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Demis Roussos dies in Athens hospital at 68

Sonia Pantiss
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Demis Roussos dies in Athens hospital at 68

Demis Roussos has died aged 68, the Hygeia Hospital in Athens, Greece, has confirmed.

The singer was best known for his solo hits in the 1970s and 80s, including Forever and Ever, Goodbye and Quand je t’aime.

Demis Roussos was also a member of progressive rock group Aphrodite’s Child.

He had been in the private hospital with an undisclosed illness for some time.

Demis Roussos was born Artemios Ventouris Roussos in Alexandria, Egypt, in 1946, to a Greek father and Egyptian mother of Italian origin.Demis Roussos dead at 68

He was raised there until his parents moved to Greece in the early 60s after losing their possessions during the Suez Crisis.

Demis Roussos began his music career at 17, when he joined the a band called The Idols, where he met his future Aphrodite’s Child bandmate Vangelis.

Aphrodite’s Child produced three albums and enjoyed huge success in Europe in the late 1960s, especially France.

Demis Roussos went on to have a solo career, and Forever And Ever topped the charts in several countries in 1973.

Other hits include My Friend the Wind, My Reason, Someday Somewhere and Happy To Be On An Island In The Sun.

The singer’s fondness for kaftans saw him dubbed “the Kaftan King” and he often wore them for his performances on shows such as Top of the Pops.

Demis Roussos sold more than 60 million albums worldwide.

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SAG Awards 2015: Full list of winners

Sonia Pantiss
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SAG Awards 2015: Full list of winners

Full list of winners at the 21st Annual Screen Actors Guild Awards:

Theatrical Motion Pictures

Outstanding Performance by a Cast in a Motion Picture
Birdman – WINNER
Boyhood
The Grand Budapest Hotel
The Imitation Game
The Theory of Everything


Outstanding Performance by a Male Actor in a Leading Role
Eddie Redmayne – The Theory of Everything – WINNER

Steve Carell – Foxcatcher
Benedict Cumberbatch – The Imitation Game
Jake Gyllenhaal – Nightcrawler
Michael Keaton – Birdman
Outstanding Performance by a Female Actor in a Leading Role
Julianne Moore – Still Alice – WINNER

Jennifer Aniston – Cake
Felicity Jones – The Theory of Everything
Rosamund Pike – Gone Girl
Reese Witherspoon – Wild

Outstanding Performance by a Male Actor in a Supporting Role
J.K. Simmons – Whiplash – WINNER

Robert Duvall – The Judge
Ethan Hawke – Boyhood
Edward Norton – Birdman
Mark Ruffalo – Foxcatcher

Outstanding Performance by a Female Actor in a Supporting Role
Patricia Arquette – Boyhood – WINNER
Kiera Knightley – The Imitation Game
Emma Stone – Birdman
Meryl Streep – Into the Woods
Naomi Watts – St. Vincent


Television

Outstanding Performance by an Ensemble in a Drama Series

Downton Abbey – WINNER
Game of Thrones
Homeland
House of Cards

Boardwalk Empire

Outstanding Performance by an Ensemble in a Comedy Series
Orange is the New Black – WINNER

The Big Bang Theory
Brooklyn Nine-Nine
Modern Family
Veep
SAG Awards 2015
Outstanding Performance by a Male Actor in a Drama Series
Kevin Spacey – House of Cards – WINNER

Steve Buscemi – Boardwalk Empire
Peter Dinklage – Game of Thrones
Woody Harrelson – True Detective
Matthew McConaughey – True Detective

Outstanding Performance by a Female Actor in a Drama Series

Viola Davis – How to Get Away with Murder – WINNER
Julianna Marguiles – The Good Wife
Tatiana Maslany – Orphan Black
Maggie Smith – Downton Abbey
Robin Wright – House of Cards
Claire Danes – Homeland
Outstanding Performance by a Male Actor in a Comedy Series
William H. Macy – Shameless – WINNER

Ty Burrell – Modern Family
Louis C.K. – Louie
Jim Parsons – The Big Bang Theory
Eric Stonestreet – Modern Family

Outstanding Performance by a Female Actor in a Comedy Series
Uzo Aduba – Orange is the New Black – WINNER
Julie Bowen – Modern Family
Edie Falco – Nurse Jackie
Jula Louis-Dreyfus – Veep
Amy Poehler – Parks and Recreation

Outstanding Performance by a Male Actor in a Television Movie or Miniseries
Mark Ruffalo – The Normal Heart – WINNER

Adrian Brody – Houdini
Benedict Cumberbatch – Sherlock: His Last Vow
Richard Jenkins – Olive Kitteridge
Billy Bob Thorton – Fargo

Outstanding Performance by a Female Actor in a Television Movie or Miniseries
Frances McDormand – Olive Kitteridge – WINNER

Ellen Burstyn – Flowers in the Attic
Maggie Gyllenhaal – The Honorable Woman
Julia Roberts – The Normal Heart
Cicely Tyson – The Trip to Bountiful

Honors for Stunt Ensembles

Outstanding Action Performance by a Stunt Ensemble in a Motion Picture
Fury
Get On Up
The Hobbit: The Battle of the Five Armies
Unbroken
X-Men: Days of Future Past

Outstanding Action Performance by a Stunt Ensemble in a Comedy or Drama Series
24: Live Another Day
Boardwalk Empire
Game of Thrones
Homeland
Sons of Anarchy
The Walking Dead

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Greece elections 2015: Euro hits 11-year low against dollar on Syriza victory

Clyde K. Valle
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Greece elections 2015: Euro hits 11-year low against dollar on Syriza victory

The euro hit an 11-year low against the dollar as investors digest what Syriza’s election victory in Greece means for the eurozone’s future.

