berliner” speech

Barack Obama added that the US would also work alongside NATO allies to seek “bold reductions” in the use of tactical weapons in Europe, and would also seek to forge a new international framework for the use of peaceful nuclear power.

He said the US rejected the nuclearisation of countries like North Korea and Iran.

Shortly before Barack Obama spoke, Russian President Vladimir Putin was quoted as saying that Moscow “cannot allow the balance of the system of strategic deterrence to be disturbed or the effectiveness of our nuclear force to be decreased”.

A senior foreign policy adviser to Vladimir Putin said other nuclear-armed countries would have also have to reduce their stockpiles for such a plan to work.

“The situation now is not like in the 1960s and 1970s when only the United States and the Soviet Union held talks on reducing nuclear arms,” Yury Ushakov told a briefing in Moscow.

“Now we need to look more broadly… and increase the circle of participants in possible contacts on this matter.”

Barack Obama said that for the US, moving beyond the Cold War “mindset of perpetual war” also meant redoubling efforts to close the US prison camp at Guantanamo, tightly controlling the use of new technology like drones and “balancing the pursuit of security with the protection of privacy”.

In her morning meetings with Barack Obama, Chancellor Angela Merkel had criticized PRISM, the recently exposed US phone and internet surveillance programmes, saying: “We do see the need for gathering information, but there is a need for due diligence and proportionality.”

The chancellor grew up in Communist East Germany, where police surveillance was widespread.

Angela Merkel acknowledged that the internet “enables enemies of a free liberal order to use and abuse and bring threats to all of us”, but “an equitable balance must be struck”.

Barack Obama said the monitoring applied within narrow limits to do with national security. It had detected 50 potential threats and saved many lives, he emphasized.

“This is not a situation where we simply go into the internet and begin searching any way we want,” the US president told a news conference in Berlin.

Barack Obama’s visit comes after G8 leaders backed calls for holding Syrian peace talks in Geneva “as soon as possible”.

Speaking earlier, Barack Obama said the US was confident that the Syrian government had used chemical weapons during the 26-month-old conflict, but refused to spell out what aid might go the rebels.

“I cannot and will not comment on specifics on our programmes related to the Syrian opposition,” Barack Obama said, stressing his support for a political transition.

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Kai Chase: Michael Jackson’s former personal chef tells court how Paris Jackson coped with her father’s death

Sonia Pantiss
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Kai Chase: Michael Jackson’s former personal chef tells court how Paris Jackson coped with her father’s death

Kai Chase, Michael Jackson’s former personal chef, has opened up about how Paris and her siblings have coped in the wake of their father’s death.

During a testimony in the Jackson family’s wrongful death suit against AEG Live regarding Michael Jackson’s death, Kai Chase revealed 15-year-old Paris, who is currently recovering in hospital following a failed suicide bid, is “devastated and lost”.

She also revealed that Paris Jackson no longer wants parties for her birthday since her father hosted a private circus for her when she turned 11.

Kai Chase said: “Being daddy’s little girl, Paris is devastated. She’s devastated and lost. She’s trying to find herself and find who she is. It’s taking a lot of love and understanding to keep her together. She breaks down, she cries, she talks about him.”

Earlier in her testimony, Kai Chase described an April 2009 birthday party for Paris Jackson that included a private circus. The Cirque du Soleil-style show featured men on stilts and a woman performing in a giant balloon, Kai Chase said.

Paris Jackson, who was turning 11, adored her father and Kai Chase helped decorate a room filled with posters and photos of Michael Jackson. The singer’s music was played throughout the party.

It was the last birthday party Paris Jackson, now 15, has had.

“Paris hasn’t had any birthdays since,” Kai Chase said.

“She hasn’t wanted to celebrate since.”

Michael Jackson’s youngest son, Blanket, who remains home-schooled, wears a T-shirt with his father’s image every Friday, she said.

A video deposition of Paris from March was shown as part of the trial on Tuesday, as the teenager is still too unwell to testify in person.

Paris Jackson no longer wants parties for her birthday since Michael Jackson hosted a private circus for her when she turned 11
Paris Jackson no longer wants parties for her birthday since Michael Jackson hosted a private circus for her when she turned 11

The videos were used after lawyers for the Jackson family told the judge that Paris, who is suing the concert giant along with her grandmother Katherine, 83, and siblings, would be unable to testify in person due to the fact that she is still recovering in hospital.

Katherine Jackson’s lawsuit claims AEG failed to properly investigate Dr. Conrad Murray, who is serving a four-year prison sentence for involuntary manslaughter over Michael’s death, and pushed the superstar to rehearse and perform a planned series of 50 comeback shows titled This Is It.

Lawyers acting for Paris, Prince Michael, Blanket, and Katherine contend that pressure from AEG led to Michael Jackson’s death from an overdose of surgical anaesthetic in June 2009, two weeks before his This Is It concerts were to begin at the O2 Arena in London.

Both Paris Jackson and her brother Prince are listed as potential witnesses in the case, which is in its sixth week of trial.

However, in the video testimonial from March which was replayed on Tuesday, Paris Jackson claimed that her former nanny Grace Rwaramba, who has visited the teenager in hospital since her suicide attempt, was “obsessed” with Michael Jackson.

Paris Jackson said: “My dad didn’t like her so he tried to keep her away from us. He would send her to run errands a lot… He said she was sneaky, she was not an honest person and she lied a lot.”

She added in the footage: “She used to be [one of the nannies] but she got really creepy. This is going to freak you out. One time, it was before – me and my brother were really young – before Blanket was born.

“When he would stay in a hotel, or whatever, she would call the hotel and say that she was his wife. She was obsessed with him… They let her in and he’d wake up and she would be in his bed.”

Marvin S. Putnam, a defense attorney for AEG Live, said Paris and Prince Jackson were deposed in the case because they are named plaintiffs. He said Paris Jackson’s testimony was not a “grilling” but urged privacy for her and her family.

“There’s a real person involved here,” Marvin S. Putnam said.

“There’s a 15-year-old girl and something incredibly tragic has happened that none of us know why and I think it would really be in everyone’s best interest and particularly in her best interest if rather than blowing this up into something else, that they were given a little bit of privacy to deal with something that has to be a tragic, tragic moment for all of them.”

“She’s 15,” he said.

“Someone should give her a break.”

