Chinese thriller Bai Ri Yan Huo (Black Coal, Thin Ice) has won the Golden Bear for best picture at this year’s Berlin Film Festival.
Liao Fan won the prize for best actor in the same film, while Haru Kuroki won best actress for her role in the Japanese movie Chiisai Ouchi (The Little House).
American Richard Linklater was named best director for his film Boyhood.
An eight-person jury decides the awards.
This year it was headed by American director and producer James Schamus, probably most well-known for producing Brokeback Mountain.
Bai Ri Yan Huo features an overweight detective, played by Liao Fan, on the trail of a serial killer.
Chinese thriller Bai Ri Yan Huo has won the Golden Bear for best picture at this year’s Berlin Film Festival
Richard Linklater’s ambitious coming-of-age film Boyhood used the same child actors over a 12-year span.
Wes Anderson’s Grand Budapest Hotel, the festival opener, took the Silver Bear grand jury prize, while the Ethiopian film Difret, based on a real case of bride abduction in Ethiopia, took the audience award.
Berlin Film Festival is one of the oldest and most prestigious film showcases in the world, but this year some critics complained of a dearth of strong entries, and a lack of films with strong political or social agendas.
Some 400 films have been screened during the 11-day festival, 23 of them in the competition category.
In 2013, the main prize was awarded to the Romanian film Child’s Pose.
Switzerland has declined to sign a proposed deal granting Croatians free access to the Swiss employment market.
Croatia and Switzerland had agreed the deal last summer after Croatia joined the EU.
Switzerland said the accord could not be signed “in its current form”, after a recent referendum invalidated the Swiss-EU pact on freedom of movement.
Swiss voters narrowly backed a proposal to bring back strict quotas for immigration from EU countries.
The fiercely independent nation is not a member of the EU, but has adopted large sections of EU policy.
Although the Swiss economy is booming and unemployment is low, many Swiss worry about the effects of immigration.
Switzerland declined to sign deal granting Croatians free access to employment market after a recent referendum invalidated the Swiss-EU pact on freedom of movement
Justice Minister Simonetta Sommaruga called Croatian Foreign Minister Vesna Pusic to tell her Switzerland would not be able to sign the deal extending the right of free access to Switzerland to the EU’s newest member state.
Simonetta Sommaruga also informed Brussels that the agreement needed to be re-examined, her spokesman, Philippe Schwander said.
The last week referendum had created a “new constitutional disposition”, Philippe Schwander noted.
He stressed that the justice minister was seeking a “solution” to ensure Croatians were not being discriminated against.
Following the referendum, the EU warned it would reassess its relations with Switzerland “as a whole”.
The economic impact could be great since half of Switzerland’s exports are to the EU, with Germany its biggest trading partner.
A quarter of the eight million-strong population is foreign, and last year 80,000 new immigrants arrived.
Since 2007, most of the EU’s 500 million residents have been on an equal footing with locals in the Swiss job market – the result of a policy voted into law in a 2000 referendum.
In her weekly podcast, German Chancellor Angela Merkel has proposed the creation of a European communications network to help improve data protection.
The network would avoid emails and other data automatically passing through the US.
Angela Merkel said she would raise the issue on Wednesday with French President Francois Hollande.
Revelations of mass surveillance by the US National Security Agency (NSA) have prompted huge concern in Europe.
Disclosures by Edward Snowden suggested even the mobile phones of US allies, such as Angela Merkel, had been monitored by American spies.
Angela Merkel has proposed the creation of a European communications network to help improve data protection
Classified NSA documents revealed that large amounts of personal data are collected from the internet by US and British surveillance.
Angela Merkel criticized the fact that Facebook and Google can be based in countries with low levels of data protection while carrying out business in nations that offer more rigorous safeguards.
“Above all, we’ll talk about European providers that offer security for our citizens, so that one shouldn’t have to send emails and other information across the Atlantic,” she said.
“Rather, one could build up a communication network inside Europe.”
There was no doubt that Europe had to do more in the realm of data protection, Angela Merkel said.