The currency fell as low as $1.1088, the lowest level against the dollar in more than 11 years, but in mid-morning trading was 0.4% higher at $1.125.

Europe’s main share markets also rose – after initial falls – on hopes that a compromise over Greece’s bailout terms might be found.

Syriza wants to renegotiate the €240 billion bailout and slow the austerity cuts.

The left-wing party’s leader Alexis Tsipras said he wanted negotiation, not confrontation, with Greece’s international lenders.

“The new Greek government will be ready to co-operate and negotiate for the first time with our peers a just, mutually beneficial and viable solution,” Alexis Tsipras said.Syriza victory hits euro

The troika of lenders that bailed out Greece – the European Union, European Central Bank, and International Monetary Fund – imposed big budgetary cuts and restructuring in return for the money.

Alexis Tsipras said: “The troika for Greece is the thing of the past.”

The euro had already been under pressure following last week’s announcement of a new stimulus program by the European Central Bank.

Greece’s current bailout program ends in February, and economists say a short term deal will be negotiated, but difficult talks lie ahead. Germany has indicated that it is not prepared to renegotiate the bailout terms, raising the prospect that Greece could end up leaving the eurozone.

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Malaysia Airlines website hacked by Lizard Squad

Nancy Clayson
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Malaysia Airlines website hacked by Lizard Squad

Malaysia Airlines official website has been attacked by hackers claiming to be from the “Lizard Squad – Official Cyber Caliphate”.

The national carrier’s homepage currently shows a photograph of a lizard in a top hat and tuxedo.

Malaysia Airlines has confirmed its website was compromised but said customers’ bookings and data were not affected.

The airline is still recovering from two disasters; the disappearance of MH370 and shooting down of MH17.

On January 26, the main page of its website was replaced by the words “404 – Plane Not Found” and “Hacked by Lizard Squad”.

“404 Page not found” is the common error message displayed when a website cannot be loaded.Malaysia Airlines website hacked by Lizard Squad

Initially the words “ISIS will prevail” appeared in the browser tab for the page, but that has since disappeared.

It is not clear why Malaysia Airlines has become the target of a cyber attack or what connection the hack has to Islamic State, the militant group sometimes referred to as ISIS which has declared an Islamic caliphate in parts of Syria and Iraq.

Lizard Squad claimed on Twitter that it would release data from Malaysia Airlines, but did not specify what information it might have.

Malaysia Airlines confirmed in a statement that its “Domain Name System (DNS) has been compromised where users are re-directed to a hacker website”.

However, it said its own web servers were intact and the website itself had not been hacked into.

It said “this temporary glitch does not affect [customer] bookings” and user data “remains secured”. It added that it would take 22 hours to restore the website.

The hacker group Lizard Squad previously claimed to have disrupted Sony and Microsoft operations, with gamers unable to log on to XBox Live and PlayStation platforms over Christmas.

Northeast snowstorm 2015: Historic blizzard expected to dump up to 3ft of snow

Nancy Clayson
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Northeast snowstorm 2015: Historic blizzard expected to dump up to 3ft of snow

According to the National Weather Service (NWS), a “potentially historic blizzard” could dump up to 3ft of snow on the north-east coast.

New York’s mayor said the storm could be the city’s biggest ever, telling residents to “prepare for the worst”.

Heavy snowfall is forecast from Philadelphia to Maine. More than 3,000 flights have already been cancelled.

A blizzard warning has been issued for New York and Boston from Monday afternoon until Tuesday.

More than 1,800 flights on January 26 and more than 1,600 on January 27 had been cancelled, according to the website FlightAware.

Photo Reuters
Photo Reuters

Airports in New York, Boston and Philadelphia have already been affected.

NYC Mayor Bill de Blasio showed journalists a list of the city’s top 10 snowstorms, dating back to 1872.

“This could be the biggest snowstorm in the history of this city,” Bill de Blasio said, telling New Yorkers to “prepare for something worse than we have seen before”.

“Prepare to be safe, take every precaution. Now is the time to get ready for this extreme weather.”

Some residents have already begun stocking up on food, water and other essential items.

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Barack Obama attends India’s annual Republic Day parade

Diane A. Wade
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Barack Obama attends India’s annual Republic Day parade

President Barack Obama has joined PM Narendra Modi to attend India’s annual Republic Day parade in Delhi.

Barack Obama is the first US president to attend India’s parade, on the second day of his visit.

The president arrived in India on January 25 for a three-day visit seen as a sign of warming ties between the two countries.

On Sunday, both sides announced a breakthrough on a pact that will allow US companies to supply India with civilian nuclear technology.

Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi said it was a “new journey” of co-operation

Barack Obama will meet the main opposition Congress party leaders later on Monday and will also speak at a business summit.Barack Obama India's Republic Day parade

India’s Republic Day marks the adoption of the country’s constitution in 1950, three years after independence from Britain.

Uniformed soldiers in colorful headgear marched down Rajpath, or King’s Avenue, where Barack Obama watched the parade with Narendra Modi inside a bullet-proof glass enclosure.

