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Francois Hollande and Julie Gayet affair began during 2012 presidential race

Nancy Clayson
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Francois Hollande and Julie Gayet affair began during 2012 presidential race

Closer magazine claims French President Francois Hollande has been having an affair with actress Julie Gayet for two years.

The gossip magazine also printed more details of the alleged romance, which it says began during the 2012 presidential race.

Julie Gayet has announced she is suing Closer magazine for breach of privacy.

Francois Hollande’s official partner and France’s first lady, Valerie Trierweiler, remains in hospital, where she was admitted after learning of the alleged affair a week ago.

In its latest revelations, Closer said Francois Hollande used a second apartment in the west of Paris to meet the 41-year-old actress.

It is claimed the pair snatched weekends together in the south of France, and that Francois Hollande made excuses to avoid a holiday in Greece last year with Valerie Trierweiler, so he could travel instead to his Correze constituency with Julie Gayet.

The magazine said the president and Julie Gayet had been having a “turbulent romance” for two years – during and after Francois Hollande’s election campaign.

The magazine did not publish any further photos despite earlier reports that it would.

Closer magazine claims French President Francois Hollande has been having an affair with actress Julie Gayet for two years
Closer magazine claims French President Francois Hollande has been having an affair with actress Julie Gayet for two years

Julie Gayet is seeking 50,000 euros ($68,000) in damages and 4,000 euros in legal costs from the magazine.

If she wins, Closer will have to publish the legal verdict on its cover page, AFP reports.

Francois Hollande decided not to take legal action after first threatening to.

Valerie Trierweiler – seemingly still keen to defend Francois Hollande’s character – is said to have defended him following reports he had not visited her in hospital.

She phoned a journalist on Thursday to explain it was her doctors who had asked Francois Hollande not to attend.

Valerie Trierweiler said she is still too weak to stand – and that the president has sent flowers and chocolates in his absence.

In response to the reports, a source at the Elysee Palace said Francois Hollande was “not unhappy” about the hospital forbidding him to visit.

Meanwhile, French magazine Le Point has quoted a friend of Valerie Trierweiler saying she had not tried to commit suicide but had taken “one pill too many”.

Francois Hollande, 59, told reporters on Tuesday he was experiencing a “difficult moment” in his private life but refused to answer questions over the report in Closer, saying “private matters should be dealt with privately”.

Nor would he clarify whether Valerie Trierweiler, 48, was still first lady before a February trip to the US.

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Syria proposes prisoner exchange with rebels at Moscow meeting

Roy Siemens
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Syria proposes prisoner exchange with rebels at Moscow meeting

Syria’s Foreign Minister Walid Muallem has said Damascus is ready to offer a prisoner exchange with rebels.

Speaking in Moscow, Walid Muallem also said he had presented a ceasefire plan for the second city Aleppo to his Russian counterpart, Sergey Lavrov.

The moves came as the opposition Syrian National Coalition meets in Istanbul to decide whether to go to next week’s peace conference.

The coalition is under Western pressure to participate in the Geneva II talks.

However, many of its members have already pulled out.

Some are reluctant to go unless Syrian President Bashar al-Assad is excluded from any transitional government, but Damascus says there should be no pre-conditions for the talks.

Meanwhile Lebanese security officials said rockets fired from Syria had hit the Lebanese border town of Arsal, killing at least six people, among them at least one child, and injuring at least 15.

Speaking in Moscow, Walid Muallem said he had presented a ceasefire plan for the second city Aleppo to his Russian counterpart, Sergey Lavrov
Speaking in Moscow, Walid Muallem said he had presented a ceasefire plan for the second city Aleppo to his Russian counterpart, Sergey Lavrov

Arsal, in the Bekaa valley, is predominantly Sunni and its residents have been broadly supportive of the Sunni-dominated uprising against President Assad, whose Alawite sect is an offshoot of Shia Islam.

It has been flooded with refugees since the Syrian military launched an offensive nearby in November.

The three-year conflict has claimed more than 100,000 lives.

An estimated two million people have fled the country and some 6.5 million have been internally displaced.

Walid Muallem said he was ready to exchange lists of prisoners.

“I informed Lavrov of our principled position in favor of an agreement to exchange those held in Syrian prisons for those taken by the other side,” he said.

“We are ready to exchange lists and develop the necessary mechanism for accomplishing these goals.”

The Syrian foreign minister added that he had given Russia a ceasefire plan for Aleppo, which he said he wanted to “serve as an example to other towns”.

But correspondents say it remains far from clear that even a partial ceasefire could be achieved.

On Thursday, the two foreign ministers held talks with Iranian officials.

Sergey Lavrov said there was “no hidden agenda” to their meeting.

“This does not mean that we have some tri-party (peace) draft,” he told reporters.

Suchitra Sen dies in Calcutta at 82

Sonia Pantiss
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Suchitra Sen dies in Calcutta at 82

Legendary actress Suchitra Sen has died in the Indian city of Calcutta at the age of 82.

Suchitra Sen had been admitted to a hospital in Calcutta last month with a chest infection and her condition worsened on Thursday night, doctors said.

Known as the Greta Garbo of India for leading a reclusive life after she left films, Suchitra Sen was an iconic star of regional Bengali cinema.

She also acted in a number of Bollywood films such as Devdas and Aandhi.

Suchitra Sen teamed up with Bengali star Uttam Kumar to form a popular pair that delivered a series of hits in Bengali cinema for over two decades.

Known as the Greta Garbo of India for leading a reclusive life after she left films, Suchitra Sen was an iconic star of regional Bengali cinema
Known as the Greta Garbo of India for leading a reclusive life after she left films, Suchitra Sen was an iconic star of regional Bengali cinema

She quit films in 1978 and led a hermit-like existence, reportedly refusing to meet people outside her own family. She had not been seen in public or photographed in the past three decades.

Suchitra Sen made her debut in 1953 with the hugely popular comedy Share Chuattar (Seventy-four-and-a-half), which was also her first film with Kumar.

Her performance as a nurse hired by a psychiatrist to develop personal relationships with male patients in the 1959 film Deep Jwele Jaai was hailed as one of her best.

Suchitra Sen is survived by her actress daughter Moon Moon Sen. Her grand daughters, Riya and Raima Sen, are also actresses.

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Google smart contact lens can help measure glucose levels in tears

Nancy Clayson
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Google smart contact lens can help measure glucose levels in tears

Google has announced it is testing a “smart contact lens” that can help measure glucose levels in tears.