A French official was quoted by Reuters as saying that the government in Paris planned to take up the German initiative.
Germany has been trying to persuade Washington to agree to a “no-spy” agreement but without success.
Opponents and supporters of Venezuela’s President Nicolas Maduro have taken to the streets of Caracas in rival marches.
The demonstrations come at a time of growing political tension in Venezuela.
Three people were killed during anti-government protests on Wednesday, and some 100 students were arrested.
President Nicolas Maduro accused the opposition of stirring up trouble as part of a coup plot and urged his supporters to march for peace on Saturday.
Government supporters began arriving at Venezuela Square, in central Caracas, in the morning.
They were dressed predominantly in red or in Venezuela’s national colors – blue, yellow and red.
Hours later Nicolas Maduro addressed thousands of his supporters in Bolivar Avenue. The march was broadcast live on national television.
“I call all the people to the streets in order to defend peace,” he said.
Nicolas Maduro warned that his government would not give in to those he described as “fascists,” including former president of neighboring Colombia, Alvaro Uribe.
Nicolas Maduro addressed thousands of his supporters in Bolivar Avenue
“Alvaro Uribe is behind this, financing and directing these fascist movements.”
“He intended to use a Venezuelan television channel [NTN24] to do the same they did on 11 April 2002,” Nicolas Maduro said, referring to a failed military coup against the late President, Hugo Chavez.
Alvaro Uribe, a centre-right politician, was a fierce enemy of Hugo Chavez and accused the late president of supporting Colombia’s largest rebel group, the Farc.
Nicolas Maduro said police had been looking for opposition leader Leopoldo Lopez, accused of ordering “all these violent kids, which he trained, to destroy half of Caracas to then go into hiding”.
Leopoldo Lopez has not been seen in public since an arrest warrant was issued for him on Wednesday.
US Secretary of State John Kerry has issued a statement expressing concern by the rising tensions in Venezuela.
Opposition demonstrators, including a movement known as Mothers in White, gathered at Las Mercedes neighborhood in eastern Caracas.
Thousands of people, mostly wearing white, marched towards the Courts of Justice building and stopped for a memorial ceremony to the three demonstrators killed on Wednesday: Bassil da Costa, Juan Montoya and Robert Redman.
Student leader Enrique Altimari said the main aim of their “peaceful protest” was to “pay tribute to the victims”.
He said the march would end before night fell, to avoid a repeat of the incidents of Wednesday.
The three victims were shot dead by unknown gunmen as the opposition marches came to an end.
The opposition march ended before dusk with clashes between police, who fired tear gas in attempts to disperse the crowd, and demonstrators who hurled stones.
Reports say three people were injured.
The main opposition grievances are high inflation, crime and the shortage of some staples.
Venezuela’s government has blamed the shortages on “saboteurs” and “profit-hungry corrupt businessmen”.
Porter Ridge fans filed a petition to Discovery Channel to bring back the reality show.
“We ask that you bring shirtless Terry, The Bear Man, Kayla, Dirty Andy, Danny Bob, Elvis Larry, Rusty, Barry and the Dog Killer Ridge crew back. Not only have earned their place on the Discovery Channel lineup, they have built a strong fan base.
“While we’d hate to see Porter Ridge lose its home on Discovery Channel, the fan base encourages Scott and Deirdre Gurney to keep the show alive even… “ said the petition on change.org.
Porter Ridge’s premier last year drew in 1.42 million viewers which quickly grew to a global following. The reality show ranks in class with other favorites such as Storage Wars: Texas, Real Husbands of Hollywood, Chopped, Modern Family, Law & Order: SUV, Tosh.0, Family Guy, etc.
Porter Ridge fans filed a petition to Discovery Channel to bring back the reality show
“Our request is for Discovery to continue to provide Porter Ridge a home on the network, one that has been rightfully earned. However, while we would be disappointed to see the show leave Discovery, the fan base would be satisfied to find Porter Ridge airing on any network.
“Further, we petition for Scott and Deirdre Gurney to keep their dream alive.