Helicopters showered petals on the crowds and brass bands and dancers filed past the guests on a foggy and rain-hit morning.

Barack Obama received a warm welcome on Sunday when Narendra Modi greeted him at the airport with a bear hug.

The two men spent several hours discussing defense and trade ties, and then announced the breakthrough on the civilian nuclear deal.

The pact was agreed in 2008 but has been held up for six years because of differences over the liability US firms would face in India in the event of a nuclear accident.

Now a large insurance pool will be set up, without the need for any further legislation.

The two sides have also pledged to increase their bilateral trade five-fold, from the current $100 billion a year, and build co-operation on defense projects.

Barack Obama’s visit to India has been shortened so he can visit Saudi Arabia and pay his respects following the death of King Abdullah.

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Miss Universe 2014: Miss Colombia Paulina Vega crowned at Miami ceremony

Lisa.Felice
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Miss Universe 2014: Miss Colombia Paulina Vega crowned at Miami ceremony

Miss Colombia Paulina Vega has been crowned Miss Universe 2014 at a Miami ceremony.

Paulina Vega beat out 87 other candidates from around the world.

Miss USA Nia Sanchez was named the runner-up.

Paulina Vega, 22, replaces last year’s winner Gabriela Isler.

She was crowned making her the 63rd Miss Universe titleholder.Miss Universe 2014 Miss Colombia Paulina Vega

Paulina Vega was born on January 15, 1993, in Barranquilla, Colombia. She is the daughter of cardiologist Rodolfo Vega Llamas and Laura Dieppa, and granddaughter of the legendary tenor Gatsón Vega. She is also the grandaughter of Elvira Castillo, Miss Atlántico 1953 (Colombia).

She studies business administration at the Universidad Javeriana in Bogota. She has been a model since she was 8 years old.

Paulina Vega belongs to a big family, with four sisters and three brothers. She graduated from a German school in Colombia, and speaks English and a bit of French.

In the Miss Universe Colombia pageant Paulina Vega earned the highest score possible in every presentation, 9.9. During her spare time, she enjoys being with her family and friends, and going to the park with her dog, Mateo.

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Asteroid 2004 BL86 passes Earth on January 26, 2015

James J. Williams
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Asteroid 2004 BL86 passes Earth on January 26, 2015

Mountain-size asteroid 2004 BL86 will pass in the vicinity of Earth on January 26, 2015.

The space rock is roughly a third of a mile across.

By comparison, most near-Earth asteroids have diameters no larger than 50 to 100 ft.

But the asteroid is going by at a very safe distance of 745,000 miles. That’s about three times as far away as the Moon.

Asteroid 2004 BL86 is the largest known space rock predicted to come this close to Earth until 2027.Because it’s relatively large, 2004 BL86 will brighten rapidly as it approaches Earth.

Astronomers predict it will become about 9th magnitude for several hours as it passes closest to us. This is still much too faint to be seen by eye, and it is beyond the reach of most binoculars.

However, the asteroid should be bright enough to follow with a 3- or 4-inch-diameter telescope as it moves among the stars.

Observers in the Americas, Europe, and Africa can track down the asteroid during its brightest time: from 8 p.m. EST on Monday evening, January 26, until about 1 a.m. EST on January 27.Mountain-size asteroid 2004 BL86 will pass in the vicinity of Earth on January 26, 2015

During this time 2004 BL86 will be heading northward through the dim constellation Cancer. It skims the eastern edge of a star cluster called the Beehive (or Messier 44) from about midnight to 12:30 a.m. EST.

The asteroid’s closest approach to Earth actually occurs hours earlier, around 11 a.m. EST on the 26th.

However, at that time it’s predicted to be somewhat dimmer, about magnitude 10, because Earth will see only a portion of its illuminated side.

The asteroid brightens, despite the increasing distance, because we’re seeing its face become more fully illuminated.

The space rock will be moving about 2.5° per hour while crossing Cancer. That’s fast enough that you’ll be able to see it moving in real time in a telescopic view whenever it passes close to a background star.

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Syriza wins Greece elections 2015

Diane A. Wade
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Syriza wins Greece elections 2015

Radical-leftist Syriza party has won a clear victory in Greece’s general election.

With nearly 70% of the votes counted, Syriza is projected to win 149 seats, just two short of an absolute majority, though that number could change.

Syriza’s leader Alexis Tsipras, who has vowed to renegotiate Greece’s debt with international creditors, said “today the Greeks wrote history”.

The ruling New Democracy has come a distant second.

Outgoing PM Antonis Samaras has admitted defeat and called Alexis Tsipras to congratulate him.

Appearing before jubilant crowds in the capital Athens, Alexis Tsipras, 40, said Greek voters gave Syriza “a clear, powerful mandate”.

“You are an example of history which is changing… Your mandate is undoubtedly cancelling the bailouts of austerity and destruction. Alexis Tsipras Syriza wins Greece elections

“The troika for Greece is the thing of the past,” Alexis Tsipras added, referring to Greece’s biggest international lenders – the European Union, International Monetary Fund (IMF) and European Central Bank (ECB).

He also promised to negotiate a fair and mutually beneficial financial solution.

Alexis Tsipras earlier vowed to reverse many of the austerity measures adopted by Greece since a series of bailouts began in 2010.

