Forbes calculated celebrity’s earnings on income from tours, books, contracts, endorsements, movies and residuals and each star was given a marketability score, created by California market research firm E-Poll.
1. Oprah Winfrey $77 million (income this year)
2. Lady Gaga $80 million
3. Steven Spielberg $100 million
4. Beyonce $53 million
5. Madonna $125 million
6. Taylor Swift $55 million
Oprah Winfrey is back in her throne on top of Forbes’ list of the world’s most powerful celebrities
Oprah Winfrey is back on top of Forbes‘ list of the world’s most powerful celebrities – Forbes’ Celebrity 100 – after a two-year stint in the runner-up seat.
Oprah Winfrey, 59, knocked Jennifer Lopez off the spot and into number 12, but still shares the top ten winners’ enclosure arena with a multitude of women.
There are six girls in the plum positions – and the only man to make it into the top five is film director Steven Spielberg, who, coming third, is sandwiched between Lady Gaga in second and Beyonce in fourth.
Madonna comes fifth and Taylor Swift makes her top 10 debut at number six in the annual Top 100 compiled by Forbes magazine, which is based on income over a 12-month period and fame, as defined by a media presence across all platforms, as well as social media power.
Writer E.L. James is newcomer to the list at number 42, proving that celebrities with clout can come from anywhere. E.L. James has sold 70 million copies of her books and earned an estimated $77 million in the last 12 months.
Oprah Winfrey is back on top of Forbes’ list of the world’s most powerful celebrities
Forbes calculated celebrity’s earnings on income from tours, books, contracts, endorsements, movies and residuals and each star was given a marketability score, created by California market research firm E-Poll.
The magazine credits Oprah Winfrey’s $77 million earnings between June 2012 and June 2013 – as well as her prominence on TV, on social media and in the press – for her placing.
Forbes writer Dorothy Pomerantz said: “She still wields an enormous amount of power, which is really what we look for in our fame matrix.
“She is taking this cable network and turning it around just through the sheer force of her will, her connections and her ability.”
Oprah Winfrey, who has topped the list on four previous occasions, is one of three celebrities who have featured on the prestigious list every year since its inception in 1999, along with radio DJ Howard Stern and director Steven Spielberg.
But she wasn’t the highest earning star over the last year. Madonna earned $125 million between June 2012 and June 2013.
Last year’s number one, Jennifer Lopez – who topped the chart thanks to her public profile and earnings of $52 million – drops to 12 on this year’s countdown.
Meanwhile, Lady Gaga, despite being forced to cancel numerous dates on her moneymaking Born This Way Ball tour due to hip surgery earlier this year, earned $80 million from the global jaunt.
Forbes also cites the 27-year-old star’s devoted fan following on social media for her lofty ranking.
Dorothy Pomerantz said: “She is still a huge force in pop music. Even when she is not playing, people are talking about her and speculating about her.”
Forbes also deciphered how often individual stars appeared in the media and used Starcount – a Singapore-based company that studies celebrity’s presence on 11 different social media platforms, including Facebook, Twitter and YouTube, to assess popularity and influence.
Facebook has decided to make a major change in its advertising systems in an attempt to deal with concerns about offensive content.
There will now be new restrictions on where adverts appear on the site.
Marks and Spencer and BSkyB were among companies to suspend advertising after complaints that adverts had been placed on pages with offensive material.
Facebook is now planning to remove any advertising from many of its pages.
The social network’s move follows complaints about a Sky advert promoting an M&S voucher.
The advert was placed on a Facebook page called “cute and gay boys”. The page featured photographs of teenage boys.
In a blogpost on Friday, Facebook said: “We recognize we need to do more to prevent situations where ads are displayed alongside controversial Pages and Groups. So we are taking action.”
Facebook said that from Monday it will implement a new process to determine which pages or groups should feature adverts alongside the content.
There will be no adverts on pages that feature any violent or controversial content, even if such content is not in violation of the company’s rules.
According to one source, Facebook will create a “gold standard” of around 10,000 pages that are deemed suitable for adverts, and then inspect other pages to see if they can be added to the list. All adverts will be removed from other pages.
Facebook removes ads from controversial pages to avoid boycott
A spokesman said this would be a labor-intensive process but we take this” very seriously.”