“Have your voice heard by signing this petition, and by visiting the Porter Ridge Facebook page or The Viewer Relations section of the Discovery Channel website,” the petition added.
Kim Kardashian revealed her Valentine’s Day surprise on Instagram as she posed lying down with her legs in the air while surrounded by many bouquets of red roses.
“A thousand roses,” Kim Kardashian captioned the picture.
Kim Kardashian revealed her Valentine’s Day surprise on Instagram
Kim Kardashian, 33, looks thinner than ever while striking the seductive pose in a skin-tight black dress and sky-high stilettos.
It appears the person likely responsible for this over-the-top display of affection is Kardashian’s fiancé, Kanye West.
“Nothing better than being with my love on Valentine’s day! Happy Vday dolls!” Kim Kardashian tweeted on February 14.
Jenni Rivera’s husband Esteban Loaiza is suing the owners of the plane that crashed in northern Mexico in December 2012, killing the singer and six others.
According to City News Service, the former Los Angeles Dodgers pitcher filed the wrongful death case Friday in Los Angeles.
Jenni Rivera filed for divorce from Esteban Loaiza two months before the plane crash
Among other things, the lawsuit claims that the pilots weren’t licensed to fly paying passengers.
Jenni Rivera, who died at the age of 43, filed for divorce from Esteban Loaiza two months before the crash, but the lawsuit says he continued to receive financial benefits from her.
Porter Ridge’s Kayla Wood and Terry Porter invite fans to meet them next weekend at 2014 Carl Casper Car Show in Louisville, Kentucky.
Kayla Wood and Terry Porter invite fans to meet them next weekend at 2014 Carl Casper Car Show in Louisville
„If you are in the Louisville, Ky area next weekend stop in and see Terry and myself at the Carl Casper Car Show. We will be there Friday thru Sunday! There will be other cast members with us as well!” Kayla Wood wrote on her Facebook account.
Carl Casper Car Show 2014 wil take place at the Kentucky Fair & Expo Center from Frebruay 21 to 23.
US workers have voted against union representation at a Volkswagen car plant in the southern state of Tennessee.
The vote derails efforts by the United Auto Workers (UAW) to organize foreign-owned factories in the southern US.
Experts had expected the ballot to pass in favor of unionizing, after Volkswagen tacitly supported the move.
The vote had faced resistance from Republican politicians, who argued it would slow economic growth.
It was the UAW’s first attempt in 13 years to unionize a plant not run by one of the three big US carmakers – General Motors, Ford, and Chrysler.
Analysts say the result could significantly curtail future organization efforts and further dent the union’s reputation.
Membership is reported to have plummeted 75% since the late 1970s, leaving it with barely 400,000 supporters.
Volkswagen workers vote against UAW union in Chattanooga
Some 1,550 workers began voting at the plant in Chattanooga on Wednesday and rejected the union plan by 712 to 626 with an 89% turnout.
UAW spokesman Gary Casteel said “some outside influence” had been exerted on the poll.
Some believe the loss will make it harder for the UAW to recruit members at other southern plants.
The push for organization started after Volkswagen opened its only US facility in Chattanooga in 2010.
The manufacturer’s 61 other plants around the world have so-called “work councils”, which represent employees’ interests in daily dealings with management.
Mandated by law in Germany and popular in other European countries, works councils have never been tried in a US factory.
Prior to the ballot, VW’s Chattanooga chief executive Frank Fischer said in a statement: “Our plant in Chattanooga has the opportunity to create a uniquely American Works Council, in which the company would be able to work co-operatively with our employees and ultimately their union representatives, if the employees decide they wish to be represented by a union.”
Conservative groups had leaded a fierce anti-union campaign in the lead-up to the ballot.
Opponents warned it would jeopardize Volkswagen’s tax incentives and hurt the local economy by scaring away business.
According to new reports, Kim Kardashian is pregnant with her second baby.
Earlier this week, MediaTakeOut first reported that Kim Kardashian is pregnant again, citing two sources close to the reality star and her fiancé Kanye West.