For his part, Antonis Samaras said earlier: “The Greek people have spoken and I respect their decision,” pointing out that he had inherited a “hot potato” on coming into office and that he and his party had done much to restore his country’s finances.

The result is being closely watched outside Greece, where it is believed a Syriza victory could encourage radical leftist parties across Europe.

Either way however, partial results from Greece’s election commission showed a clear Syriza lead.

With 67% of the votes counted, Syriza is polling 36%, while the New Democracy is a distant second with 28%.

An acronym meaning the “Radical Coalition of the Left”, Syriza was formed in 2004 as an umbrella group. It first came to prominence following the 2008 Greek riots.

Another five parties – Far-right Golden Dawn and centrist The River – are expected to be represented in the 300-member parliament, beating the 3% threshold.

The proportion of votes won by smaller parties will have a large impact on whether Syriza can gain the required 151 parliamentary seats to govern with an absolute majority.

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American Sniper release leads to more threats for US Muslims

Sonia Pantiss
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American Sniper release leads to more threats for US Muslims

American Sniper release has led to an increase in threats against Muslims in the US, according to an Arab-American civil rights group.

The American-Arab Anti-Discrimination Committee (ADC) has written to director Clint Eastwood and star Bradley Cooper.

Clint Eastwood’s movie is based on US soldier Chris Kyle’s service in Iraq from 2003 to 2009.

The ADC said a “majority of the violent threats we have seen over the past few days are result of how Arab and Muslims are depicted in American Sniper”.

The organization, which describes itself as the largest Arab civil rights organization in the US, said it had collected “hundreds of violent messages targeting Arab and Muslim Americans from movie-goers”, mainly from Facebook and Twitter.

The ADC letter asked Clint Eastwood and Bradley Cooper to speak out against such messages “in an effort to reduce the hateful rhetoric”.American Sniper Bradley Cooper

“Your visibility, influence, and connection to the film would be a tremendous force in drawing attention to and lessening the serious dangers facing the respective communities,” ADC president Samer Khalaf wrote.

Jack Horner, a spokesman for the Warner Bros film studio, which released American Sniper, told the Reuters that the company “denounces any violent, anti-Muslim rhetoric, including that which has been attributed to viewers” of the film.

He added: “Hate and bigotry have no place in the important dialogue that this picture has generated about the veteran experience.”

Spokespeople for Clint Eastwood and Bradley Cooper had no immediate response to requests for comment, Reuters reported.

American Sniper has been a major hit in North America, exceeding box office predictions by taking $90 million in its opening weekend – a record for a January release. It also has six Oscar nominations.

The movie has also caused controversy. Some have hailed its portrayal of Chris Kyle as a war hero, but others have criticized it for glorifying violence and for Kyle’s attitude towards his victims.

Chris Kyle, a Navy Seal, served four tours of duty in Iraq and killed more than 160 people, making him the most deadly sniper in American history.

American Sniper movie is based on Chris Kyle’s book, also titled American Sniper, in which he claimed to have no regrets and referred to those he killed as “savages”.

Chris Kyle was killed in February 2013 on a firing range in his home state of Texas.

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Joe Franklin dies aged 88

Sonia Pantiss
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Joe Franklin dies aged 88

Radio and TV legend Joe Franklin, whose New York-based program ran for 43 years, has died at the age of 88.

Joe Franklin said he interviewed 300,000 guests in 21,445 shows from 1950 to 1993.

He is credited by some as having invented the talk show format. His guests over the years included Bing Crosby, Marilyn Monroe and Madonna.Joe Franklin dead at 88

Joe Franklin played himself in films like Manhattan and Ghostbusters but said he only became a star when Billy Crystal parodied him on Saturday Night Live.

His program began in 1950 on WJZ, which later became WABC, before it moved to WOR-TV, later WWOR-TV.

Joe Franklin was listed in the Guinness Book of World Records for having the world’s longest-running talk show and he claimed not to have missed an episode in 43 years.

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David Cameron hoax call prompts review of security procedures

Nancy Clayson
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David Cameron hoax call prompts review of security procedures

The UK’s government will review security procedures after a hoax caller was put through to PM David Cameron.

The caller talked to the prime minister after claiming to be Robert Hannigan, director of government monitoring agency GCHQ.

David Cameron received the call on an official mobile but ended it when it became clear it was a hoax, and no sensitive information was disclosed.

GCHQ is also carrying out a review after Robert Hannigan’s mobile phone number was revealed in a separate call.

The contact number given out for the GCHQ head is thought to have been for an unclassified phone rather than one of the secure lines used for sensitive communications.David Cameron hoax call

And although the call to David Cameron was made to an official mobile, the conversation was understood to have been “quite brief”.

A government spokeswoman said a notice has gone out to all departments to be on the alert for hoax calls following the incident.

She said: “The prime minister ended the call when it became clear it was a hoax. In neither instance was sensitive information disclosed.

“Both GCHQ and Number 10 take security seriously and both are currently reviewing procedures following these hoax calls to ensure that the government learns any lessons from this incident.”

Alberto Nisman death: Journalist Damian Pachter flees Argentina after reporting prosecutor’s death

Diane A. Wade
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Alberto Nisman death: Journalist Damian Pachter flees Argentina after reporting prosecutor’s death

Argentine journalist Damian Pachter who is believed to have been the first to report the death of prosecutor Alberto Nisman says he has fled the country, fearing for his life.