The lens uses a “tiny” wireless chip and a “miniaturized” glucose sensor embedded between two layers of lens material.

Google said it is also working on integrating tiny LED lights that could light up to indicate that glucose levels have crossed certain thresholds.

But it added that “a lot more work” needed to be done to get the technology ready for everyday use.

“It’s still early days for this technology, but we’ve completed multiple clinical research studies which are helping to refine our prototype,” Google said in a blogpost.

“We hope this could someday lead to a new way for people with diabetes to manage their disease.”

Google’s latest foray with the smart contact lens is aimed at a sector where consumer demand for such devices is expected to grow.

Google smart contact lens uses a "tiny" wireless chip and a "miniaturized" glucose sensor embedded between two layers of lens material
Google smart contact lens uses a “tiny” wireless chip and a “miniaturized” glucose sensor embedded between two layers of lens material

According to the International Diabetes Federation (IDF), one in ten people across the world’s population are forecast to have diabetes by 2035.

People suffering from the condition need to monitor their glucose levels regularly as sudden spikes or drops are dangerous. At present, the majority of them do so by testing drops of blood.

Google said it was testing a prototype of the lens that could “generate a reading once per second”.

The company said it was working with the Food and Drug Administration (FDA) to bring the product to mainstream use.

It added that it would look for partners “who are experts in bringing products like this to market”.

Google said it would work with these partners to develop apps aimed at making the measurements taken by the lens available to the wearer and their doctor.

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Edward Snowden leaks: Barack Obama to announce changes to NSA electronic spy programs

Diane A. Wade
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Edward Snowden leaks: Barack Obama to announce changes to NSA electronic spy programs

President Barack Obama is to announce changes to NSA’s electronic spy programs after revelations made by Edward Snowden.

The president aims to restore public confidence in the intelligence community.

Barack Obama is expected to create a public advocate at the secretive court that approves intelligence collection.

The president’s proposals come hours after UK media reports that the US has collected and stored almost 200 million text messages per day across the globe.

According to the Guardian newspaper and Channel Four News, the National Security Agency (NSA) program extracted and stored data from the SMS messages to gather location information, contacts and financial data.

The report is the latest in a series of revelations from files leaked by Edward Snowden, a former NSA contractor charged in the US with espionage and currently a fugitive in Russia.

Barack Obama’s speech on Friday at Department of Justice comes after a five-person White House panel given the job of reviewing US electronic spying programs in the wake of Edward Snowden’s disclosures presented their report in December.

President Barack Obama is to announce changes to NSA’s electronic spy programs after revelations made by Edward Snowden
President Barack Obama is to announce changes to NSA’s electronic spy programs after revelations made by Edward Snowden

Among their recommendations was the creation of a public advocate position at the Foreign Intelligence Surveillance Court (FISC), where judges have approved the mass spying program. Currently, only the US government is represented in front of FISC judges.

In details leaked to various US media by the White House, Barack Obama is expected to endorse that position, as well as extending some privacy protections for foreigners.

He is also expected to include increased oversight of how the US monitors foreign leaders and to limit how long some data can be stored.

However Barack Obama is not expected to endorse one of the panel’s headline recommendations – shifting the storage of phone records from the NSA to the telecommunications firm or a third party where it can be queried under limited conditions.

He is expected to leave the decision on whether that should be implemented to Congress.

Civil rights and privacy groups were wary ahead of the speech.

The Guardian report describes an NSA program called Dishfire, which analyses SMS messages to extract information including contacts from missed call alerts, location from roaming and travel alerts, financial information from bank alerts and payments and names from electronic business cards,

It also alleges that the NSA’s UK counterpart GCHQ searched the NSA’s database for information regarding people in the UK.

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Michael Schumacher feared to remain in a coma forever

Clyde K. Valle
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Michael Schumacher feared to remain in a coma forever

Doctors at Grenoble University Hospital, where Michael Schumacher was placed into a medically induced coma, fear the racing champion “could be in a coma forever.”

On December 29, Michael Schumacher injured himself in a skiing accident in the French Alps.

Since the accident, Michael Schumacher, 45, has undergone two brain surgeries and, despite some reports of small progress, doctors have been steadfast in their insistence that that status of his brain injuries remain critical.

Michael Schumacher injured himself in a skiing accident in the French Alps
Michael Schumacher injured himself in a skiing accident in the French Alps

The German magazine Focus spoke with experts on Michael Schumacher’s condition and reported that the seven-time Formula 1 champion “could be in a coma forever”. In addition, doctors in France told the German newspaper Bild that Michael Schumacher’s condition is so grave there are currently no plans to wake him.

The biggest concern for doctors when it comes to patients in forced comas is that oxygen to the brain is reduced in a coma, and the longer the patient remains in a comatose state, the more likely long-term effects such as brain and organ damage are sustained.

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Duck Dynasty Season 5 premiere at lower ratings after Phil Robertson controversy

Sonia Pantiss
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Duck Dynasty Season 5 premiere at lower ratings after Phil Robertson controversy

Duck Dynasty returned to lower viewership than its previous two premieres after Phil Robertson controversy in December.

Duck Dynasty Season 5 premiere had 8.5 million viewers. That’s huge for a cable reality show, but down 28% from its record-setting fourth season debut in August (11.8 million). It’s also slightly down from the show’s Season 3 premiere in February 2013 (8.6 million).

A&E notes the number up slightly from the fourth season finale on October 23.

Duck Dynasty returned to lower viewership than its previous two premieres after Phil Robertson controversy
Duck Dynasty returned to lower viewership than its previous two premieres after Phil Robertson controversy

Duck Dynasty provoked a heated controversy in December after Phil Robertson criticize gays during a GQ magazine interview, as well as made  inflammatory comments about blacks during the Civil Rights era.

Last night’s episode and most of the rest of the current season was shot before the controversy. Presumably because of the controversy, the Robertson clan and producers were not made available for media interviews to promote the new season.

Duck Dynasty came back the same night as Fox’s American Idol, which was also down.

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Si Robertson gets sick and organizes treasure hunt for Jep’s kids

Sonia Pantiss
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Si Robertson gets sick and organizes treasure hunt for Jep’s kids

Duck Dynasty Season 5 premiered last night on A&E with two episodes.

Uncle Si Robertson is sick, so he has planted his “microbe” infested body on Phil’s couch to be taken care of by Miss Kay.

Si Robertson has also brought every single movie in the Air Bud franchise.