According to TMZ, legal papers reveal the famous offspring are asking for $10 billion for all of the future earnings they claim their father would have generated if he had he lived.

According to the website, the family want an additional $50 million for various other damages.

AEG, which denies any liability for Michael Jackson’s death, says the huge figure is based on speculation and that the star’s career was on a downward spiral.

Legal analysts say the billions being claimed are unlikely to be awarded and are a legal tactic to get publicity for the case.

Just days prior to her suicide bid, Paris Jackson was reportedly told that she does not share the same biological father as Prince.

Then, over the days that followed, Paris Jackson spiraled into depression and was admitted to the UCLA medical centre hospital after cutting her wrists and taking an overdose of pills on June 5.

Whilst Paris Jackson is said to be feeling better, she could remain in hospital for another month.

Cyprus: President Nicos Anastasiades attacks banks bailout terms

Clyde K. Valle
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Cyprus: President Nicos Anastasiades attacks banks bailout terms

President Nicos Anastasiades has urged eurozone leaders to revise the terms of Cyprus’ bank bailout, in a highly critical letter.

Nicos Anastasiades said the “haircut” imposed on large deposits under the 10 billion-euro bailout had significantly eroded the capital kept by businesses in banks.

Losses were imposed on big deposits in Bank of Cyprus (BoC) and Laiki Bank. BoC is now in trouble, the letter said.

The letter to Cyprus’s creditors, sent last week, was leaked on Wednesday.

“I urge you to support a long-term solution to Bank of Cyprus’ thin liquidity position,” Nicos Anastasiades said.

Laiki Bank is being wound up and its safe assets transferred to BoC.

For large depositors at both banks the first 100,000 euros is protected, but the government can tap up to 40% of their remaining deposits, to contribute billions towards the bailout.

President Nicos Anastasiades has urged eurozone leaders to revise the terms of Cyprus' bank bailout, in a highly critical letter
President Nicos Anastasiades has urged eurozone leaders to revise the terms of Cyprus’ bank bailout, in a highly critical letter

But Nicos Anastasiades complained that “no distinction was made between long-term deposits earning high returns and money flowing through current accounts, such as firms’ working capital”.

“This amounted to a significant loss of working capital for businesses.”

The rescue was agreed in March with the troika of international lenders – the European Commission, European Central Bank (ECB) and International Monetary Fund (IMF).

Capital restrictions imposed to prevent a run on Cypriot banks have been eased, but remain in place. The president said such “artificial” measures “will only aggravate the depositors the longer they persist”.

“Rather than creating confidence in the banking system they are eroding it by the day,”  Nicos Anastasiades warned.

The text of his letter appeared on the Open Europe think tank’s blog on Wednesday. His complaints about the bailout were also reported by the Financial Times.

Unnamed eurozone officials quoted by Reuters news agency say there are no plans to alter the terms of the bailout for Cyprus or to supply more funds.

Eurozone finance ministers will discuss the letter at a meeting in Luxembourg on Thursday, Reuters reports.

Cyprus has started receiving installments of the bailout package from international creditors.

North Korea blasts report that Kim Jong-un gave out copies of Adolf Hitler’s memoir Mein Kampf

Diane A. Wade
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North Korea blasts report that Kim Jong-un gave out copies of Adolf Hitler’s memoir Mein Kampf

North Korea has blasted a report that its leader, Kim Jong-un, gave out copies of Adolf Hitler’s memoir Mein Kampf to officials on his birthday.

The report, from a news website run by North Korean defectors, said that senior officials were given the book as a gift in January.

North Korea has denounced the defectors as “human scum” and threatened to kill them.

Nazi leader Adolf Hitler wrote Mein Kampf in 1924 while in prison.

The book, which translates as My Struggle in English, outlines his early life and racist views.

News portal New Focus International wrote the original report, citing an unnamed North Korean official in China.

“Mentioning that Hitler managed to rebuild Germany in a short time following its defeat in WWI, Kim Jong-un issued an order for the Third Reich to be studied in depth and asked that practical applications be drawn from it,” the source reportedly said.

North Korea has blasted a report that Kim Jong-un gave out copies of Adolf Hitler's memoir Mein Kampf to officials on his birthday
North Korea has blasted a report that Kim Jong-un gave out copies of Adolf Hitler’s memoir Mein Kampf to officials on his birthday

North Korea’s Ministry of People’s Security, which is responsible for policing, issued an angry response which was carried by the country’s official news agency, KCNA.

It dismissed the report as a “smear campaign” written by “a handful of human scum… moving desperately to deter [North Korea’s] progress”.

The defectors were being used by South Korea and the US, it went on.

The ministry was determined to “physically remove [the] despicable human scum who are committing treason”, the statement added.

The two Koreas remain technically at war after the 1950-53 Korean war ended with an armistice, not a peace treaty.

Ties between the two are currently very tense in the wake of Pyongyang’s February 12 nuclear test.

It is estimated that more than 20,000 North Koreans have defected to the South since the 1950s.

However, fleeing North Korea is dangerous, and defectors who are repatriated to North Korea face punishments including labor camps and execution, activists say.

David Siegel needs $30 million to complete Versailles mansion

Lisa.Felice
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David Siegel needs $30 million to complete Versailles mansion

Work has recommenced on David Siegel’s Palace of Versailles, a building set to become America’s largest family home in 2015.

The sprawling 90,000-square-foot property in Windermere, Florida, owned by former beauty queen Jackie Siegel, 47, and her self-made billionaire husband was imagined six years ago.

But building work stopped on the property during the recession in 2009 after the couple ran out of funds.

David and Jackie Siegel, who were the subject of 2012 fly-on-the-wall documentary Queen of Versailles, now hope to finally move into the vast mansion with their eight children after scraping together the $30million needed to complete it.

Jackie Siegel, who won the Miss Florida title in the 1990s, told The New York Post that as a result of the delay they have had to make several minor adjustments to the floor plan – especially now that their children are older.

For example, instead of sandboxes and playrooms, they plan on creating “man caves” and yoga studios.

The couple modeled their extravagant 30-bedroom home after France’s 17th century Palace of Versailles and started laying foundations on a ten-acre plot of land in 2007.

Their lavish pad is nine times larger than other houses in the area and has a $20 million mortgage, which is 100 times the size of the average mortgage in Central Florida, according to the Orlando Sentinel.