Damian Pachter, who works for the Buenos Aires Herald, left Argentina early on Saturday.

Alberto Nisman’s body was found in his apartment a week ago, hours before he was due to testify in Congress.

The prosecutor had been investigating the bombing of a Jewish centre in the capital in 1994 which left 85 people dead.Damian Pachter Alberto Nisman's death

Alberto Nisman, 51, had accused several senior government figures – including President Cristina Fernandez de Kirchner and Foreign Minister Hector Timerman – of involvement in a plot to cover up Iran’s alleged role in the bombing.

“I am leaving because my life is in danger,” Damian Pachter told the news website Infobae.com.

“My phones have been extensively tapped.”

Damian Pachter said he would return to Argentina when his sources told him conditions had changed.

On January 22, President Cristina Fernandez de Kirchner said she was convinced that Alberto Nisman’s death was not suicide.

Investigators initially said they believed Alberto Nisman had committed suicide, but later said they could not rule out homicide or “induced suicide”.

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PGA Awards 2015: Full list of winners

Sonia Pantiss
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PGA Awards 2015: Full list of winners

The 26th annual Producers Guild Awards full list of winners at the Hyatt Regency Century Plaza in Los Angeles:

 

The Darryl F. Zanuck Award for Outstanding Producer of Theatrical Motion Pictures:

Birdman

American Sniper
Boyhood
Foxcatcher
Gone Girl
The Grand Budapest Hotel
The Imitation Game
Nightcrawler
The Theory of Everything
Whiplash

The Norman Felton Award for Outstanding Producer of Episodic Television, Drama:
 
Breaking Bad

Downton Abbey

Game Of Thrones

House Of Cards

True Detective

The Award for Outstanding Producer of Documentary Theatrical Motion Pictures:

Life Itself

The Green Prince

Merchants of Doubt

Particle Fever

Virunga

The David L. Wolper Award for Outstanding Producer of Longform Television:
The Longform television category encompasses both movies of the week and miniseries.

Fargo

The Normal Heart

American Horror Story: Freak Show

The Roosevelts: An Intimate History

Sherlock

The Award for Outstanding Sports Program:

Real Sports With Bryant Gumbel (HBO)

24/7 (HBO)

Hard Knocks: Training Camp With The Atlanta Falcons (HBO)

Hard Knocks: Training Camp With The Cincinnati Bengals (HBO)

Inside: U.S. Soccer’s March To Brazil (ESPN)

The Award for Outstanding Children’s Program:

Sesame Street (PBS)

Dora The Explorer (Nickelodeon)

Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles (Nickelodeon)

Toy Story OF TERROR! (ABC)

Wynton Marsalis: A YoungArts Masterclass (HBO)

The Award for Outstanding Digital Series:

Comedians In Cars Getting Coffee

30 For 30 Shorts

COSMOS: A National Geographic Deeper Dive

Epic Rap Battles Of History

Video Game High School Season 3

The Award for Outstanding Producer of Nonfiction Television:

COSMOS: A SpaceTime Odyssey

30 For 30 Simmons

American Masters

Anthony Bourdain: Parts Unknown

Shark Tank

The Danny Thomas Award for Outstanding Producer of Episodic Television, Comedy:

Orange Is The New Black

The Big Bang Theory

Louie

Modern Family

Veep

The Award for Outstanding Producer of Competition Television:

The Voice (NBC)

The Amazing Race (CBS)

Dancing With The Stars (ABC)

Project Runway (Lifetime)

Top Chef (Bravo)PGA Awards 2015
The Award for Outstanding Producer of Live Entertainment & Talk Television:

The Tonight Show Starring Jimmy Fallon (NBC)

The Colbert Report (Comedy Central)

Jimmy Kimmel Live (ABC)

Last Week Tonight With John Oliver (HBO)

Real Time With Bill Maher (HBO)
The Award for Outstanding Producer of Animated Theatrical Motion Pictures:

The LEGO Movie (Warner Bros. Pictures)
Producer: Dan Lin

Big Hero 6 (Walt Disney Animation Studios)
Producer: Roy Conli, p.g.a.

The Book of Life (20th Century Fox)
Producers: Brad Booker, p.g.a., Guillermo del Toro, p.g.a.

The Boxtrolls (Focus Features)
Producers: David Bleiman Ichioka, p.g.a., Travis Knight, p.g.a.

How to Train Your Dragon 2 (20th Century Fox)
Producer: Bonnie Arnold, p.g.a.

PGA Awards 2015: Birdman given Oscars boost by winning top award

Sonia Pantiss
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PGA Awards 2015: Birdman given Oscars boost by winning top award

Birdman has been given a boost in the run-up to this year’s Oscars after winning the Producers Guild of America’s top award.

The Producers Guild has predicted the winner of best picture at the Oscars for the past seven years.

In Birdman, Michael Keaton plays a washed-up star who tries to revive his career.

Richard Linklater’s epic Boyhood has until now been seen as the frontrunner for best picture at the Oscars, which take place in Hollywood on February 22.

The Producers Guild of America (PGA) decision means the Academy Awards race is still wide open.

Many of the PGA’s 6,700 members are also Oscar voters, and the winner of the top PGA prize has gone on to win best picture at the Oscars every year since 2007, and 18 times in the past 25 years.PGA Awards 2015 Michael Keaton Birdman

In 2014, the PGA did hedge its bets, however, by announcing a tie between 12 Years a Slave – which went on to win the Academy Award – and space drama Gravity.