“Look, I’m a connoisseur when it comes to animal sports movies – Air Bud is an epic classic,” Si Robertson says.

“It blows Rudy out of the water … it makes Field of Dreams look like Rookie of the Year.”

Phil Robertson can’t agree because it’s too unrealistic. He prefers the Bourne series.

Uncle Si Robertson organized an age-inappropriate treasure hunt for Jep’s kids
Uncle Si Robertson organized an age-inappropriate treasure hunt for Jep’s kids

There was also a lot of talk of microbes throughout the two episodes. Phil Robertson thinks Uncle Si is a hypochondriac who has claimed to have everything from bird flu to sausage fingers.

In the second part of the show, Phil Robertson has his own bizarre microbe philosophies.

Jep Robertson says his father used to expose them to microbes all the time to build up immunities. Phil Robertson suggests Jep do the same for his kids by having them go outside and throw dung at each other.

Meanwhile, Uncle Si organized an age-inappropriate treasure hunt for Jep’s kids that was as confusing to its participants as it was to the audience. It culminated in digging up candy buried in what appeared to be a grave site.

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Duck Dynasty Season 5 premiere: About group texts and emojis

Sonia Pantiss
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Duck Dynasty Season 5 premiere: About group texts and emojis

On Duck Dynasty Season 5 premiere night, the bearded Robertson clan was debating the artistic superiority of the Air Bud versus Jason Bourne film franchise.

There was also contention surrounding the merits of group texting and emojis.

Jase, Jep, Phil, Willie and John Luke Robertson went on a hunting excursion. But they aren’t talking ducks. Rather they were in deep debate about all things texting related.

Jase Robertson said: “Group texts are the worst. They’re like a terrible technological snowball coming down a mountain and you can’t stop it…  What was the original conversation? No one knows. No one cares. Stop having a conversation on my phone.”

This naturally led to discussion of emojis, of which John Luke Robertson is also a fan.

Duck Dynasty Season 5 premiered last night with the bearded Robertson clan debating the artistic superiority of the Air Bud versus Jason Bourne film franchise
Duck Dynasty Season 5 premiered last night with the bearded Robertson clan debating the artistic superiority of the Air Bud versus Jason Bourne film franchise

“Like smiley faces and people – animals sometimes,” he said.

John Luke Robertson continued to discuss emojis with his father Willie after duck hunting is over, saying: “There are all kinds of emojis.”

Willie Robertson asked: “What’s that? A bearded guy?”

John Luke answered: “That’s a monkey.”

Duck Dynasty’s newcomer Rebecca Robertson told John Luke that guys don’t really emoji.

Viewers were introduced to Rebecca Robertson, a Taiwanese foreign exchange student that Willie and his wife Korie adopted 10 years ago.

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Duck Dynasty Season 5 premiere: Rebecca Robertson comes home

Sonia Pantiss
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Duck Dynasty Season 5 premiere: Rebecca Robertson comes home

Duck Dynasty Season 5 premiered last night on A&E with two episodes.

Viewers were introduced to Rebecca Robertson, a Taiwanese foreign exchange student that Willie and his wife Korie adopted 10 years ago.

Rebecca Robertson, 24, studied fashion in LA, but then came back to Louisiana for what Willie thought was a visit. But when Rebecca brings a million suitcases and a French bull dog, it’s clear that this isn’t a two-day trip. Rebecca, however, is welcomed home with open arms and a planned out surprise party — the Robertson men bought a banner that says “Congratulations” instead of “Welcome Home” because it was on sale.

Rebecca Robertson studied fashion in LA and came back to Louisiana
Rebecca Robertson studied fashion in LA and came back to Louisiana

The other new character is a family member of Korie Robertson. John David is Willie’s new assistant who Jase Robertson said only got hired because: “He just wanted someone heavier and hairier so that he would look better by comparison.”

At first there’s tension in the workplace — John David wears flip flops, brings lukewarm donuts, and doesn’t know how to blow a duck call — but he makes up for it after he buys the team a new basketball.

John David won a place in Willie’s heart because he can recite Nacho Libre ad nauseam.

Uncle Si Robertson is sick, so he has planted his “microbe” infested body on Phil’s couch to be taken care of by Miss Kay.

Si Robertson has also brought every single movie in the Air Bud franchise.

“Look, I’m a connoisseur when it comes to animal sports movies – Air Bud is an epic classic,” Si Robertson says.

“It blows Rudy out of the water … it makes Field of Dreams look like Rookie of the Year.”

Phil Robertson can’t agree because it’s too unrealistic. A dog just can’t dunk a basketball! He prefers the Bourne series.

There was also a lot of talk of microbes throughout the two episodes. Phil Robertson thinks Uncle Si is a hypochondriac who has claimed to have everything from bird flu to sausage fingers.

In the second part of the show, Phil Robertson has his own bizarre microbe philosophies.

Jep Robertson says his father used to expose them to microbes all the time to build up immunities. Phil Robertson suggests Jep do the same for his kids by having them go outside and throw dung at each other.

Meanwhile, Uncle Si organized an age-inappropriate treasure hunt for Jep’s kids that was as confusing to its participants as it was to the audience. It culminated in digging up candy buried in what appeared to be a grave site.

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Bernie Ecclestone leaves Formula 1 board

Clyde K. Valle
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Bernie Ecclestone leaves Formula 1 board

Bernie Ecclestone has decided to step down from the board of the company which runs Formula 1 following his indictment on bribery charges in Germany.

However, Bernie Ecclestone, 83, will continue to run the business on a day-to-day basis, Delta Topco said in a statement.

Bernie Ecclestone will go on trial to face allegations he bribed German banker Gerhard Gribkowsky who is serving a jail sentence for receiving the payment.

He admits paying Gerhard Gribkowsky, but denies bribery.

Bernie Ecclestone has decided to step down from the board of the company which runs Formula 1 following his indictment on bribery charges in Germany
Bernie Ecclestone has decided to step down from the board of the company which runs Formula 1 following his indictment on bribery charges in Germany

The board of Delta Topco met on Thursday and were told by Bernie Ecclestone that he intended to vigorously defend the case, which will commence in late April.

A statement read: “After discussion with the board, Mr. Ecclestone has proposed and the board has agreed that until the case has been concluded, he will step down as a director with immediate effect, thereby relinquishing his board duties and responsibilities until the case has been resolved.

“The board believes that it is in the best interests of both the F1 business and the sport that Mr. Ecclestone should continue to run the business on a day to day basis, but subject to increased monitoring and control by the board.