The report cited two bits of information as “proof” that Kim Kardashian is pregnant. The first was Kanye West’s temper.
“Kanye does not respond to the pressure of Kim K’s pregnancy very well,” the report noted.
“You’ll recall that in Nov 2012 (when Kim was just 2 months preggers) Kanye West spazzed out and started fighting a paparazzi guy. Well yesterday Yeezy did the same thing – when he started fighting a teenage boy.”
New reports claim Kim Kardashian is pregnant with her second baby
The incident happened on Monday, when Kim Kardashian and Kanye West were swarmed by paparazzi during a walk. A teenager tried to help Kim Kardashian get into a building and yelled at photographers, but when Kim asked him to stop using the “N-word” the young man followed her and yelled at her.
Kim Kardashian then called Kanye West, who reportedly went to where the young man was working and punched him in the face.
The second bit of evidence of Kim Kardashian’s pregnancy was a picture snapped of Kim leaving her OBGYN’s office. Back in 2012, MediaTakeOut was one of the first to report on Kim Kardashian’s pregnancy after she was spotted leaving the same office.
Reports that Kim Kardashian is pregnant have started to trickle out from other outlets as well, but there is some conflict whether the rumors are true.
A source contacted by HollywoodLife said simply: “No way, she’s not pregnant.”
The reports that Kim Kardashian is pregnant come just days after another rumor that said she and Kanye West were headed for a split. Pictures on Instagram showed Kim Kardashian without her engagement ring, leading to speculation that the couple is splitting up.
Tori Spelling reportedly celebrated this year’s Valentine’s Day with her girlfriends and children.
Tori Spelling, 40, shared photos on her ediTORIal blog of how she’s been keeping busy crafting with her kids and partying with pals.
“This year, I decided that I wanted to do something special for my girlfriends for Valentine’s Day. So, I invited my girls over to the house and threw an Asian inspired Valentine’s Day Tea!” Tori Spelling wrote on her blog earlier this week.
“The afternoon was full of crafting, cooking and celebrating. We had so much fun sipping tea, enjoying dim sum and making (and eating) our own fortune cookies.”
Tori Spelling shared photos on her ediTORIal blog of how she’s been keeping busy crafting with her kids and partying with pals
Tori Spelling shared a photo of herself looking festive and happy wearing a homemade pink kimono and sipping from a cute teacup.
On February 14, Tori Spelling posted a blog about the sweet Valentine treats she made with her eldest children – Liam, 6, and Stella, 5 – for them to bring to school.
“They made homemade party poppers – such a fun and easy craft that you can do with your kiddos,” she wrote.
She also included a cute photo of Liam and Stella wearing red shirts and proudly showing off their party poppers.
Tori Spelling appears to be in good spirits this holiday, despite the fact that husband Dean McDermott is currently seeking treatment in rehab.
A French court has awarded five Michael Jackson fans one euro each for the “emotional damage” they suffered after the pop star’s death.
The case saw 34 fans sue Michael Jackson’s doctor, Conrad Murray, who was jailed in 2011 for the involuntary manslaughter of the singer.
The court in Orleans ruled five fans had proven emotional suffering.
Dr. Conrad Murray served two years of a four-year term for administering a lethal dose of an anaesthetic drug to Michael Jackson and was released in October.
Last month a US court rejected a bid by Conrad Murray to have his conviction for involuntary manslaughter overturned.
Five Michael Jackson fans have been awarded one euro each for the “emotional damage” they suffered after the pop star’s death
The five claimants – two from France, two from Switzerland and one from Belgium – were all members of the French-based Michael Jackson Community fan club.
Their lawyer said they had proven their suffering “with the help of witness statements and medical certificates”.
“As far as I know this is the first time in the world that the notion of emotional damage in connection with a pop star has been recognized,” Emmanuel Ludot told the AFP news agency.
“They have been subjected to ridicule and I am delighted their suffering has been taken seriously by the law.”