However, in 2009 they were forced to put their project on hold as their finances suffered a blow during the recession.

Instead of pouring his profits into buying construction materials David Siegel, 78, concentrated his efforts on protecting his 30-year-old time-share and real estate company Westgate Resorts.

Last July he even decided to put the property, which was only two-thirds complete, on the market for $65 million so he could reinvest the money in his business.

But after it failed to sell, the Siegels decided to keep hold of the building and surrounding land. This year work restarted and Jackie Siegel told Today in February: “We’re finishing it to actually finish it. But we do want to live in there.”

Work has recommenced on David Siegel’s Palace of Versailles
Work has recommenced on David Siegel’s Palace of Versailles

And she revealed to The New York Post that the family are once again enjoying their extravagant lifestyle.

“I never see a bill. My husband gives me credit cards and I think they’re like magic, they just keep working,” Jackie Siegel explained.

It was previously estimated that it will take two years to finish the Siegels’ home.

As well as 30 bedrooms, the concrete home fronted with white marble from Italy, will have 23 bathrooms boasting spectacular views over Lake Butler, about 20 miles outside Orlando.

All 23 full bathrooms will have full-sized hot tubs, and 160 triple-pane windows and Brazilian mahogany French-style doors promise plenty of light.

The hand-built windows for the house cost more than $2million and bespoke materials have been sourced from all over the world.

On the entertainment front a roller rink, children’s theater, bowling alley, three swimming pools, a baseball field and two tennis courts will be installed.

And outside a large boat house, formal gardens, a one-story gatehouse and an underground garage with enough space for 20 cars will complete the palatial look.

There is also a His and Her office space with a 12ft two-sided aquarium.

David and Jackie Siegel currently live in a 26,000-square-foot home in the exclusive Isleworth gated community, best known as the scene of Tiger Woods’ 2009 car crash just before his divorce.

The entire family and their entourage of staff featured in Queen of Versailles, a film by Lauren Greenfield which grossed more than $2 million and won numerous awards including the U.S. Directing Award at the 2012 Sundance Film Festival.

Jackie Seigel previously said that she enjoyed her time in the spotlight and would like to launch a career in reality TV. However, she admitted to The New York Post: “I don’t have time to watch a lot of TV but I probably need to start educating myself on the <<Housewives>> and what’s out there.”

While their yet-to-be-completed home is large, the original Versailles, outside Paris and completed by the Sun King, Louis XIV, in 1710, is much, much larger.

The 219,000-square-foot landmark boasts 2,300 rooms and 67 staircases. Building it also caused financial problems, nearly bankrupting France.

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Michael Jackson’s promoters dealings with his doctor were “highly inappropriate”, says David Berman

Sonia Pantiss
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Michael Jackson’s promoters dealings with his doctor were “highly inappropriate”, says David Berman

AEG Live’s dealings with Michael Jackson’s doctor were “highly inappropriate”, music industry expert David Berman has told a US court.

Michael Jackson died in 2009 following an overdose of a powerful anaesthetic administered by Dr. Conrad Murray.

Conrad Murray, hired ahead of Michael Jackson’s comeback shows in London, was convicted of involuntary manslaughter in 2011.

Michael Jackson’s mother, Katherine, is suing AEG Live for $40 billion. The company have denied any wrongdoing.

The Jackson family claim AEG Live failed to properly investigate Conrad Murray and missed warning signs about the singer’s health.

David Berman, a former head of Capitol records, is testifying for Katherine Jackson during the on-going case in Los Angeles.

Asked whether it was appropriate for the concert company to attempt to hire a doctor on the singer’s behalf, David Berman said: “I believe that it’s highly inappropriate. It is highly unusual.”

Michael Jackson died in 2009 following an overdose of a powerful anaesthetic administered by Dr. Conrad Murray
Michael Jackson died in 2009 following an overdose of a powerful anaesthetic administered by Dr. Conrad Murray

He added that a more appropriate relationship would have been for Michael Jackson to hire cardiologist Conrad Murray without any involvement from AEG Live.

David Berman said that after viewing draft contracts and emails between AEG company executives, he believed AEG Live thought it controlled the physician.

He also said the company should not have negotiated with Conrad Murray without notifying Michael Jackson’s representatives.

The experienced executive, who worked with acts such as The Eagles, The Beach Boys and The Doors, is being paid $500 an hour to testify for Katherine Jackson.

David Berman retired from the music industry in 2001 to become an expert witness for music industry-related lawsuits.

AEG’s lawyers have objected to David Berman’s expertise, pointing out he has never been a tour producer or promoter.

An AEG lawyer showed David Berman a statement signed by Michael Jackson’s former manager, Frank Dileo, stating that he was aware of negotiations with Conrad Murray, and that it was his understanding that AEG Live’s CEO objected to bringing the physician on tour.

AEG have yet to question David Berman in court.

The company denies it hired Conrad Murray. The company’s executives and lawyers have said that AEG was merely advancing Michael Jackson the money to pay Conrad Murray, and a valid contract never existed.

Its executives have also stated that it agreed to pay Conrad Murray’s salary only because Michael Jackson insisted on him coming on tour.

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Michael Hastings dead: Top journalist and war correspondent killed in car crash at the age of 33

Nancy Clayson
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0
Michael Hastings dead: Top journalist and war correspondent killed in car crash at the age of 33

War correspondent Michael Hastings has died in a car crash in Los Angeles at the age 33, his employer, news website BuzzFeed, has confirmed.

The journalist’s vehicle hit a tree and caught fire on Tuesday morning, US media report.

Michael Hastings was best known for his award-winning profile in Rolling Stone magazine of ex-US Afghanistan commander General Stanley McChrystal.

General Stanley McChrystal was dismissed after he openly criticized President Barack Obama in the story.

The military leader later quipped about the incident, telling military staff during his Pentagon farewell address: “I have stories on all of you, photos of many, and I know a Rolling Stone reporter.”

The accident which killed Michael Hastings is thought to have occurred on Highland Avenue in the Hancock Park neighborhood.

War correspondent Michael Hastings has died in a car crash in Los Angeles at the age 33
War correspondent Michael Hastings has died in a car crash in Los Angeles at the age 33

Authorities confirmed a man had been killed in a car crash there on Tuesday morning, but would not confirm his identity.