“Mr. Ecclestone has agreed to these arrangements.”

German prosecutors have accused Bernie Ecclestone of giving a $45 million bribe to Gerhard Gribkowsky to ensure F1 was sold to a private equity group of his choosing.

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Julie Gayet sues Closer magazine over Francois Hollande affair report

Nancy Clayson
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Julie Gayet sues Closer magazine over Francois Hollande affair report

Julie Gayet, the actress linked to French President Francois Hollande, is suing Closer magazine that published photos of their alleged affair.

Julie Gayet, 41, initiated proceedings against Closer for breach of privacy, the magazine told AFP news agency.

Francois Hollande himself said last week he was considering suing the magazine.

Julie Gayet is suing Closer magazine that published photos of her alleged affair with President Francois Hollande
Julie Gayet is suing Closer magazine that published photos of her alleged affair with President Francois Hollande

The photos plunged the presidency into a crisis which saw Francois Hollande’s official partner, Valerie Trierweiler, taken to hospital.

Julie Gayet is seeking 50,000 euros ($68,000) in damages and 4,000 euros in legal costs from the magazine.

If Julie Gayet wins, Closer magazine will have to publish the legal verdict on its cover page, AFP reports.

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Conrad Murray loses appeal in Michael Jackson involuntary manslaughter case

Lisa.Felice
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Conrad Murray loses appeal in Michael Jackson involuntary manslaughter case

Conrad Murray’s bid to have his conviction for the involuntary manslaughter of Michael Jackson overturned has been rejected by a Los Angeles court.

The Los Angeles appeal court ruled there was substantial evidence of guilt laid out at Conrad Murray’s trial in 2011.

Conrad Murray was sentenced to four years in jail, but was released last October after serving two years of his term.

The former doctor was convicted of administering a lethal dose of an anaesthetic drug to Michael Jackson in 2009.

In a ruling amounting to 68 pages, the court said Michael Jackson “was a vulnerable victim and that [Conrad Murray] was in a position of trust, and violated the trust relationship by breaching standards of professional conduct in numerous respects”.

The court also said that imposing the maximum sentence of four years at the original trial was right, as the evidence revealed a “callous disregard” for Michael Jackson’s health and safety.

They added that it was clear that Conrad Murray “administered a number of dangerous drugs to Mr. Jackson without the appropriate medical equipment, precautions or personnel in place”.

Conrad Murray's bid to have his conviction for the involuntary manslaughter of Michael Jackson overturned has been rejected by a Los Angeles court
Conrad Murray’s bid to have his conviction for the involuntary manslaughter of Michael Jackson overturned has been rejected by a Los Angeles court

Their ruling also concluded that Conrad Murray had been wrong to leave Michael Jackson unattended at the time.

Conrad Murray’s appeal argued that the trial judge had excluded jurors from hearing evidence.

It was also argued that the judge quashed attempts by Conrad Murray’s lawyers to introduce arguments about other doctors who had treated Michael Jackson.

His legal representative Valerie Wass said that Conrad Murray’s intention is to take the matter to a higher court.

In a separate development, the insurers of Michael Jackson’s This Is It tour have settled with the late singer’s estate over a policy amounting to $17.5 million.

The wrangle over the matter was due to go to trial next month.

The policy was taken out to insure against postponement or cancellation of the series of London concerts. Michael Jackson died of a drugs overdose while preparing for the shows.

Lloyd’s of London had asked for the policy to be declared null and void, saying they were not told that the star was taking powerful medication.

Details of the settlement have not been disclosed.

A series of legal cases have taken place since Michael Jackson’s death more than four years ago.

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Yingluck Shinawatra under investigation over corrupt rice subsidy scheme

Diane A. Wade
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Yingluck Shinawatra under investigation over corrupt rice subsidy scheme

PM Yingluck Shinawatra is being investigated by Thailand’s official anti-corruption commission in connection with the government’s controversial rice subsidy scheme.

The policy guarantees Thai rice farmers a much higher price than on the global market, but critics say it is too expensive and vulnerable to corruption.

The commission has already charged one minister, and is investigating others.

The news comes as Yingluck Shinawatra already faces intense pressure to resign.

Anti-government protesters have been marching through the capital, saying they will shut it down until their demands are met.

They accuse her government of being under the control of her brother, ousted former leader Thaksin Shinawatra.

They say they want an unelected “People’s Council” instead, to reform the electoral system.

The rice purchase scheme was launched in 2011, with the aim of boosting farmers’ incomes and helping alleviate rural poverty.

But it has resulted in the accumulation of huge stockpiles of rice, which the government cannot sell.

Yingluck Shinawatra is being investigated in connection with the government's controversial rice subsidy scheme
Yingluck Shinawatra is being investigated in connection with the government’s controversial rice subsidy scheme

The National Anti-Corruption Commission (NACC) says it is looking into Yingluck Shinawatra’s role in the scheme, and investigating her for possible negligence of duty.

“Those who oversaw the scheme knew there were losses but did not put a stop to it,” NACC spokeswoman Vicha Mahakhun told a news conference.

As prime minister, Yingluck Shinawatra is nominally the head of the National Rice Committee.

Farmers have traditionally been some of Yingluck Shinawatra’s most ardent supporters. Her Phuea Thai Party was helped to power in 2011 by offering to buy rice at above the market price.

But the rice policy is thought to be costing Thailand around $10 billion a year – and the government has been unable to pay farmers for their most recent harvest, because a bond issue last year failed to raise sufficient funds.

Farmers are already talking about marching on Bangkok in protest.

In addition, if the NACC finds PM Yingluck Shinawatra guilty, she could be banned from politics, along with other ministers.

This would cast another shadow over the election she has called for next month.

The election is already proving contentious. The main opposition Democrat Party is boycotting the polls, which it fears will once again return the Shinawatra family to power.

Anti-government protesters have also rejected the elections, demanding electoral reforms.

Yingluck Shinawatra is currently moving around Bangkok to avoid the protesters blockading her office – although police said on Thursday that the crowds on the streets were gradually dwindling in number.

Beijing air pollution at dangerously high levels

Kathryn R. Bown
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Beijing air pollution at dangerously high levels

Beijing residents have been warned to don air masks and offices and homes to put electric air purifiers on overdrive after air pollution readings soared.

Air pollution readings on Thursday registered more than 20 times the recommended exposure levels by the World Health Organization (WHO).