The damages were symbolic, he added, and the claimants would not be seeking to claim the one euro each from Conrad Murray.
The five fans say they hope the ruling will help them gain access to Michael Jackson’s grave in Los Angeles, which is closed to the public.
Michael Jackson died on June 25, 2009, from an overdose of the powerful anaesthetic propofol.
Turkish lawmakers have approved controversial plans to reform the country’s top judicial body, amid a brawl which left one opposition legislator with a broken nose.
Turkish government wants the Supreme Board of Judges and Prosecutors – the HSYK – to come under justice ministry control.
The bill was debated overnight amid heated scenes, with reports of dozens of lawmakers involved in a fist fight.
Last month the judicial body said the plans were unconstitutional and would undermine its independence.
The plans were proposed by PM Recep Tayyip Erdogan’s AK Party, which dominates parliament.
At one point during the 20-hour debate, scuffles broke out leading to punches being thrown.
Turkish lawmakers have approved controversial plans to reform the country’s top judicial body, amid a brawl which left one opposition legislator with a broken nose
The lawmaker whose nose was broken – Ali Ihsan Kokturk from the opposition Republican People’s Party (CHP) – needed hospital treatment.
Another one from the governing AK Party suffered broken fingers.
Ozcan Yeniceri, a lawmaker from the opposition Nationalist Movement Party (MHP), was among those to criticize the bill, saying it was aimed at impeding corruption inquiries and “meeting the needs of the AK Party”, Reuters reports.
The reforms come after allies of Recep Tayyip Erdogan were arrested in a major corruption inquiry, after which the government dismissed hundreds of policemen.
There is intense rivalry between Recep Tayyip Erdogan and a former ally, Fethullah Gulen, who has many supporters in the police and judiciary. Fethullah Gulen is an influential Islamic scholar living in self-imposed exile in the US.
Judicial reform is a highly sensitive issue because Turkey is under pressure from the EU to bring its justice system into line with EU standards.
Turkey hopes to join the EU, but progress in the negotiations has been very slow.
The “catastrophic” winter storm that gridlocked traffic, left flights cancelled, and knocked out power in the East Coast, has pushed into eastern Canada.
As much as 24in was expected to fall in some areas by the end of Friday, blown about by heavy winds from Quebec to Newfoundland.
Authorities closed a 124 mile section of the Trans-Canada Highway in Quebec.
The storm has been blamed for the deaths of more than two dozen people.
In the US, about half a million of people and businesses remained without power in the typically mild southern states on Friday, some for a third day, after the storm destroyed power lines and knocked down trees.
The weather system tapered off as it crawled farther north, but was still strong enough to bring almost 30cm of snow to areas of Quebec and parts of Newfoundland on Friday, with high winds of more than 60 mph.
Other parts of the eastern provinces and Nova Scotia saw heavy rain from the same storm.
In eastern Quebec, several motorways, including the Trans-Canada Highway from Quebec City to Riviere-du-Loup, were partially shut after the snow and high winds dangerously hindered visibility.
The “catastrophic” winter storm that gridlocked traffic, left flights cancelled, and knocked out power in the East Coast, has pushed into eastern Canada
Canadian weather officials have issued a number of winter storm warnings as another unrelated system is expected to bring severe weather to the Atlantic Provinces again on Saturday and Sunday.
The storm struck first on Wednesday in the US South, where it covered trees and power lines with as much as an inch of ice and caused traffic jams across the region.
South Carolina Governor Nikki Haley compared the damage to the aftermath of a hurricane.
One electric co-operative in the state lost 50 poles in the ice storm, compared to 21 in the last cyclone, officials said. Those still in the dark in the US South may wait several more days before electricity is restored.
The storm then moved up the East Coast, dumping heavy snow from North Carolina to Boston over a 24-hour period. Parts of New York state saw as much as 27in.
Washington-area offices of the US federal government were closed on Thursday to spare workers the dangerous commute.
At least 25 deaths have been blamed on the storm.
In the US, road conditions remained treacherous in some areas on Friday. Thirty people were injured, five severely, in a multiple vehicle pile-up near Philadelphia on Friday morning.