BskyB said it looked forward to discussing the new measures and would keep the situation under review.
M&S had asked BSkyB to remove the advert, and it suspended some of its own advertising campaigns on Facebook.
BSkyB suspended all of its advertising on the social network, where it has been a major customer.
Both companies had said they were keen to use Facebook again, but needed to be sure that their advertising would not appear next to offensive content, or material that might reflect poorly on their brands.
Speaking before Facebook announced its policy change, a spokesman for BSkyB said: “We have asked Facebook to devise safeguards to ensure our content does not appear alongside inappropriate material in the future.
“We will review the situation in due course.”
Sources at M&S said Facebook had been taking the issue very seriously at the highest level.
In an additional statement, an M&S spokeswoman said the company did not “tolerate any inappropriate use or positioning of its brand and has very clear policies that govern where and how our brand is used”.
She added: “We take any suggestion that these policies are not being adhered to very seriously and always investigate them thoroughly.”
Earlier this month, Facebook was forced to act against misogynist content on its site after protests from women’s groups led some advertisers to suspend campaigns.
The Arctic Monkeys performed at the Pyramid Stage in front of more than 90,000 fans closing the Glastonbury Festival’s first night.
Opening with a brand new song, Do I Wanna Know, they also rattled through crowd-pleasing hits like I Bet You Look Good On The Dancefloor.
Frontman Alex Turner also led the crowd in a chorus of Happy Birthday to his mum, Penny, who was at the festival.
They were joined on the bill by Jake Bugg, Rita Ora and Dizzee Rascal, as the weather largely stayed dry.
LA trio Haim also played the main stage, but bassist Este Haim was taken ill during their set.
The 24-year-old had to sit on a stool after nearly collapsing on stage.
“I’m not going to let this get the better of me, especially when there are so many beautiful people here,” she told the audience.
“If I pass out, will someone give me mouth to mouth.”
Later, she told the NME she had “nearly died” and blamed the incident on diabetes.
“I didn’t eat before my set like a smart, good diabetic does and I remember not being able to feel my arms,” she said.
The Arctic Monkeys made a low-key entrance on the Pyramid Stage – with none of the pyrotechnics or showbiz affectations of the festival’s last headliner, Beyonce, two years ago.
In keeping with the slow-burning groove of their new single, the band set opened with subdued lighting and darkened video screens, before crashing straight into the heavier, faster Brianstorm, a single from 2007.
The Arctic Monkeys performed at the Pyramid Stage in front of more than 90,000 fans closing the Glastonbury Festival’s first night
More confident as a frontman than the last time the band headlined Glastonbury in 2007, Alex Turner squared up to the mic and adopted an exaggerated Elvis swagger when addressing the crowd.
“We’re gonna play all night long,” he informed them.
“Does that sound good to you?”
Songs from their first two albums – I Bet You Look Good On The Dancefloor, Fluorescent Adolescent, Sun Goes Down – received the warmest response, while new material was tolerated with good humor.
A string quartet, arranged by Elbow’s Guy Garvey, joined the band for the encore, playing Mardy Bum and Cornerstone.
The set ended with early track 505 and a wall of feedback.
Earlier, Liam Gallagher’s band Beady Eye kicked off the action with an unscheduled appearance on The Other Stage at 11:00 BST.
The early morning set was something of a turnaround for the singer, who previously headlined the event with Oasis in 1995 and 2004.
The latter appearance was particularly flat, and Liam Gallagher claimed the festival was “full of idiots”.
But after Friday’s show, he said: “Glastonbury’s back in the good books. I just had a bad experience but now it’s cool again.
“It’s always been cool, it’s just me. I’m full of it.”
He added that playing before lunchtime had been something of a risk.
“I thought 11 o’clock could be really ropey but I thought we done well, man.”
Musical legends could be found dotted around the site on Friday, with Sinead O’Connor headlining the acoustic stage and Nile Rodgers of disco pioneers Chic on the West Holts Stage.
The musician, whose hits include Chic’s Le Freak, Diana Ross’s Upside Down and Madonna’s Like A Virgin, was playing his first ever Glastonbury.
“I come from America, right, so in our heads it all started with Woodstock and Monterey Pop – and Glastonbury has kept that tradition alive.
“Now I’m actually here I can come home and either dispel the myth or say <<wow, it’s everything I thought>>,” he said.