Beijing Municipal Environmental Protection Bureau readings for PM 2.5 – air particulate smaller than 2.5 microns blamed for a range of severe respiratory ailments – registered over 500 micrograms per cubic meter. The WHO recommends no more than 25 micrograms per cubic meter.

Officials in Beijing issued a severe air warning and urged residents to wear protective masks while outdoors, and said the elderly and schoolchildren should stay indoors until conditions improved.

Beijing residents have been warned to don air masks and offices and homes to put electric air purifiers on overdrive after air pollution readings soared
Beijing residents have been warned to don air masks and offices and homes to put electric air purifiers on overdrive after air pollution readings soared

The winter months in the north of the country tend to be periods of extended bad air pollution. Biting cold forces the region’s coal-burning power plants to meet heating demands, while increased car usage and relentless construction chokes the skies with dangerous particulate.

Beijing’s topography – with hills surrounding much of this city of 20 million people – can also keep the capital immersed in dirty air unless strong winds blow it out.

Certain at-risk residents who find themselves exposed to the bad air over extended periods of time complain of watery eyes, difficulty breathing or other respiratory issues. Long-term exposure can lead to asthma, heart disease and cancer. Prolonged exposure to PM2.5 has also been tied to knocking years off people’s life expectancy.

Despite ideal conditions for poor air quality, the air warning issued Friday was just the first of 2014.

China’s cities are frequently blanketed by pollution caused by coal-burning power plants, factories, and millions of vehicles on the roads.

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2014 Oscar nominations: Full List

Sonia Pantiss
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2014 Oscar nominations: Full List

The list of nominations for the 86th Academy Awards have been announced in Los Angeles on by Chris Hemsworth and Academy president Cheryl Boone Isaacs.

Best picture

12 Years a Slave

American Hustle

Captain Phillips

Dallas Buyers Club

Gravity

Her

Nebraska

Philomena

The Wolf of Wall Street

Best director

Alfonso Cuaron, Gravity

Steve McQueen, 12 Years a Slave

Alexander Payne, Nebraska

David O Russell, American Hustle

Martin Scorsese, The Wolf of Wall Street

Best actor

Christian Bale, American Hustle

Bruce Dern, Nebraska

Leonardo DiCaprio, The Wolf of Wall Street

Chiwetel Ejiofor, 12 Years a Slave

Matthew McConaughey, Dallas Buyers Club

Best actress

Amy Adams, American Hustle

Cate Blanchett, Blue Jasmine

Sandra Bullock, Gravity

Judi Dench, Philomena

Meryl Streep, August: Osage County

Best supporting actor

Barkhad Abdi, Captain Phillips

Bradley Cooper, American Hustle

Michael Fassbender, 12 Years a Slave

Jonah Hill, The Wolf of Wall Street

Jared Leto, Dallas Buyers Club

Best supporting actress

Sally Hawkins, Blue Jasmine

Jennifer Lawrence, American Hustle

Lupita Nyong’o, 12 Years a Slave

Julia Roberts, August: Osage County

June Squibb, Nebraska

Best animated feature

The Croods

Despicable Me 2

Ernest and Celestine

Frozen

The Wind Rises

Best foreign language film

The list of nominations for the 86th Academy Awards have been announced in Los Angeles on by Chris Hemsworth and Academy president Cheryl Boone Isaacs
The list of nominations for the 86th Academy Awards have been announced in Los Angeles on by Chris Hemsworth and Academy president Cheryl Boone Isaacs

 

The Broken Circle Breakdown

The Great Beauty

The Hunt

The Missing Picture

Omar

Best Film Editing

Gravity

American Hustle

12 Years A Slave

Captain Philips

Dallas Buyers Club

Best Production Design

Gravity

12 Years A Slave

American Hustle

Behind The Candelabra

The Great Gatsby

Best Costume Design

American Hustle

12 Years A Slave

The Grandmaster

The Great Gatsby

The Invisible Woman

Best Make-up and Hairstyling

Dallas Buyers Club

Jackass Presents: Bad Grandpa

The Lone Ranger

Best Sound Editing

Gravity

Captain Philips

All Is Lost

Rush

Inside Llewyn Davis

Best Visual Effects

The Hobbit: The Desolation of Smaug

Iron Man 3

Pacific Rim

Star Trek Into Darkness

Gravity 

Best Animated Short Film

Everything I Can See From Here

I Am Tom Moody

Sleeping With the Fishes

Best Adapted Screenplay

12 Years A Slave

Captain Philips

Philomena

Behind The Candelabra

The Wolf Of Wall Street

Best Cinematography

Gravity, Emmanuel Lubezki

The Grandmaster, Philippe Le Sourd

Nebraska, Phedon Papamichael

Inside Llewyn Davis, Bruno Delbonnel

Prisoners, Roger A. Deakins
Best Original Screenplay

Gravity

American Hustle

Blue Jasmine

Nebraska

Inside Llewyn Davis

Best Original Score

Gravity

Philomena

Her

Saving Mr. Banks

The Book Thief

Best Documentary Feature

The Act Of Killing

Cutie And The Boxer

Dirty Wars

The Square

20 Feet From Stardom

Best Documentary Short Subject

Cavedigger

Facing Fear

Karama Has No Walls

The Lady In Number 6: Music Saved My Life

Prison Terminal: The Last Days Of Private Jack Hall

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Bernie Ecclestone to be tried on bribery charges in Germany

Clyde K. Valle
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Bernie Ecclestone to be tried on bribery charges in Germany

Bernie Ecclestone will be tried on bribery charges, a court in the German city of Munich has ruled.

Formula 1 boss Bernie Ecclestone is accused of giving a $45 million (33 million euros) bribe to a German banker who is serving a jail sentence for receiving the payment.

Prosecutors allege that the payment was to ensure that F1 was sold to a private equity group of Bernie Ecclestone’s choice.

He admits paying Gerhard Gribkowsky, but denies bribery, saying he was effectively the victim of blackmail.

Bernie Ecclestone has been defending himself in a separate $147 million civil claim in London’s High Court.

That case was brought by a German media company, Constantin Medien, who claim they lost out financially when the share of F1 belonging to German bank Bayern Landesbank was sold in 2006 to private equity group CVC.

Bernie Ecclestone and Gerhard Gribkowsky, who was on the board of Bayern Landesbank, were accused in court of conspiring to deliberately undervalue F1 when it was sold, in order that Ecclestone would retain control of the sport.