Officials said it would take many hours to clear damaged vehicles, including lorries. The crash spawned a traffic jam stretching for 5 miles.
Many schools remained closed in eight states from Virginia to Maine. Almost 1,700 flights were cancelled on Friday, and 6,500 a day earlier.
The foul weather also has delayed tens of thousands of deliveries of Valentine’s Day flowers.
Meanwhile, a sheriff in north-eastern Georgia declared in an apparently tongue-in-cheek Facebook post that the weather had rendered the Oconee County region a “No Valentines [sic] Day Zone”.
Sheriff Scott Berry declared all men in the area were exempt from having to buy chocolate or other gifts for their partners until next Tuesday.
Duck Dynasty’s Si Robertson celebrated Valentine’s Day with his lovely wife Christine and shared the moment with his fans on his Facebook account.
Si Robertson celebrated Valentine’s Day with his lovely wife Christine and shared the moment with his fans on his Facebook account
“There are some people who got it and some who don’t. Hey, I’ve ALWAYS had it! Today, I am blessed to celebrate Valentines day with my wonderful wife!” Uncle Si wrote on Facebook.
Si Robertson is happily married to Christine for more than 40 years. They have two children together, a son – Scott Robertson, and a daughter – Trasa Cobern Robertson.
Malang, Cilacap and Semarang airports reopened Saturday on the Indonesian island of Java after being forced to close following the eruption of Mount Kelud.
Correspondents say air quality has improved across Java, but cities and villages are still covered in a layer of dust and ash.
Tens of thousands remain in shelters, facing medicine and blanket shortages.
Mount Kelud spewed ash and debris over a large area on Friday, killing three people.
The volcano had been rumbling for several weeks before it erupted.
Authorities said they were not expecting another major tremor, because the patterns showed volcanoes tended to quieten down after a large eruption.
Malang, Cilacap and Semarang airports reopened on Java after being forced to close following the eruption of Mount Kelud
The airports shut down because of low visibility. There were also fears that debris could damage aircraft engines.
Some 75,000 people are estimated to have sought refuge in temporary shelters.
Officials raised an alert on Thursday about an hour before the volcano erupted.
They urged people living in 36 villages within 6 miles of the volcano to evacuate.
Officials said two people died when their homes caved in under the weight of gravel and ash.
The volcano last erupted in 1990, killing dozens of people. A powerful eruption in 1919 killed around 5,000 people.
Indonesia lies across a series of geological fault-lines and is prone to frequent earthquakes and volcanic eruptions.
Cuba has suspended its consular services in the US after the American bank M&T decided to withdraw its facilities.
The Cuban government says it will not be able to renew passports and process visas unless it finds an alternative to the M&T bank.
The M&T bank said its decision was taken for business reasons.
The move is likely to prevent tens of thousands of people travelling from the US to Cuba every month and could have a big impact on the economy there.
The US broke off diplomatic relations with Cuba in 1961 and imposed an economic embargo a year later.
Cuba has suspended its consular services in the US after the American bank M&T decided to withdraw its facilities
In the absence of bilateral contacts, consular services have been handled by the Cuban Interests Section in Washington.
In a statement, the Cuban government blames the trade embargo for its failure to find a new bank “in spite of huge efforts made”.
The M&T bank announced last year that it would stop accepting deposits from February 17, which is a public holiday in the US.
“The section regrets any inconvenience this situation may cause,” read the statement.
The bank says it will only be able to handle “humanitarian cases”.
More than 40,000 people on average travel to Cuba from the US every month, most of them Cuban-Americans, according to the Miami-based Havana Consulting Group.
Americans who do not have Cuban nationality are also allowed to travel if they are taking part in cultural exchange programs.
Cuba and the US announced the resumption of official talks on immigration and postal services between the two countries.
Earlier this week, the EU agreed to open negotiations aimed at restoring full relations with Cuba.
Sesame Street is the latest group to launch their own version of Flappy Bird.