Birdman, in which Michael Keaton stars as a former Hollywood superhero who tries to make a comeback on Broadway, has nine Oscar nominations.

Ralph Fiennes’ offbeat comedy The Grand Budapest Hotel also has nine nominations.

Boyhood, which was filmed over 12 years to show one boy’s coming of age, has six Oscar nominations and is odds-on favorite to win best picture.

However, the PGA panel has definitely disagreed with Oscar voters in one category this year.

At the PGA ceremony on January 24, The Lego Movie was named best animated feature – but it has not even been nominated in that category at the Academy Awards.

Life Itself was named best documentary by the PGA, while Fargo, Breaking Bad and Orange Is The New Black were among the victors in the television categories.

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Cameron and Tyler Winklevoss seek Bitcoin exchange regulation in US

Nancy Clayson
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Cameron and Tyler Winklevoss seek Bitcoin exchange regulation in US

Twins Cameron and Tyler Winklevoss, who clashed with Mark Zuckerberg over Facebook, are seeking approval for a Bitcoin exchange overseen by US regulators.

The brothers plan to have the exchange, called Gemini, trading later this year, the New York Times reported.

Cameron and Tyler Winklevoss are known to have invested millions in the virtual currency.

Currently the value of each Bitcoin is approaching $200 – far below the $1,200-high it hit in November 2013.

Development work on software underpinning the exchange is being carried out at the Bitcoin start-up founded by the Winklevoss twins. In addition, they have been lobbying New York financial regulators to drum up support for the idea and have signed up banks to handle deposits and transfers.

Work on the exchange began after New York’s financial services watchdog last year encouraged virtual currency entrepreneurs operating in the state to apply for formal recognition. This, said the watchdog, was the first step towards full regulation of such exchanges.Winklevoss twins Bitcoin

Cameron and Tyler Winklevoss won a $65 million payout from Mark Zuckerberg after accusing him of stealing their idea for a college-based social network.

Bitcoin is a virtual currency built around a complicated cryptographic protocol and a global network of computers that oversees and verifies which coins have been spent by whom.

Exchanges, through which virtual money can be traded for real cash or to other owners, have been one of the weak points in the whole Bitcoin ecosystem. Some have gone bust leaving traders out of pocket, many have been robbed of all their deposits and now more and more nations are seeking to impose strict controls on how they operate.

The value of each Bitcoin has fluctuated widely over the last few years but has been on a steady downward path since late 2013 even though many more online stores and companies accept them in exchange for goods and services.

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Barack Obama’s India trip: PM Narendra Modi breaks with protocol to meet and bear-hug US president at airport

Diane A. Wade
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Barack Obama’s India trip: PM Narendra Modi breaks with protocol to meet and bear-hug US president at airport

President Barack Obama has arrived in New Delhi for a three-day visit to India amid an unprecedented security operation.

Thousands of security personnel have been deployed in Delhi along with some 15,000 cameras.

India’s PM Narendra Modi stressed the importance of the visit by breaking with protocol to meet and bear-hug Barack Obama personally at New Delhi airport.

Their talks will primarily focus on trade, but also take in security, nuclear power and climate change.

Barack Obama will also be the guest of honor at Monday’s Republic Day celebrations.

After his arrival, Barack Obama travelled to the presidential palace, Rashtrapati Bhavan, for an official welcoming ceremony with his Indian counterpart Pranab Mukherjee.

Barack Obama said: “This is a great honor, we are grateful for this extraordinary hospitality.”

The president will also lay a wreath at the Mahatma Gandhi memorial and later attend a state dinner.

Photo AFP/PIB
Photo AFP/PIB

He is being accompanied by a delegation of US business leaders for the important trade talks.

In his talks with Narendra Modi, he is also expected to discuss co-operation on climate change and nuclear energy, concerns over security in South Asia and counter-terrorism measures.

Barack Obama will join Narendra Modi in his monthly radio address to reach out to millions of Indians with no access to television.

Security around the Republic Day parade is generally tight, but this year the high-profile visit has taken preparations to a new level.

India Gate and the Rajpath (the King’s Avenue), where Monday’s parade takes place, have been out of bounds for most people for the past few days, with thousands of policemen on duty.

Security has been upgraded at several up-market hotels, where President Barack Obama and his team will be staying.

Traffic restrictions have been put in place across the city, and extra checks have been taking place at metro stations.

Police have also been going door-to-door carrying out verification checks on residents.

Security has also been tightened at airports, ports and railways stations across India.

This is the first time a sitting US president has returned to India for a second visit – a sign of growing India-US ties.

The new US ambassador in Delhi, Richard Verma, said there was “no question this is a defining time in the US-India relationship.”

Barack Obama’s visit to India has been shortened so he can visit Saudi Arabia and pay his respects following the death of King Abdullah. It means he will not now visit the Taj Mahal.

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Greece elections 2015: Syriza battles governing New Democracy

Diane A. Wade
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Greece elections 2015: Syriza battles governing New Democracy

Greece is voting in a general election which could result in the country trying to renegotiate the terms of its bailout with international lenders.

The left-wing Syriza party, which is tipped to win, wants part of Greece’s huge debt written off and austerity measures revoked.

This has spooked money markets and raised fears of a Greek exit from the euro.

The governing New Democracy party says the economy is recovering.