BuzzFeed‘s editor-in-chief, Ben Smith, said he had learnt the news from a family member.

“We are shocked and devastated by the news that Michael Hastings is gone,” Ben Smith said.

“Michael was a great, fearless journalist with an incredible instinct for the story, and a gift for finding ways to make his readers care about anything he covered from wars to politicians.”

At the time of his death, Michael Hastings was also still a contributing editor at Rolling Stone.

“I’m sad that I’ll never get to publish all the great stories that he was going to write, and sad that he won’t be stopping by my office for any more short visits which would stretch for two or three completely engrossing hours,” the magazine’s managing editor Will Dana said.

Michael Hastings began his career at Newsweek magazine in 2002, and was named the publication’s Baghdad correspondent in 2005.

Michael Hastings’ work has also appeared in The Washington Post, the LA Times and numerous publications.

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7.6 million people became refugees in 2012, more than any time since 1994

James J. Williams
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7.6 million people became refugees in 2012, more than any time since 1994

According to the United Nations, 7.6 million people became refugees in 2012, with the total number now higher than at any time since 1994.

A report from the office of the UN High Commissioner for Refugees (UNHCR) says that Syria is “a major new factor” driving up refugee numbers.

The report say 55% of all refugees come from five countries: Afghanistan, Somalia, Iraq, Sudan and Syria.

It also found that developing countries now hosted 81% of the world’s refugees, 11% more than a decade ago.

“These truly are alarming numbers. They reflect individual suffering on a huge scale and they reflect the difficulties of the international community in preventing conflicts and promoting timely solutions for them,” said UNHCR chief Antonio Guterres.

Antonio Guterres said that the figure of 7.6 million meant there was a new displaced person every 4.1 seconds.

7.6 million people became refugees in 2012, with the total number now higher than at any time since 1994
7.6 million people became refugees in 2012, with the total number now higher than at any time since 1994

“Each time you blink another person is forced to flee,” he said.

The UNHCR says the figures are based on data from the agency itself as well as from governments and other NGOs.

Afghanistan remained the world’s biggest source of refugees, a position it has now held for 32 years, with 95% of Afghan refugees located in either Iran or Pakistan.

Somalis were the second biggest group of refugees in 2012, followed by Iraqis. Syrians were the fourth biggest group.

The figures do not, however, reflect the additional one million people who have fled Syria in the last six months.

The UN says if current trends persist, a further 2 million people will have left Syria by the end of this year. In the next few days it is expected to ask European countries to take at least some of them in.

The report also says there has been a marked rise in displacement from Mali and the Democratic Republic of Congo.

Mali’s army, heavily backed by France, has been fighting Islamist and ethnic Tuareg rebels this year. Islamists seized control of the north of the country after a military coup last year.

In the Democratic Republic of Congo, some 800,000 people have fled since fighting broke out last year between government forces and the M23 rebel movement.

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Brazil protests: Troops to be deployed to five major cities

Clyde K. Valle
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Brazil protests: Troops to be deployed to five major cities

Brazil’s government has announced it will deploy troops to five major cities to control a wave of protests which has seen almost a quarter of a million people demand better public services.

Members of a national force will be sent to Rio de Janeiro, Minas Gerais, Bahia, Ceara and the capital, Brasilia.

All of the cities are hosting games in FIFA’s Confederations Cup.

The announcement comes after riot police and protesters clashed in fresh protests on Tuesday in Sao Paulo.

Brazil’s ministry of justice said that Recife was the only Confederations Cup host city not to request military support.

Brazil's government will deploy troops to five major cities to control a wave of protests which has seen 250,000 people demand better public services
Brazil’s government will deploy troops to five major cities to control a wave of protests which has seen 250,000 people demand better public services

A source in the ministry said it would be up to local governments to decide how long the troops would stay.

Shops and banks in Brazil’s largest city, Sao Paulo, were vandalized on Tuesday by groups of masked activists, who fought other demonstrators trying to stop the violence.

The protest was the latest in a wave of demonstrations engulfing at least a dozen cities.

Brazilian President Dilma Rousseff said she was proud that so many people were fighting for a better country.

The protests were sparked by anger at a rise in public transport fare prices in Sao Paulo on June 2 but have since mushroomed into much broader discontent with high levels of corruption, the poor state of the health and education services and the high cost of living.

They are the largest since 1992, when people took to the streets to demand the impeachment of then-President Fernando Collor de Mello.

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Rihanna hitting fan in face with microphone during concert in Birmingham

Lisa.Felice
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0
Rihanna hitting fan in face with microphone during concert in Birmingham

Rihanna has been caught on camera violently hitting an over eager fan in the face with her microphone during a recent concert in Birmingham.

Rihanna, 25, can be seen in the footage, which was posted on YouTube by a fan at the gig, running along the front of the crowd as she continued singing.

But as the over excited fans tried to grab her as she ran along Rihanna was then seen turning back as she launched her microphone in the air and slammed it in to one fan’s face before continuing with her concert.

Rihanna was in Birmingham on the latest stop of her Diamonds World Tour when the alleged incident happened.

In the clip of the clash she angrily uses her mic to launch forward as she tried to get on her way.

Rihanna has been caught on camera violently hitting an over eager fan in the face with her microphone during a recent concert in Birmingham
Rihanna has been caught on camera violently hitting an over eager fan in the face with her microphone during a recent concert in Birmingham

It is believed it was the same concert where Rihanna upset fans by turning up more than two hours late after partying with her model pal Cara Delevingne the night before.

Rihanna and Cara Delevingne were out and about in London on Sunday night after her show there, turning up at the posh Bouijs nightclub at 1.45 a.m. on Monday and leaving at 3.15 a.m.

The singer’s love of the daring outfits caused her to have a wardrobe malfunction at the club, where she went to watch her brother Rorrey Fenty rap.

It is doubtful her fans in Birmingham would have appreciated the display of family solidarity on Monday night, as they were kept waiting for her scheduled 8 p.m. appearance before she eventually went on at around 10.30 p.m. according to Radaronline.com.

Rihanna had also been partying with Cara Delevingne on Saturday night, and reviews for her concert in Twickenham the next day were panned by The London Standard.

The paper’s review said: “It didn’t quite feel historic and at times, Rihanna even appeared a bit bored.