Flappy Bert parodies the hit game, with players having to guide the Sesame Street character through various pipes.
Earlier this week Flappy Bird was removed from sale after creator Dong Nguyen said the fame that had come with his success “ruins my simple life”.
Since then numerous copycat versions of the game have been launched.
Fall Out Boy have announced they are to release their own version of viral app.
“Rome wasn’t built in a day, but this game was,” the band posted on their official website.
Flappy Bert parodies Flappy Bird, with players having to guide the Sesame Street character through various pipes
They added: “We bring you Fall Out Bird…shoutout to the OG Flappy Bird, RIP.”
Meanwhile a visit to Apple’s App Store shows a number of games with very similar titles or concepts still available – Flappy Bee, City Bird: Flappy Flyer and Fly Birdie are just some of the examples.
Flappy Bird had been downloaded more than 50 million times, making it this year’s most popular mobile game so far.
In an interview with Forbes, 29-year-old Dong Nguyen said: “Flappy Bird was designed to play in a few minutes when you are relaxed.
“But it happened to become an addictive product. I think it has become a problem. To solve that problem, it’s best to take down Flappy Bird.”
Dong Nguyen was making as much as $50,000 a day from advertising revenue.
Nicki Minaj has apologized for using a famous picture of African-American minister Malcolm X on her website, alongside a racial insult.
The image of the activist holding a gun was also posted on her Instagram page, promoting her new song.
After criticism on social media, Nicki Minaj posted an apology to the estate of Malcolm X.
Known for his civil rights work with black communities in the US, Malcom X was assassinated 49 years ago this month.
“That was never the official artwork nor is this an official single. This is a conversation. Not a single,” Nicki Minaj wrote.
“I apologize to the Malcolm X estate if the meaning of the photo was misconstrued. I have nothing but respect [and] adoration for u.”
Nicki Minaj added that the artwork was in no way meant to “undermine his efforts and legacy”.
Nicki Minaj has apologized for using the famous picture of Malcolm X on her website, alongside a racial insult
In a radio interview Nicki Minaj said that she wrote the song to empower women because there are too many songs that attack women.
“It was almost parallel in my opinion because he has this big gun ready to shoot,” the singer said to Hot 97’s Angie Martinez.
“I looked at it as this is one of the most memorable people in our history, in black history, who voiced his opinion no matter what, and I understand how my intent was overlooked and I definitely didn’t want to offend his family or his legacy.”
The song was made “to have fun” not “to be disrespectful”, she added.
In her online apology, Nicki Minaj, 31, expressed confusion over why people had been offended by the image.
“What seems to be the issue now?” the 31-year-old wrote.
She added: “I am in the video shooting [the song] and there happened to be an iconic photo of Malcolm X ready to do the same thing for what he believed in!”
The picture was deleted from Nicki Minaj’s Instagram account, but was still on her website on Friday morning.
The track will appear on Nicki Minaj’s next album and a compilation album featuring artists including Lil Wayne and Drake.
British director Ken Loach won an Honorary Golden Bear at the Berlin Film Festival, recognising films such as Kes and Cathy Come Home.
Ken Loach, 77, has addressed reports that his next film will be his last, as he received a lifetime achievement prize in Germany.
“We’ll have to see,” said Ken Loach noting that filmmaking requires “a physical stamina” that tails off “when you get into the wrong end of the 70s”.
He was also celebrated with a gala screening of Raining Stones, a 1993 film about a poverty-stricken suburban family that Ken Loach said was “still relevant” and, despite the subject, “quite a cheerful film”.
Ken Loach has spent a lifetime battling to make uncompromising films, often focusing on Britain and Ireland’s overlooked underclasses.
The Oxford University graduate began his film career in what was known as “kitchen-sink” realism.
Ken Loach won an Honorary Golden Bear at the Berlin Film Festival
He came to prominence in 1966 with Cathy Come Home, a Jeremy Sandford television play about a family’s slide into poverty and homelessness.
Kes, released in 1969, was his first major feature film. The story of an abused teenager and his falcon, it remains one of the director’s best-known works in the UK.