Greece has endured tough budget cuts in return for the bailout negotiated with the so-called troika of lenders – the European Union, International Monetary Fund (IMF) and European Central Bank (ECB).

The economy has shrunk drastically since the 2008 global financial crisis, increasing unemployment and throwing many Greeks into poverty.

Polls across Greece opened at 07:00 local time and will close at 19:00.

Photo Reuters
Photo Reuters

There are nearly 10 million eligible voters, who are electing the country’s 300-member parliament.

First exit polls are expected immediately after the voting ends.

Syriza leader Alexis Tsipras says his party will restore “dignity” to Greece by rolling back on cuts to jobs, pay and pensions which have hurt millions of people across the country.

The possibility of a Syriza victory has sparked fears that Greece could default on its debt and leave the euro – the single currency of 19 EU members.

This is despite the fact that Syriza has moderated its stance since the peak of the eurozone crisis, and says it wants Greece to stay a member of the currency.

Meanwhile, the leader of centre-right New Democracy and Prime Minister Antonis Samaras has promised to work “day and night” to keep the country standing.

Syriza, he argues, could force Greece from the euro by its policies, serving what he called the “drachma lobby”, a reference to the former Greek currency.

Antonis Samaras also warns that Greece could miss out on a massive program of quantitative easing unveiled by the ECB last week to help stimulate the eurozone economy.

The centrist To Potami and the right-wing Golden Dawn party are expected to fight for third place in the elections.

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Delta and Southwest planes searched at Hartsfield-Jackson International Airport after bomb threats

Nancy Clayson
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Delta and Southwest planes searched at Hartsfield-Jackson International Airport after bomb threats

Delta and Southwest flights have been searched by police at Atlanta’s airport after “credible” bomb threats, US officials say.

Airport spokesman Reese McCranie said the threats were received against Delta and Southwest flights coming from Portland and Milwaukee respectively.

Reese McCranie said both planes had landed safely and had been evacuated.

Two US fighter jets escorted the planes into the Hartsfield-Jackson International Airport. The airport later said no bombs were found.Hartsfield-Jackson International Airport bomb threat

In a tweet, Atlanta airport officials wrote: “All clear for both aircraft & normal airport operations have resumed. Thank you for your patience. Safety & security are our top priorities.”

The bomb threats were made online – reportedly on Twitter.

A bomb squad and sniffer dogs were involved in the police search after the planes landed.

Southwest said in a statement: “Our top priority is the safety of our customers and employees. We cannot comment on the nature of the security situation.”

Reuters quoted Southwest as saying that 86 passengers were on board the flight, and that they were being re-screened.

There was no immediate comment from Delta officials.

The busy Hartsfield-Jackson International Airport is home to Delta, serving nearly 100 million passengers.

This is not the first airport bomb scare in the US this week.

On January 19, New York’s JFK airport was at the centre of another threat, involving at least one aircraft. No bomb was found.

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Sarah Palin 2016: Former Alaska governor seriously interested in running for White House

Diane A. Wade
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Sarah Palin 2016: Former Alaska governor seriously interested in running for White House

In a recent interview with The Washington Post, Sarah Palin said that she is “seriously interested” in running for the White House in 2016.

When asked to clarify her thinking about a possible presidential bid, the former Alaska governor said: “You can absolutely say that I am seriously interested.”

Sarah Palin, the GOP’s 2008 vice-presidential nominee, said she stood by comments she made on January 22 in Las Vegas to ABC News, where she first expressed enthusiasm about potentially competing for the Republican presidential nomination.Sarah Palin 2016

On January 23, Sarah Palin told the Post: “I am. As I said yesterday, I’m really interested in the opportunity to serve at some point.”

However, Sarah Palin said that she is not yet ramping up a national political operation. Instead, she said, she is contemplating her political future and does not feel rushed to make a final decision.

Sarah Palin previously mulled a presidential run ahead of the 2012 election cycle, but declined to enter the contest. During the run-up to the GOP primaries, her supporters built an expansive political network in Iowa on her behalf, in case she jumped in.

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Julia Roberts to make Batkid movie

Sonia Pantiss
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Julia Roberts to make Batkid movie

Julia Roberts will star in and produce a feature adaptation of the Batkid documentary Batkid Begins: The Wish Heard around the World.

Batkid documentary, directed by Dana Nachman, is debuting at this year’s Slamdance Film Festival on January 24, and follows the story of Miles Scott, a 5-year-old boy diagnosed with leukemia who wanted to be Batman for a day.Julia Roberts to make Batkid movie

The subsequent Make-A-Wish event turned into not only a citywide spectacle with over 25,000 San Francisco residents coming out to participate, but a worldwide phenomenon on social media with nearly 2 billion participants.

Julia Roberts will produce alongside partners Lisa Gillan and Marisa Yeres Gill through their Red Om Films banner.

Dana Nachman will serve as executive producer with Josh and Dan Braun of Submarine.

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Shannon Conley sentenced to 4 years in jail for plotting to aid ISIS

Nancy Clayson
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Shannon Conley sentenced to 4 years in jail for plotting to aid ISIS

Shannon Conley has been sentenced to four years in jail in Colorado after she pleaded guilty to trying to help the militant group Islamic State (ISIS).

Shannon Conley, a 19-year-old Muslim convert, was arrested in April while trying to board a flight to Turkey en route to Syria to marry an ISIS fighter.