“As her penchant for casually singing over the top of her own records at shows suggests, Rihanna wasn’t the most vigorous performer, and she looked dead-eyed …Rihanna deserves a break and so do we.”

It seems Rihanna is going through several woes at the moment.

Not only has she recently split with her ex boyfriend Chris Brown again and had to deal with him reigniting his relationship with Karrueche Tran, but a man was also arrested for creeping around on Rihanna’s roof on Monday night.

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Gwyneth Paltrow fashion misstep at Las Vegas event

Lisa.Felice
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0
Gwyneth Paltrow fashion misstep at Las Vegas event

Gwyneth Paltrow appeared ever-so-graceful as she arrived at the Licensing Expo in Las Vegas, Nevada on Tuesday, but the frills on her blouse made the wrong kind of sartorial statement.

Turning her “fashion do” into a “fashion don’t”, the awkwardly placed, transparent ruffles did nothing to flatter her figure.

Instead, the additional fabric – that outlined her cream halter top – concealed enviable parts of her toned physique.

Gwyneth Paltrow appeared ever-so-graceful as she arrived at the Licensing Expo in Las Vegas, but the frills on her blouse made the wrong kind of sartorial statement
Gwyneth Paltrow appeared ever-so-graceful as she arrived at the Licensing Expo in Las Vegas, but the frills on her blouse made the wrong kind of sartorial statement

Creating a business casual look, Gwyneth Paltrow teamed her blouse with a pair of chocolate brown slacks, flaring above her pointed-toe heels, which seemed a tad too tight.

Not one to sport multiple accessories, Gwyneth Paltrow chose to team her clothes with a pair of round, dangling earrings.

Keeping with her signature style, the food writer sleeked her blonde hair into poker straight strands, as she highlighted her natural beauty with minimal make-up.

Gwyneth Paltrow has another mild fashion faux pas on Saturday night when she went bra-less to walk the red carpet at the Gene Siskel Film Center Gala Honoring Gwyneth Paltrow in Chicago, Illinois.

According to the company’s website, the founder of lifestyle website Goop.com attended the event to deliver the keynote address, titled “Brands on the Brink of Global Expansion” to talk business, strategy, and global expansion.

The event also included a Q&A session with fitness guru Tracy Anderson, since Gwyneth Paltrow is the co-owner of the Tracy Anderson brand.

Christina Aguilera 20 Lbs Weight Loss Revealed on The Voice Finale

Lisa.Felice
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Christina Aguilera 20 Lbs Weight Loss Revealed on The Voice Finale

Christina Aguilera showed off her thin frame in a tight skirt and cropped top for her spirited performance of Feel This Moment with rapper Pitbull during The Voice Season 4 finale on Tuesday night in Los Angeles.

Christina Aguilera, 32, looked incredible in a skintight bandage black skirt and a sparkly silver top that revealed her hot pink bra underneath.

The singer added a boost of height to her 5ft 2in frame with sky high black peep-toe heels and accessorized with giant diamond earrings.

Christina Aguilera wore her platinum blonde hair in glamorous curls over her one shoulder and opted for a smokey eye and nude lips.

She made quite a grand entrance: Pitbull stood onstage and started his rap, until Christina Aguilera appeared on a raised platform to hysterical screams from the crowd.

The set turned into a disco scene with multi-colored lights and a lit-up stage.

Christina Aguilera appeared to hit a few flat notes and the star was seen touching her earpiece periodically.

The pair’s lively performance ended with colorful confetti and ribbons raining down onto the stage.

Christina Aguilera’s super-slim appearance was a far cry from what she looked like back in November at the American Music Awards in Los Angeles.

Sources told Us Weekly that critics motivated her to lose more than 20 lbs in weight.

Christina Aguilera showed off her thin frame during her spirited performance of Feel This Moment with rapper Pitbull on The Voice Season 4 finale
Christina Aguilera showed off her thin frame during her spirited performance of Feel This Moment with rapper Pitbull on The Voice Season 4 finale

“A lot of people were on her about her weight and it depressed her,” a friend said.

“She went through a bad time because of the criticism.”

Christina Aguilera reportedly signed up for the 1,600-calorie-a-day Fresh Diet program, which offers users a variety of nutritious food options.

“She did it all on her own,” said the source.

“She goes online and picks out her food.”

Christina Aguilera was always a slender entertainer but after her 2010 divorce from Jordan Bratman she apparently gained 40 lbs by gorging on pizza and living a life of excess.

The singer was also seen enjoying the nightlife with boyfriend Matthew Rutler – her steady man since late 2010 – which no doubt put pounds on her tiny frame.

Prior to her weight loss, in an interview with Lucky magazine, Christina Aguilera said she was totally unrepentant about the way her clothes advertise her assets.

“Actually, the challenge I’ve always had is being too thin, so I love that now I have a booty, and obviously I love showing my cleavage,” she told the magazine.

“Hey, if you can work it and you can own it, that confidence is going to shine through.”

Meanwhile, country singer Danielle Bradbery, 16, was crowned the Season 4 winner of The Voice on Tuesday night.

Michelle Chamuel, 26, finished second and the Swon Brothers, Colton, 24, and Zach, 27 came third.

Danielle Bradberry’s victory marks the third triumph in four seasons for one of judge Blake Shelton’s proteges.

Ascend P6: Huawei unveils world’s slimmest smartphone

Nancy Clayson
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Ascend P6: Huawei unveils world’s slimmest smartphone

Huawei has unveiled Ascend P6, the world’s thinnest smartphone.

The Android-based Ascend P6 is 6.18 mm (0.24 in) thick and is also unusual in that it has a 5 megapixel front camera for “high quality” self-portraits.

The Chinese-based firm has said it expects the handset to do “miracles” for its brand.

One analyst praised its design, comparing it to a “steamrollered iPhone”, but said its lack of support for 4G networks might limit sales.

“It’s undoubtedly the most impressive phone that Huawei have launched to date in terms of the design, the materials used and its quality,” said Ben Wood, director of research at consultancy CCS Insight, who was at the London launch.

“We’ve seen mainland Chinese manufacturers rapidly improve their ability to make competitive devices over the last 18 months and this is possibly the best so far. But its 3G status means there has undoubtedly been a trade-off to get it as thin and cheap as possible.”