Mercury Prize-winners Alt-J also drew a large audience to The Other Stage, and surprised them all by ditching their smart, intricate rock songs for a cover of Kylie Minogue’s Slow.
Jake Bugg pulled off an early “Glastonbury moment” with an energetic set that climaxed with his hit Lightning Bolt; while Dizzee Rascal provided a canny mix of crowd-pleasing hits and new material, including his Robbie Williams-featuring single Going Crazy.
With an audience of 180,000 music fans, many artists look forward to Glastonbury as the pinnacle of the festival season – and anticipation was particularly high after the event took a year off in 2012.
“I’m never going to forget this,” declared pop star Rita Ora as she left the stage.
“You have changed my life.”
Rapper Professor Green, who followed her on the Pyramid Stage, said he was similarly amazed to be part of the line-up.
Describing himself as “some little toerag from Hackney who samples INXS”, he described his booking as “mental”.
Professor Green, 29, whose hits include Read All About It and the INXS-based I Need You Tonight was also aware of the opportunity the stage – and the accompanying TV coverage – presented.
“I think a lot of people that are here won’t know my music, bar the singles, so this is a good opportunity to show the musicality of what we do when we play live,” he said.
With more than 2,000 performers over the weekend, rumors of “secret appearances” are always rife at Glastonbury, and this year’s crop range from the likely (Fatboy Slim and Radiohead’s Thom Yorke) to the fanciful (Daft Punk and David Bowie).
Definitely confirmed for the weekend are co-headliners Mumford and Sons and The Rolling Stones.
An extended heat wave has hit western US states, with temperatures threatening to break the all-time high recorded on Earth.
In Phoenix, Arizona, the mercury hit 116F (47C) on Friday, and in the desert of Death Valley, California, the thermometer approached 124F (51C).
The heat wave is expected to last through the weekend.
Cities in the region are opening cooling centres and officials fear the heat could delay air travel.
Most large aircraft can operate in temperatures up to 125F (52C), but readings as low as 116F (47C) could affect liftoff conditions.
A US Airways spokesman said the airline would be monitoring temperatures in Phoenix “very closely”.
Michael Fedo of Scottsdale, Arizona, said his family was spending less time outdoors as the temperature rose and that he had taken to going to the grocery store in the middle of the night.
“I’ve installed blackout shades on every window in my house,” he said.
“I’m a fourth-generation native of Phoenix so I expect it to be hot. But when it goes above 113F [45C] it hurts to breathe. The heat sucks the energy from your core.”
The National Weather Service has issued a heat warning for several parts of the region, including Las Vegas, until Monday morning. Parts of five states including Colorado and Utah will see temperatures higher than 98F (37C) over the weekend.
“We’ll be at or above record levels in the Phoenix area and throughout a lot of the south-western United States,” meteorologist Mark O’Malley said.
An extended heat wave has hit western US states, with temperatures threatening to break the all-time high recorded on Earth
Temperatures in Death Valley in the California desert are forecast to reach 127F (53C) over the weekend. The hottest air temperature ever recorded on Earth, 134F (57C), was marked there almost 100 years ago on 10 July 1913.
Weather officials say the extreme weather is caused by a high-pressure system stuck over the area.
Scientists say the North American jet stream, the path of air that influences weather patterns, has become more erratic in the past few years, making weather systems more likely to become stuck in place.
But they disagree on whether global warming is the cause of the jet stream’s behavior.
The US Border Patrol’s search, trauma and rescue unit has added extra personnel this weekend as the threat of exhaustion and dehydration rises for those attempting to cross the US-Mexico border illegally on foot.
At least seven migrants were found dead in Arizona’s desert last week in lower temperatures. Border officials in Tucson, Arizona, rescued more than 170 people suffering from the heat during a thirty-day period in May and June.
Utility officials planned to monitor electricity usage closely over the weekend but were not immediately concerned about overloads.
“While it’s hot, people tend to leave town and some businesses aren’t open, so that has a tendency to mitigate demand and is why we typically don’t set records on weekends,” said spokesman Scott Harelson of Phoenix-area utility Salt River Project.
And zookeepers at the Phoenix Zoo were expected to keep outdoor animals chilled with water hoses and concrete slabs cooled by internal water-filled pipes.