Prosecutors offered a reduced term if she helped share information about other Americans looking to join ISIS.

Shannon Conley, who now calls herself Halima, said she deeply regrets her actions.

Handing down the verdict at a court in Denver, Judge Raymond Moore said the sentence was meant to deter others who wanted to join Islamic militants.Shannon Conley sentenced for terrorism

The judge also expressed doubt about Shannon Conley’s claim that she had disavowed jihad.

“Defiance has been a part of her fabric for a long time,” he said, adding that Shannon Conley needed mental help.

Shannon Conley appeared in the courtroom wearing a headscarf with her prison uniform. She had earlier pleaded guilty to one count of conspiracy to provide material support to a foreign terrorist organization.

The woman had faced up to five years in prison.

Shannon Conley, who is a nurse’s assistant, told her parents she planned to marry Yousr Mouelhi, who she met online and believed to be a Tunisian ISIS fighter.

The FBI became interested in Shannon Conley after she alarmed employees of a church in Denver by taking notes on the layout of the building.

Over the course of eight months, FBI agents repeatedly tried to discourage Shannon Conley from travelling abroad, suggesting she explore humanitarian work instead.

Shannon Conley’s father, who had refused to let her marry her Tunisian suitor, discovered a one-way ticket to Turkey with her name on it.

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Edgar Froese dead: Tangerine Dream’s founder dies in Vienna at 70

Sonia Pantiss
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Edgar Froese dead: Tangerine Dream’s founder dies in Vienna at 70

Tangerine Dream’s founder Edgar Froese has died in Vienna at the age of 70.

Edgar Froese died unexpectedly on January 23 after a pulmonary embolism, his son, Jerome, said.

Tangerine Dream’s psychedelic and trance-like use of synthesizer sound was a significant influence on the development of electronic music.

Edgar Froese once said that “there is no death, there is just a change of our cosmic address”.

The German electronic group’s founder was born on D-Day – June 6, 1944 – in Tilsit in East Prussia, now the Russian city of Sovetsk.

Edgar Froese’s father and other relatives were killed by the Nazis and the family lost all their belongings in the war.Tangerine Dream Edgar Froese dead at 70

His mother and the rest of his family settled in West Berlin, where he studied art.

Edgar Froese formed Tangerine Dream in Berlin in September 1967 with fellow students.

The band was known for its uncompromising anti-pop performances and played at the villa of surrealist artist Salvador Dali in Spain.

The group later signed to Virgin after Edgar Froese had undertaken “several bouts of chess on Richard Branson’s houseboat on the Thames”.

The resultant album, Phaedra, in 1974 was considered a key work in the early electronic genre, with its sequencer-driven sound.

Edgar Froese was a prolific artist, and from 2003 onwards created solo work under the name Edgar W. Froese.

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PTSD evidence can be traced back to 1300BC

Kathryn R. Bown
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PTSD evidence can be traced back to 1300BC

According to researchers, evidence of post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD) can be traced back to 1300BC – much earlier than previously thought.

The team at Anglia Ruskin University in the UK analyzed translations from ancient Iraq or Mesopotamia.

Accounts of soldiers being visited by “ghosts they faced in battle” fitted with a modern diagnosis of PTSD.

The condition was likely to be as old as human civilization, the researchers concluded.

Prof. Jamie Hacker Hughes, a former consultant clinical psychologist for the UK’s Ministry of Defense, said the first description of PTSD was often accredited to the Greek historian Herodotus.PTSD in history

Referring to the warrior Epizelus during the battle of Marathon in 490BC he wrote: “He suddenly lost sight of both eyes, though nothing had touched him.”

Prof. Jamie Hacker Hughes’ report – titled Nothing New Under the Sun – argues there are references in the Assyrian Dynasty in Mesopotamia between 1300BC and 609BC.

In that era men spent a year being toughened up by building roads, bridges and other projects, before spending a year at war and then returning to their families for a year before starting the cycle again.

A diagnosis and understanding of PTSD emerged after the Vietnam War. It was dismissed as shell shock in World War One.

Potential triggers for post-traumatic stress disorder:

  • Military conflicts
  • Natural disasters
  • Serious road accidents
  • Assaults
  • Muggings

SkyMall files for bankruptcy protection

Clyde K. Valle
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SkyMall files for bankruptcy protection

SkyMall shopping magazine has filed for bankruptcy protection.

The in-flight catalog is popular for selling unusual gadgets and other oddities.

“With the increased use of electronic devices on planes, fewer people browsed the SkyMall in-flight catalog,” the company’s interim chief executive, Scott Wiley, said in court papers.

The magazine’s parent company, Xhibit Corporation, said SkyMall revenues were $15.8 million in 2014.

That is a nearly 50% decline from 2013.SkyMall bankruptcy

In 2014, the company suffered large setbacks when both Delta Airlines and Southwest Airlines said they would cease carrying the catalogue.

Furthermore, SkyMall had been hurt in recent years by the sluggish US economic recovery.

“A substantial portion of the products and services SkyMall offers are products or services that consumers may view as discretionary items rather than necessities,” the company wrote in its filing.

SkyMall’s parent Xhibit said it would hold an auction of the company’s remaining assets on March 24.

It said the company had approximately $1 million to $10 million in assets and liabilities that ranged from $10 million to $50 million.

The company, which was founded in 1989, is based in Phoenix, Arizona and has around 150 employees.

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