Huawei says it designed one of the slimmest and narrowest circuit boards in the industry to squeeze the electronics into the new handset.

The device has a 4.7 in screen making it comparable to the HTC One but is more than 3 mm (0.1 in) thinner.

It is also slightly slimmer than both the iPhone 5 and the Alcatel One Idol Ultra – which previously claimed to be the world’s thinnest – but at 120 g (0.26 lb) weighs a little more than both.

The phone features Huawei’s own tile-based user interface called Emotion and proprietary software, including an “auto-facial enhancement” tool designed to make self-portraits look better.

Huawei has unveiled Ascend P6, the world's thinnest smartphone
Huawei has unveiled Ascend P6, the world’s thinnest smartphone

Other specifications include:

  • An 8 megapixel rear camera
  • Use of the latest Android Jelly Bean 4.2.2 operating system
  • 8 gigabytes of internal storage – a relatively low amount – but support for 32GB microSD cards
  • A 1.5GHz quad core processor developed by Huawei
  • Various power saving technologies based on the firm’s experience as one of the biggest telecoms equipment makers. As a result, it says the device’s battery lasts 30% longer than it would do otherwise.

Huawei is already a well known brand in China where it grew to become the country’s biggest maker of telecoms equipment after being founded in 1987.

Its more recent shift into Android phones has also found success. According to data research firm IDC, it shipped 9.9 million smartphones in the first three months of the year making it fourth biggest vendor after Samsung, Apple and LG.

However, Huawei acknowledges it still needs to do more to make western consumers familiar with its name and has committed 2% of its revenues to try to ensure it is widely recognized as a leading smart device brand within five years.

“Seven years ago nobody would have believed Apple could be so successful, and maybe five years ago that Samsung could be so successful,” said Shao Yang, chief marketing officer for Huawei Device.

According to a recent study by at Strategy Analytics, Samsung accounts for about 95% of all profits in the Android smartphone market, thanks to “an efficient supply chain, sleek products and crisp marketing”.

That has led some analysts to question the wisdom of competing directly against the South Korean firm. But Ben Wood suggested Huawei might be able to make headway thanks to the economies of scale offered by its rapid rise in its homeland.

“This year Huawei is expected to sell 60 million units – double what it did last year – with the lion’s share of that coming from China,” he said.

“So, when competing with companies like Sony or Nokia it has an inherent advantage which will help with cost.

“It has to make the most of that as it has to pay a kind of tax in the west: since its name is less well known, for big operators or retailers to take its products they expect to get them at a lower price feature-for-feature, spec-for-spec than from a recognized brand.”

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Aquos LC-90LE757: Sharp launches biggest LED TV ever in Europe

Nancy Clayson
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Aquos LC-90LE757: Sharp launches biggest LED TV ever in Europe

Sharp has launched Aquos LC-90LE757, the biggest LED TV ever, in Europe.

The Aquos LC-90LE757 features a 90 in (229 cm) screen, trumping an 84 in display from LG.

Sharp has offered the size in the US since June 2012 – the world’s biggest market for jumbo-TVs – but said it now believed there was demand in Europe for such a set.

One analyst said the European market was indeed growing, but remained “niche”.

Fifty inch-and-larger TVs represent 6% of units currently sold in the UK, according to research firm GfK. However, it adds that the sector accounts for 16% of the sector’s value due to the premium prices they command.

The trend is even more advanced in the US. According to the Consumer Electronics Association, 8% of all TVs sold in the country feature screens 60 in or larger.

“In the States people have bigger houses and bigger rooms, so large TVs represent a larger proportion of the marketplace,” said GfK’s Nigel Catlow.

“But as the TVs get thinner, more rooms are able to take a big TV set, and screen size is the biggest driver for making people want to buy a new product.”

Sharp posted a 545 billion yen ($5.7 billion) net loss in its last financial year. It has since said that it is pursuing high shares of relatively small markets as part of its turnaround strategy.

Sharp’s new display is based on LED (light-emitting diode) technology, weighs 64 kg (141 lbs), and is less than 12 cm (4.7 in) deep.

It supports 3D broadcasts, has three tuners – allowing several channels to be watched at once – and also offers a “wallpaper mode”, which can display a static picture at a low brightness level when it is not otherwise in use.

Sharp has launched Aquos LC-90LE757, the biggest LED TV ever, in Europe
Sharp has launched Aquos LC-90LE757, the biggest LED TV ever, in Europe

The firm says owners need to sit at least 3.5 m (11.5 ft) away to enjoy its picture.

“The biggest challenge we had was to try to hide the framework that is encasing the screen’s pixels,” explained Sharp’s UK product manager, Tommaso Monetto.

“We used a technology called Fred [frame rate enhanced driving] to minimize the structure holding the pixels together so that you hardly see the lines between them, and it becomes a seamless panel when you look at it from the front.”

In the past, Sharp and other firms’ 3D TVs created a different image for each viewer’s eye by sending two signal lines from the device’s motherboard to the display. The firm’s proprietary Fred technology uses a single signal line driven at a higher speed to provide the necessary information, minimizing the amount of wiring and electrical components needed.

“The plan is definitely to go bigger,” Tommaso Monetto added.

“The long-term view is that eventually you will have entire walls that are made out of LCDs, and you can allocate different spaces for different usage. Part will be used for TV signals, part for surfing the internet and part to show pictures.”

Panasonic does sell even bigger displays, offering 103 in and 152 in screens.

However, they are based on plasma technology making them thicker and heavier than Sharp’s LED model. They are also several times the price and Panasonic pitches them at the professional market rather than at consumers.

Sharp opted to make its screen support 1080p video and not the ultra high definition 4K format which uses four times as many pixels.

The advantage of the higher definition format is that owners can sit closer to their screen, allowing a smaller set to take up more of their field of view – and thus appear more immersive – than a larger one limited to 1080p resolution.

Sharp said it took the decision because there was a current lack of 4K content.

It has also allowed it to keep its price down. Sharp’s new set costs about £12,000 ($19,000) in UK compared to the £17,000 ($27,0000 charged for LG’s 84 in Ultra HD LED model.

Even so, at that price its appeal may still be limited.

“You won’t get serious sales volume until you get below around £2,000 to £3,000,” said GfK’s Nigel Catlow.