Duck Dynasty’s reality star Sadie Robertson has an estimated net worth of $100,000.
Sadie Robertson, 16, was born in Louisiana, and is the daughter of Duck Commander CEO Willie Robertson and his wife Korie.
Sadie Robertson is the daughter of Duck Commander CEO Willie Robertson and his wife Korie
She is one of five children in her family.
Sadie Robertson’s entire family is featured on the A&E reality series, Duck Dynasty. The series revolves around Phil Robertson, the creator of the Duck Commander duck call and the owner and founder the Duck Commander store, and his family and employees. The series has aired on A&E for three seasons, and has been a steady ratings winner.
Sadie Robertson’s parents met each other when they were in the third and fourth grade, and are now the CEO and Office Manager of the Duck Commander Corporation.
Former White House intern Monica Lewinsky has an estimated net worth of $500,000.
Monica Lewinsky first achieve notoriety after having a very public scandal involving former president Bill Clinton.
She comes from a well-to-do family having attended elementary school in Bel Air and Beverley Hills High school. In her senior year, Monica Lewinsky went to Bel Air Prep and upon graduation attended Lewis and Clark College where she graduated with a psychology degree. After her graduation, Monica Lewinsky became a White House intern. Between 1995 and 1997, she had an affair with former President Bill Clinton, which she later admitted before a grand jury.
Former White House intern Monica Lewinsky has an estimated net worth of $500,000
Things came to a head when Monica Lewinsky was moved to the Pentagon. There she confided in a colleague named Linda Tripp about her relationship with Bill Clinton. Shocked by the revelation, Linda Tripp secretly taped their conversations and later convinced Monica Lewinsky to save any gifts given to her by Bill Clinton. The recording of the conversations between Bill Clinton and Monica Lewinsky plus the gifts were handed over to Independent Counsel Kenneth Starr. The news of Clinton/Lewinsky’s affair broke out in 1998.
Bill Clinton famously said: “I did not have s****al relations with that woman, Miss Lewinsky.”
However, Kenneth Starr revealed that he possessed an infamous blue dress that contained the President’s semen. Bill Clinton soon confessed to the affair.
Since the Lewinsky scandal, she became somewhat of a celebrity, appearing on Saturday Night Live, The Tom GreenShow, as well as countless interviews concerning the affair. Monica Lewinsky was paid $1 million endorse Jenny Craig in TV commercials.
She teamed with author Andrew Morton to publish the book Monica’s Story in 1999. Her book advance reportedly $500,000. She also became a fashion designer, selling a collection of handbags under her name. Despite moderate success, Monica Lewinsky did not continue with the handbag line. Growing tired of the US media attention, Monica Lewinsky moved to London in 2005. The following year, she graduated with a masters in social psychology at London School of Economics.
President Mohammed Morsi’s supporters and opponents have staged rival rallies across Egypt but there has been violence in the north.
Tension has risen ahead of a Sunday protest planned by the opposition.
Thousands of Mohamed Morsi supporters rallied outside the main mosque in Cairo’s Nasr district.
At least one person, said by state TV to be a US journalist, was killed in Alexandria as protesters stormed a local Muslim Brotherhood office.
The US embassy said it was trying to confirm the reports.
Dozens more were injured when anti-Morsi protesters and Islamists clashed in the northern city, the second biggest in Egypt.
The office of the Muslim Brotherhood, which backs Mohamed Morsi, was set ablaze and birdshot was fired.
The authorities are reported to have called in riot police and army helicopters to try to quell the violence.
A Muslim Brotherhood-funded TV channel said petrol bombs were thrown in another northern area, Sharqia.
At least five people are now reported to have died in northern Egypt in violence linked to the political situation in the past few days.
Security is tight in many areas with troops deployed in Cairo and elsewhere.
Egypt’s leading Muslim authority, the Al-Azhar institute, has issued a statement warning against escalating violence.
“We must be alert lest we slide into a civil war that does not differentiate between supporters and opponents,” it said.
President Mohammed Morsi’s supporters and opponents have staged rival rallies across Egypt
Mohamed Morsi’s supporters are holding “open-ended” rallies before what the opposition bills as big protests on Sunday calling for him to resign. Sunday is the first anniversary of the president’s inauguration.