Formula 1 boss Bernie Ecclestone is accused of giving a $45 million bribe to a German banker
Formula 1 boss Bernie Ecclestone is accused of giving a $45 million bribe to a German banker

The F1 boss told the High Court that he made the payment because the banker had been threatening to reveal false details of his tax affairs.

A statement from Bavaria’s district court said that a trial date for the criminal trial had not yet been set, but that proceedings were likely to begin in late April.

Bernie Ecclestone is charged with bribery and incitement to breach of trust and will be obliged to appear at his trial.

The court statement says that the payments made to Gerhard Gribkowsky were dressed up as consultancy contracts, and that both their source and their destination were obscured using corporate structures.

The payments were made between July 2006 and December 2007, it says.

Bernie Ecclestone’s German lawyer said on Thursday that the alleged bribery never took place.

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Mystery of birds’ V formation solved

James J. Williams
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Mystery of birds’ V formation solved

Scientists may have solved the mystery of why so many birds fly in a V formation.

Scientists from the Royal Veterinary College fitted data loggers to a flock of rare birds that were being trained to migrate by following a microlight.

This revealed that the birds flew in the optimal position – gaining lift from the bird in front by remaining close to its wingtip.

The study, published in the journal Nature, also showed that the birds timed their wing beats.

A previous experiment in pelicans was the first real clue to the energy-saving purpose of V formations. It revealed that birds’ heart rates went down when they were flying together in V.

But this latest study tracked and monitored the flight of every bird in the flock – recording its position, speed and heading as well as every wing flap.

This was possible thanks to a unique conservation project by the Waldarappteam in Austria, which has raised flocks of northern bald ibises and trained them to migrate behind a microlight.

The aim of this unusual project is to bring the northern bald ibis back to Europe; the birds were wiped out by hunting, so the team is retraining the birds to navigate a migration route that has now been lost.

Fitting tiny data loggers to these critically endangered ibises showed that the birds often changed position and altered the timing of their wing beats to give them an aerodynamic advantage.

Scientists may have solved the mystery of why so many birds fly in a V formation
Scientists may have solved the mystery of why so many birds fly in a V formation

Lead researcher Dr. Steven Portugal explained: “They’re seemingly very aware of where the other birds are in the flock and they put themselves in the best possible position.”

This makes the most of upward-moving air generated by the bird in front.

This so-called “upwash” is created as a bird flies forward; whether it is gliding or flapping, it pushes air downward beneath its wings.

“Downwash is bad,” explained Dr. Steven Portugal.

“Birds don’t want to be in another bird’s downwash as it’s pushing them down.”

But as the air squeezes around the outside of the wings, it creates upwash at the wingtips.

“This can give a bit of a free ride for the bird that’s following,” said Dr. Steven Portugal.

“So the other bird wants to put its own wingtip in the upwash from the bird in front.”

The other really surprising result, the researchers said, was that the birds also “timed their wing beats perfectly to match the good air off the bird in front”.

“Each bird [kept] its wingtip in the upwash throughout the flap cycle,” Dr. Steven Portugal explained.

Just as the birds save energy by gaining lift from other birds, many companies that are developing unmanned aerial vehicles, or UAVs, are looking to copy the energy-efficient V formation.

“Elucidating this mechanism might go some way to helping [companies] understand how they can replicate that with their plane formation to save fuel,” said Dr. Steven Portugal.

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Australian Open tennis matches halted by heatwave

Clyde K. Valle
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0
Australian Open tennis matches halted by heatwave

High temperatures have halted matches at the Australian Open tennis tournament, as a report warns that Australia will see hotter heatwaves.

Melbourne, where the tournament is held, is seeing a third consecutive day of heat above 40C, with temperatures of 41.7C (107F) on Thursday.

Australia’s Climate Council says in a report that the number of hot days in the country has “more than doubled”.

2013 was recently declared Australia’s hottest year on record.

The Climate Council report attributed the development to climate change, caused by greenhouse gases.

Fire bans are in place across the states of Victoria and South Australia, as firefighters battle bushfires.

In Victoria, several fire emergency warnings have been issued, as fires in the Northern Grampians area merged into one “out of control” bushfire and residents were urged to evacuated.

High temperatures have halted matches at the Australian Open tennis tournament
High temperatures have halted matches at the Australian Open tennis tournament

Australian Open organizers said their extreme heat policy was in force, with matches on outside courts being suspended at the end of their sets.

Matches at Rod Laver Arena and Hisense Arena would continue with a closed roof, they said in a statement,

Play was scheduled to resume on outside courts at 18:00 local time.

Tournament officials say temperature, wind direction and humidity are taken into account when implementing the extreme heat policy.

On Tuesday, a tennis player and a ball boy fainted in the heat during the tournament. Organizers were criticized for allowing the tournament to continue.

Meanwhile, an interim report from the Climate Council said the number of heatwaves in Australia was “projected to increase significantly.”

In the South Australian capital, Adelaide, temperatures were forecast to reach 46C, nearing the city’s record of 46.1C.

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Rafic Hariri’s murderers trial begins at The Hague tribunal

Diane A. Wade
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Rafic Hariri’s murderers trial begins at The Hague tribunal

The trial of Lebanese PM Rafic Hariri’s murderers has begun at an unprecedented tribunal at The Hague.

Mustafa Badreddine, Salim Ayyash, Hussein Oneissi, and Assad Sabra – alleged associates of the Syria-backed militant Shia movement Hezbollah – have not been arrested and are being tried in absentia.

Rafic Hariri was killed by a massive car bomb in Beirut in 2005.

The killing polarized Lebanon and led to the withdrawal of Syrian troops. Hezbollah denies any involvement.

It instead says the assassination was part of an Israeli and US conspiracy.

Shortly before the trial was to start, a bomb blast was reported near a government building in the town of Hermel – a Hezbollah stronghold.

At least two people were killed and 15 wounded in the attack in the town, which is in the Bekaa Valley, near the northern border with Syria.

In his address at the start of the trial, judge David Re said it had been decided that all necessary steps had been taken to try to bring the accused to court.

He said that the court would proceed as if the defendants were present and that, although no pleas had been entered, they would be presumed to have pleaded not guilty and it would be the prosecution’s task to prove guilt beyond all reasonable doubt.

The trial of Lebanese PM Rafic Hariri’s murderers has begun at an unprecedented tribunal at The Hague
The trial of Lebanese PM Rafic Hariri’s murderers has begun at an unprecedented tribunal at The Hague

A summary of the charges was read and the prosecution has begun its opening statement.