“However, it will open up a bigger market because there have been some 70 in and 84 in sets out there that were recently selling for £20,000.”

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Chrysler recalls 2.7 million Jeeps at risk of fuel tank fires

Clyde K. Valle
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Chrysler recalls 2.7 million Jeeps at risk of fuel tank fires

Chrysler has finally agreed to voluntarily recall 2.7 million Jeeps that could be at risk of fuel tank fires, after initially refusing a government request to do so.

Chrysler said it had resolved its differences with the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA).

The recall affects Jeep Grand Cherokees from 1993-2004 and Jeep Libertys from 2002-07.

Chrysler maintains that the vehicles are not defective, but said it regards safety as a “paramount concern”.

The company said dealers would inspect the vehicles and, if necessary, provides an upgrade to the rear structure to better manage low-speed crashes.

Chrysler has finally agreed to voluntarily recall 2.7 million Jeeps that could be at risk of fuel tank fires
Chrysler has finally agreed to voluntarily recall 2.7 million Jeeps that could be at risk of fuel tank fires

Earlier this month, the NHTSA asked Chrysler to voluntarily recall the Grand Cherokees and Libertys, saying that if hit from the rear, the fuel tanks could leak fuel and cause fires.

It said the location of the tanks behind the axle and their height above the road was a design defect.

The agency said it had evidence of at least 37 rear-impact crashes and fires, causing 51 deaths.

At the time, Chrysler said it did not intend to recall the vehicles.

But in a statement on Tuesday, the company said: “Chrysler Group’s analysis of the data confirms that these vehicles are not defective and are among the safest in the peer group.

“Nonetheless, Chrysler Group recognizes that this matter has raised concerns for its customers and wants to take further steps, in co-ordination with NHTSA, to provide additional measures to supplement the safety of its vehicles.”

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Drake breaks his silence on Chris Brown and Rihanna

Lisa.Felice
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Drake breaks his silence on Chris Brown and Rihanna

Drake has decided to break his silence on Chris Brown and Rihanna, after he was involved in a brawl with Chris in a Manhattan nightclub last year.

In an interview with the July issue of GQ magazine, Drake reveals how he would like to talk to Chris Brown about the incident face to face.

“I hear he has everything he could want now,” Drake said referring to Chris Brown’s relationships with Karreuche Tran and Rihanna.

“I don’t want my name to be synonymous with that guy’s name. I really don’t. I wish we could sit down, just like you and me are right now, and talk it out man-to-man. But that’s not going to happen.”

A fight broke out between Drake and Chris Brown at W.i.P night club in Manhattan last June when bottles of alcohol were reportedly thrown around the venue.

In an interview with the July issue of GQ magazine, Drake reveals how he would like to talk to Chris Brown about their last year brawl face to face
In an interview with the July issue of GQ magazine, Drake reveals how he would like to talk to Chris Brown about their last year brawl face to face

Tony Parker, the French basketball player who was once married to actress Eva Longoria, who was at the nightclub, claimed he was hurt during the fight, and others were left with serious injuries.

There were reports that it had kicked off after Drake sent a message to Chris Brown bragging that he had slept with Rihanna.

Drake added: “It’s embarrassing, the amount of media coverage…Two rappers fighting over the woman. He’s not even a rapper, but still, it’s the last way you want your name out there. It distracts from the music. But he’s made me the enemy, and that’s the way it’s gonna stay, I guess.”

After her breakup from Chris Brown, Rihanna was romantically linked with rapper Drake which is said to have infuriated Chris.

Earlier this year it seemed that the feud between the two was still very much alive when Drake was reportedly asked to leave a club in Hollywood because Rihanna and Chris Brown had turned up.

At the time the couple refused to acknowledge one another after both arriving at the club with their posses.

Worryingly, Drake also hinted that he fears for singer Rihanna’s safety – following Chris Brown’s assault on her at the Grammys in 2009.

He said: “If I think about it too much, I feel it wrapping around my foot, like I get a feeling it could end really badly.”

Drake added: “Like, it gets really dark.”

However, the rapper doesn’t appear to acknowledge the other controversial aspect of his life, his relationship with Amanda Bynes.

Earlier this year, Amanda Bynes posted a series of bizarre messages about the star claiming that she wanted to have s** with him.

More recently, though Amanda Bynes appears to have changed tack instead labeling Drake “ugly”.

North West: Kim Kardashian and Kanye West battle it out over their baby daughter’s name

Lisa.Felice
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North West: Kim Kardashian and Kanye West battle it out over their baby daughter’s name

New mother Kim Kardashian is said to be seriously considering naming her first child “North”.

With the child taking her father Kanye’s surname the youngster would be “North West”.

According to InTouch magazine: “North is at the top of the list of names.”

A friend of Kim Kardashian and Kanye West told the magazine: “They’re not totally sure about it. Kanye loves it, Kim is okay with it.”

Prior to the baby’s birth on Saturday it had been expected that the pair would continue the “K” theme that runs in Kim Kardashian’s family.

Kim Kardashian, 32, has mentioned in the past that it will likely begin with a “K”.

And it seems her family is keen that remain the plan.

“The family doesn’t like it [North],” the insider told InTouch magazine.

The source added: “They’re going to decide by today [Tuesday].”

Kim Kardashian and Kanye West battle it out over their baby daughter's name
Kim Kardashian and Kanye West battle it out over their baby daughter’s name

Kim Kardashian’s close friend Larsa Pippen revealed that she had been to visit the baby in the hospital and a decision was nearly made.

But she said Kim Kardashian didn’t welcome her suggestions.

“We kind of went back and forth and the name that I wanted, [Kim Kardashian] didn’t love,” Larsa Pippen said.

Kanye West has not spoken publicly following his daughter’s arrival.

But the rapper did take to Twitter on Tuesday morning – to promote his new album Yeezus as it was released.

“Yeezus album now available,” Kanye West tweeted.

Kanye West curtailed his promotional activities when Kim Kardashian told him she “felt strange” on Friday, instead flying to be at her side.

With the baby not due until July it had been planned that Kanye West would have time to finish his work commitments before the birth.

Despite his disagreements with Kim Kardashian over the name, Kanye west is said to be thrilled to be a first time father at 36.

Larsa Pippen revealed the pop star has hardly left the room since Kim Kardashian gave birth naturally at a hospital in Los Angeles on Saturday.