Since then, he has made more than 30 films, and won the Palme d’Or at Cannes in 2006 for The Wind that Shakes the Barley, about Ireland’s struggle for independence.
It was Ken Loach’s seventh entry for the festival’s top film prize, but his first win. He previously won the jury prize in 1990 for Hidden Agenda, about a British army shoot-to-kill policy in Northern Ireland.
Ken Loach’s next film is Jimmy’s Hall, about James Gralton, the Irish communist leader who set up a dance hall in County Leitrim, which he used to disseminate his political views.
The Berlin Film Festival continues this weekend with the premiere of literary adaptation The 100 Year-Old Man who Climbed out of the Window and Disappeared; and a screening of the first two episodes of Netflix’s political drama House Of Cards.
It culminates with an awards ceremony on Sunday.
In 2013, Berlin Film Festival’s main prize was awarded to Romanian film Child’s Pose.
A Bahraini policeman has died of wounds from a bomb blast during protests marking Friday’s third anniversary of the country’s uprising.
According to the interior ministry, he was one of two officers wounded in a “terror blast” in the village of Dair.
Another three policemen were injured by an explosion near the village of Dih.
Protesters were marking the 2011 unrest fuelled by demands for more rights and an end to discrimination against the majority Shia community.
On Friday demonstrators attempted to reach the site of a bloody crackdown on demonstrators almost three years ago.
Several demonstrators were reportedly wounded by security forces. The interior ministry said in a statement that 26 people were arrested on suspicion of “rioting and vandalism”.
Police used tear gas to stop them from reaching the Pearl Roundabout, which was a focus of protests in 2011.
A Bahraini policeman has died of wounds from a bomb blast during protests marking Friday’s third anniversary of the country’s uprising
Since then, police and demonstrators have scuffled almost daily. Thousands of people have been arrested.
Associated Press quoted the Bahrain Youth Society for Human Rights as saying 38 protesters had been hurt in clashes since Thursday evening, with injuries caused by birdshot fire, tear gas and beatings.
The government and opposition have held two rounds of fruitless reconciliation talks, with a third expected soon.
The protesters are mostly from poorer, Shia areas in the villages outside the capital.
Protesters have repeatedly used burning tyres and other debris as a tactic to block police vehicles from entering Shia areas.
Sunni Muslims are a minority in the country but through the al-Khalifa dynasty have ruled over the Shia Muslim majority for more than 200 years.
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Consumers like well designed websites, that are logical and easy to navigate. The online store is a definite attraction which generates an income 24/7 for the owner if products or services are sold. Website can be designed cost effectively and enhances one’s professional image. E commerce websites are popular and allow one to interact with the customer maintaining dialogue and excellent customer service.
Communication
Website presentation has to be considered thoughtfully during the design process. The images one uses on the site and the clarity of the written text, including detailed information about the company will answer most consumer/clients questions. A regular blog can be added to the website informing customers about latest company and product development and news. Overall websites enable one to communicate with your target audience.
The company
Current company vacancies can be listed online, and one can develop one’s workforce through accepting applications for significant roles. One can utilize social media sites to write an introductory script about the company and include links to the main website. Online referrals of companies are read quite frequently by the public and can drive more traffic to your specialist company website. It is easier to view a company prospectus online initially or view a company’s products rather than making a visit to the business.
The role of a website designer
To create a website it is recommended to look for a website designer who can advise you about what is possible for your potential website. Website designers tend to think that a website is quite vital for the success of small businesses. Websites are informative and can improve the long-term financial prospects of a business. Many young entrepreneurs rely on innovative technology to build their businesses.
Overall importance of websites
Websites are versatile; they can be updated at anytime to provide current information. One can begin to gather useful customer information which is important leads for the future. One can email special offers for products to customers who have logged their information on the website. One can target products to a select niche of customers. Not all companies have a website. Some market their business offline or through telemarketing departments within companies. One will find a website can enhance one’s authenticity and extend one’s accessibility.