Rafic Hariri’s son, Saad, and other family members are at the trial.

On February 14, 2005, the bomb attack that killed Rafic Hariri and 22 others and wounded 226 more was a seismic event in Lebanese history, fuelling the sectarian divisions between Sunni and Shia Muslims in the country.

Supporters of Rafic Hariri, one of Lebanon’s most influential Sunni leaders, blamed Syria for the attack.

There were massive demonstrations against Syrian troops who had been stationed in the country since 1976. They left a few months later.

The UN set up the Special Tribunal for Lebanon in 2007 to investigate the bombing.

It issued warrants in 2011 for Mustafa Badreddine, Salim Ayyash, Hussein Oneissi, and Assad Sabra.

They face counts ranging from conspiracy to commit a terrorist act to murder and attempted murder.

Mustafa Badreddine is alleged to have been a senior Hezbollah military commander.

There is a fifth suspect – Hassan Habib Merhi, 48, – whose case may be joined to this trial at a later date.

The trial will hear 500 witness statements and could last months and possibly years.

Our correspondent says the evidence against the four suspects appears to be largely based on analysis of mobile phone networks.

But Hezbollah leader Hassan Nasrullah says it was Israel that tracked Rafic Hariri’s movements by satellite, penetrating the phone system to falsify records and masterminding the assassination to discredit and undermine its enemies.

Sunni-Shia tensions remain high in Lebanon – exacerbated by the Syrian civil war.

Shia-group Hezbollah has been fighting alongside Syrian President Bashar al-Assad’s forces.

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Yahoo COO Henrique de Castro to leave company

Nancy Clayson
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Yahoo COO Henrique de Castro to leave company

Yahoo Chief Operating Officer Henrique de Castro has unexpectedly departed the company just over a year after he was hired to turn its advertising business around.

Henrique de Castro, Yahoo’s second most senior executive, is leaving this week. No reason was given.

His departure deals a blow to Yahoo’s efforts to revive flagging sales and internet traffic in the face of increased competition from rival sites.

It may also be an expensive loss for chief executive Marissa Mayer.

Henrique de Castro is one of Silicon Valley’s most highly-paid executives and may receive a multi-million-dollar severance package.

Henrique de Castro is one of Silicon Valley's most highly-paid executives
Henrique de Castro is one of Silicon Valley’s most highly-paid executives

According to reports, there were tensions between Henrique de Castro and Marissa Mayer, who had poached him from Google shortly after she took over at the company.

Henrique de Castro’s main role was to act as Yahoo’s top sales executive and build relationships with key advertising clients.

However, Yahoo has failed to significantly increase advertising revenues for its website and mobile applications.

Display-advertising revenue, which accounts for about 40% of the company’s sales, fell 7% to $421 million from a year ago in the third quarter.

Yahoo also lowered its profit outlook for fiscal 2013 during its last earnings release in October.

On Wednesday, Yahoo shares fell 0.6% in extended US trading.

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US Air Force officers suspended after cheating on nuclear missile tests

Diane A. Wade
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US Air Force officers suspended after cheating on nuclear missile tests

The US Air Force has suspended 34 officers in charge of launching nuclear missiles over accusations they cheated in proficiency tests.

The Air Force said a small number of staff had been texting answers to the routine tests to others, while others had known but failed to report it.

The ranks involved range from 2nd lieutenants to captains.

The cheating allegations emerged during investigations into alleged drug use by personnel at other bases.

Air Force Secretary Deborah Lee James told a news conference the cheating involved officers based at the Malmstrom Air Force Base in Montana, and related to a monthly test all nuclear missile staff must take.

“Some officers did it,” she said of the cheating.

“Others apparently knew about it, and it appears that they did nothing, or at least not enough, to stop it or to report it.”

The US Air Force has suspended 34 officers in charge of launching nuclear missiles over accusations they cheated in proficiency tests
The US Air Force has suspended 34 officers in charge of launching nuclear missiles over accusations they cheated in proficiency tests

Deborah Lee James said it was “absolutely unacceptable behavior” but that the security of the nuclear program was not in doubt.

“I want you to know that this was a failure of some of our airmen. It was not a failure of the nuclear mission,” she said.

The 34 officers have had their security clearance revoked and the entire team in charge of overseeing missile launches will be re-tested.

A further three officers have been suspended for allegedly possessing recreational drugs.

It is the latest scandal to hit the Air Force and nuclear missile force.

In August, a nuclear missile unit at Malmstrom failed a safety and security inspection, leading to a senior security officer being relieved of duty.

And in May, it was reported that 17 officers in charge of maintaining nuclear missiles were sidelined over safety violations at Minot Air Force base in North Dakota.

In October, the general in charge of America’s long-range nuclear missiles, Maj. Gen. Michael Carey, was sacked, with officials citing a “loss of trust and confidence”.

It later emerged Michael Carey had been fired for conduct “unbecoming of a gentleman” during a work trip to Russia in July.

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2014 Oscar nominations to be announced

Sonia Pantiss
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2014 Oscar nominations to be announced

This year’s Oscar nominations are to be announced later today.

12 Years a Slave, Gravity and American Hustle all expected to be in the running for best picture.

But the rest of the shortlist is up for grabs, amidst one of the most competitive fields in years.

Experts predict a full slate of 10 nominees, with Dallas Buyers Club and Captain Phillips among frontrunners.

Actor Chris Hemsworth and Oscars chief Cheryl Boone Isaacs will reveal the list at 05:38 local time.

The announcement will be streamed live on this page, with coverage starting at 05:30.

12 Years a Slave, Steve McQueen’s hard-hitting historical drama, picked up the top honor at the Sunday’s Golden Globes, winning best film drama.

It is also the bookmakers’ favorite to win the Oscar for best picture, but David O. Russell’s crime caper American Hustle is rapidly closing in, after picking up three Globes, including best film in the comedy or musical category.

Its female stars Amy Adams and Jennifer Lawrence also picked up best actress and supporting actress prizes.

Jennifer Lawrence won the best actress Oscar last February for Russell’s Silver Linings Playbook and is generating a strong buzz this year in the supporting actress category for her scene-stealing role as Rosalyn, the unpredictable wife of conman Irving Rosenfeld, played by Christian Bale.

Gravity, the 3D film about astronauts stranded in space, picked up the prestigious best director Globe for Alfonso Cuaron, making him an Oscar frontrunner alongside Steve McQueen and David O. Russell.