“He’s so cute. He doesn’t leave the room,” she told E! News.

“He’s, like, in love with the baby. It’s so cute.”

The wife of NBA superstar Scottie, Larsa Pippen, a reality star herself is a close friend of Kim Kardashian’s.

“She’s doing great,” the Real Housewives of Miami star said of Kim Kardashian.

“She’s feeling really good and excited and the baby is so freaking cute. She’s so cute.”

 

Celebrity lingerie designer Lorna Drew reveals Kate Middleton is a fan of her products

Lisa.Felice
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Celebrity lingerie designer Lorna Drew reveals Kate Middleton is a fan of her products

Celebrity lingerie designer Lorna Drew has revealed that Kate Middleton is a fan of her products.

Lorna Drew, who has dressed the likes of Jessica Simpson, Imogen Thomas, Una Healy and Fearne Cotton during their pregnancies, sent Kate Middleton some satin maternity lingerie – and was elated to hear from Kate’s people that she was “delighted” with the garments.

Kate Middleton, 31, is a fan of the Alexa Blue Satin bra and matching briefs by the designer, who is based in High Wycombe, Buckinghamshire.

The response from the Duchess of Cambridge was a lovely “thank you for the thoughtful gift”.

Lorna Drew, the MD of Lorna Drew Nursing Lingerie said: “I know Kate would be feeling pretty dreadful and thought that she could do with special gift, as nothing makes you feel great like beautiful lingerie, so we sent her some!”

Lorna Drew had met Kate Middleton back in 2008 before her marriage to Prince William.

She added: “Kate’s style is very elegant, she always looks feminine and chic so I knew she would love our nursing bras and knickers.

Kate Middleton is a fan of the Alexa Blue Satin bra and matching briefs by celebrity lingerie designer Lorna Drew
Kate Middleton is a fan of the Alexa Blue Satin bra and matching briefs by celebrity lingerie designer Lorna Drew

“I was delighted to bring a smile to Kate’s face after a difficult start to her pregnancy.”

Speaking to the Huffington Post, who revealed Kate Middleton’s lingerie secrets, Lorna Drew said: “I couldn’t believe the response we got when we sent Kate the underwear. We actually received an email back from Kate’s office saying she was <<delighted>> with it.

“It’s fantastic as the style is elegant and so perfect for Kate.

“Maternity underwear doesn’t have to be frumpy.”

Lorna Drew’s website states: “This beautiful satin nursing bra holds and supports to give amazing shape and lift while Brazilian cut briefs give a fashion edge to this design.

“The stunning color blocking in silky soft satin looks as good as it feels to wear. Smooth elastic strapping frames the bust and gold adjusters add the finishing touch to this uniquely stylish design.”

Lorna Drew, who aims her lingerie at “savvy yummy mummies”, believes that the pregnant silhouette is something to embrace, so designs all her briefs to sit discreetly under a woman’s bump.

Most dangerous places to live in America

Nancy Clayson
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Most dangerous places to live in America

A series of maps have been published illustrating the most deadly places in America.

The data may look spectacular laid out in colorful graphics, but they clearly identify the deadly effects of Mother Nature.

The maps were created by John Nelson, a UX & Mapping manager at IDV Solutions and were reported by the Business Insider.

Using a spreadsheet he converted the data into a pixelated map of the U.S which created the spectacular graphics.

After plotting the data John Nelson was able to create charts which show the most disaster-prone areas across America.

A spectacular blue graphic shows a history of hurricanes across the U.S. since 1851.

Another blue map shows earthquakes across American since 1968, clearly showing which regions are more susceptible to movement.

75 per cent of all tornadoes on Earth occur in the U.S. and John Nelson used the data to construct a vivid electric blue map of tornadoes.

Most dangerous places to live in America
Most dangerous places to live in America

He detailed where they had occurred since 1950 – the most recent was the terrifying tornado was devastated parts of Oklahoma and killed 22 people.

A bright orange map details wildfires across the contagious U.S. since 2001. This month the US forest service chief says hotter, drier conditions mean wildfire season lasts two months longer than it did 40 years ago.

Rain is currently helping firefighters douse Colorado’s most destructive wildfire in state history, while a new wind-whipped blaze in California is forcing evacuations and threatened homes near Yosemite National Park.

The release of the maps come as U.S. mayors pledged this week to make their communities more resilient to increasingly severe floods, droughts, extreme storms and wildfires, which they said was more efficient and cost-effective than disaster clean-up afterwards.

Four dozen elected officials, from localities as diverse as Washington D.C., Des Moines, Iowa and Santa Barbara County, California, released a one-page plan which laid out actions such as using more renewable energy and making buildings and infrastructure more energy-efficient.

The Resilient Communities for America Agreement was launched less than a week after New York Mayor Michael Bloomberg announced a $20 billion plan to prepare his city for rising sea levels and hotter summers.

The actions by local officials took place as anticipation builds that the White House is planning a series of executive actions in July to address climate.
Federal action can help, but local officials are at the front lines of natural disasters, said Des Moines Mayor Frank Cownie. Iowa’s biggest city saw severe flooding in 2008, a trio of ‘500-year’ floods in 2010, a drought in 2012 and the wettest year in 140 years of record-keeping so far in 2013.

“These extreme events are becoming more and more prevalent, and local government is really where it happens,” Frank Cownie said.

He said Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA) personnel sometimes are not on the scene until days after disaster strikes, when local officials have already gone ahead with recovery efforts without waiting for federal approval.

“When they show up, it’s good; they’ve got those T-shirts on with FEMA on the back, but they’re just taking notes … We need decision-makers in the throes of an event and we need them immediately,” Frank Cownie said.

El Paso Mayor John Cook said his desert city has been bombarded by wild weather since he took office: Three years’ worth of rain arrived in one week in 2006, causing some $450 million in damage, while in 2011, El Paso’s normally warm weather snapped cold, with temperatures below those of Anchorage, Alaska, for five days, straining local gas lines.

El Paso has spent $100 million to make its buildings more efficient, installing solar panels on library roofs and improving mass transit, with buses that run on compressed natural gas, to cut down on fossil-fueled vehicle traffic.

“The state of Texas should hang their head in shame,” John Cook said.

“They don’t have realistic goal-setting to use renewable energy.”

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