The winners of the golden statuettes will be announced at the 86th Academy Awards on March 2 at the Dolby Theatre
The winners of the golden statuettes will be announced at the 86th Academy Awards on March 2 at the Dolby Theatre

Sandra Bullock is hotly tipped for a best actress nomination, while 12 Years a Slave‘s Chiwetel Ejiofor, Michael Fassbender and Lupita Nyong’o are all expected to get acting nods.

The best picture category can consist of anything between five and 10 films. For the past two years there have been nine films on the shortlist.

Among the hopefuls are Martin Scorsese’s stockbroker shocker The Wolf of Wall Street, sea piracy thriller Captain Phillips and Nebraska, Alexander Payne’s black and white film about a cantankerous old man on the trail of a dubious lottery win.

Also expected to pick up a nomination is Dallas Buyers Club, the true story of Texas electrician Ron Woodroof, played by Matthew McConaughey, who was diagnosed as HIV-positive in 1985 and given 30 days to live.

Although completely shut out of last week’s BAFTA nominations, Dallas Buyers Club is likely to fare better with the Academy’s 6,000 voters.

Matthew McConaughey was named best actor in a drama at the Globes while his co-star Jared Leto won the best supporting actor prize for his depiction of a transgender woman.

Bookies say Matthew McConaughey is closing in on Chiwetel Ejiofor in the race for the best actor Oscar.

Other names tipped to make the final cut are Robert Redford (All is Lost), Leonardo Di Caprio (The Wolf of Wall Street), Bruce Dern (Nebraska) and Tom Hanks (Captain Phillips).

Tom Hanks, already a double Oscar winner, might get two acting nominations this year, the second for playing Walt Disney in Saving Mr. Banks, a film about Disney’s attempts to turn Mary Poppins into a movie in the 1960s.

Cate Blanchett appears hard to beat for the best actress Oscar and is 1/8 favorite to pick up the award for her role as a New York socialite fallen on hard times in Woody Allen’s Blue Jasmine.

The best director shortlist could include Paul Greengrass and Steve McQueen.

The winners of the golden statuettes will be announced at the 86th Academy Awards on Sunday, March 2 at the Dolby Theatre at the Hollywood & Highland Center in Los Angeles. This year’s event is hosted by Ellen DeGeneres.

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Cecile Kyenge calls for support after racist attacks

Diane A. Wade
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Cecile Kyenge calls for support after racist attacks

Cecile Kyenge, Italy’s only black cabinet minister, has called for more support as she endures relentless non-violent racist attacks.

She is in charge of efforts to integrate immigrant communities into wider Italian society and is frequently targeted by right-wing opponents.

Cecile Kyenge said Italy’s institutions and political establishment must do more.

“Politics must stand up as one and condemn racism lest it become a dangerous weapon that can kill democracy,” the Congolese-born MP said.

Cecile Kyenge has faced a torrent of abuse since her appointment in April from the right-wing Northern League party and its supporters.

The League’s newspaper, La Padania, has just begun publishing her daily itinerary – presumably so that the hecklers will always know where to find the minister.

Last year, one of its most senior figures likened her to an orangutan. Another accused Cecile Kyenge of wanting to impose “tribal traditions” on Italy.

One of the League’s councilors even called for the minister to be raped.

Cecile Kyenge has called for more support as she endures relentless non-violent racist attacks
Cecile Kyenge has called for more support as she endures relentless non-violent racist attacks

Cecile Kyenge has been heckled, and had bananas thrown at her during political rallies.

She has now called for action.

“Our constitution is a strong tool to fight racism, but it’s never used.

“The country must react in response to these acts, which must be recognized for what they are, that is, acts of racism and discrimination,” Ansa news agency quoted Cecile Kyenge as saying.

In a newspaper interview, Cecile Kyenge said that, as a black woman, who had studied and become a minister, she had challenged the prejudices of the most intolerant people.

But she made clear that she would continue to do her job. If she backed down she would hand victory to her opponents.

Members of Cecile Kyenge’s Democratic Party and other centre-left politicians have called for the League’s newspaper feature Here’s Cecile Kyenge to be pulled, describing it as “tantamount to intimidation”.

La Padania‘s editor said the information was in the public domain anyway.

In a separate development, police confirmed that a suspicious powder mailed to Cecile Kyenge on Wednesday was baking soda. The package was intercepted at a mail-processing centre.

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Michelle Obama’s second inaugural dress goes on display at Smithsonian

Lisa.Felice
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Michelle Obama’s second inaugural dress goes on display at Smithsonian

Michelle Obama’s second inaugural dress will be displayed at the Smithsonian Institution.

Before it’s stowed away for a future presidential library, Michelle Obama’s ruby-colored chiffon gown made by designer Jason Wu is being lent to the National Museum of American History for a year to coincide with the 100th anniversary of the Smithsonian’s First Ladies exhibition.

The gown will be paired with Michelle Obama’s shoes designed by Jimmy Choo and will go on display beginning Tuesday.

While the Smithsonian traditionally collects each first lady’s first inaugural gown, second gowns are usually shown only in presidential libraries. This is the first time the museum has displayed a second inaugural gown.

Michelle Obama’s gown was transferred to the National Archives but is being lent to the Smithsonian with the White House’s blessing.

Michelle Obama’s ruby-colored chiffon gown made by designer Jason Wu is being lent to the National Museum of American History for a year
Michelle Obama’s ruby-colored chiffon gown made by designer Jason Wu is being lent to the National Museum of American History for a year

This dress drew headlines when Michelle Obama unveiled her selection one year ago. It was the second custom-made Jason Wu gown Michelle Obama had chosen, following the white gown Wu designed for the first lady when she arrived in Washington and on the fashion scene. Since then, Michelle Obama has become a trendsetter.

It’s unusual for a first lady to use the same designer twice, at least in recent decades. Jason Wu has said it’s been the experience of his life to help dress the first lady, taking him from fashion insider to a household name since the first inauguration in 2009. Michelle Obama also has turned to designer Thom Browne for special outfits, including her coat and dress for inauguration day in 2013.

The Jimmy Choo shoes paired with Michelle Obama’s second gown had a much shorter heel, seemingly more comfortable than her heels for the first inaugural.

Michelle Obama’s gown is a centerpiece for the exhibit that examines the role of the first lady, her political and cultural significance and what she wears. Michelle Obama’s first inaugural gown will return to display in January 2015. In future years, the exhibit may evolve to show the changing role of the first lady as it changes with the presidency.

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