Thousands of supporters of the Muslim Brotherhood and its Islamist allies massed outside Nasr City’s Rabaa al-Adawiya mosque on Friday.
They stressed what they see as Mohamed Morsi’s “legitimacy”, rejecting the opposition’s demand for him to resign.
Mohamed Morsi opponents gathered in Tahrir Square, ahead of Sunday’s planned march to the presidential palace, and anti-Morsi protesters began a sit-in outside the building.
Police officers and former military personnel also assembled outside the ministry of defense in Cairo in opposition to Mohamed Morsi’s rule and called for the military to take power again.
The main opposition coalition on Thursday rejected President Mohamed Morsi’s offer of dialogue.
In a statement, the National Salvation Front said it “remained determined to call for an early presidential election”.
“We are confident the Egyptian people will come out in their millions to hold peaceful demonstrations on all of Egypt’s squares and streets to realize their aspirations and to put the 25 January revolution back on track,” it added.
The opposition was referring to the popular uprising in January 2011 which ousted President Hosni Mubarak.
The president said divisions threatened to “paralyze” Egypt, in a speech on Wednesday to mark a year in office.
Mohamed Morsi, who hails from the Muslim Brotherhood, became Egypt’s first Islamist president on 30 June 2012, after winning an election considered free and fair.
His first year as president has been marred by constant political unrest and a sinking economy.
Mohamed Morsi also used his televised address to warn the media not to abuse free speech.
Within hours ripples from the speech could be felt across Egyptian media.
A talk show on the al-Fareen TV channel ended abruptly on Thursday night when the presenter learned he was to be arrested. Host and owner Tawfiq Okasha is accused of spreading false information, and the channel has ceased broadcasting.
Another prominent presenter resigned on air on state-run television in protest at what he called government interference in the editorial content of his programme.
In his speech, Mohamed Morsi defended his performance, admitting errors and promising immediate and radical reforms to address them.
“I was right in some cases, and wrong in other cases,” the president said.
“I have discovered after a year in charge that for the revolution to achieve its goals, it needs radical measures.”
Mohamed Morsi apologized for the fuel shortages that have caused long lines at petrol stations and angered many Egyptians, and also for failing to involve the nation’s youth enough.
But despite his initial conciliatory tone, the speech swiftly moved into a condemnation of those he blamed for Egypt’s problems.
“I took responsibility for a country mired in corruption and was faced with a war to make me fail,” he said, naming several officials he believed wanted to “turn the clock back” to the Mubarak era, including politicians, judges and journalists.
“Political polarization and conflict has reached a stage that threatens our nascent democratic experience and threatens to put the whole nation in a state of paralysis and chaos,” Mohamed Morsi warned.
“The enemies of Egypt have not spared effort in trying to sabotage the democratic experience.”
Mohamed Morsi called on opposition figures to “enter elections if you want to change the government” and criticized them for refusing to take part in a national dialogue.
The head of the army earlier warned it would not allow Egypt to slip into “uncontrollable conflict”.
Blackberry maker shares have dived after it reported an $84 million loss for the three months to June 1st 2013.
The figure was better than the $518 million loss for the same period last year, but much worse than analysts’ forecasts.
Research In Motion (RIM), based in Ontario, Canada, also said it would post an operating loss for the next quarter running to September.
Blackberry shares fell 25% in early trading in New York.
Shipments of new smartphones increased, but Blackberry, which used to be called Research In Motion, did not release how many new handsets running the BB10 operating system were sold in the quarter.
Chief executive Thorstein Heins said the company was continuing to focus on the global roll-out of BB10 and was confident it would be a hit with customers.
“We are still in the early stages of this launch, but already, the Blackberry 10 platform and Blackberry Enterprise Service 10 are proving themselves to customers to be very secure, flexible and dynamic mobile computing solutions,” he said in a statement.
Blackberry maker shares have dived after it reported an $84 million loss for Q1 2013
Thorstein Heins added that the group would be increasing investments to support the roll-out of new products and services over the next three quarters.
Revenue rose to $3.1 billion in the quarter from $2.8 billion a year earlier.
Analysts had been particularly keen to see the numbers for the new Z10 handset, as it was the first full quarter that the model had been on sale in the United States.
Blackberry launched two all-new smartphones this year, the touchscreen Z10 device, followed by the Q10, with a mini keyboard favored by many Blackberry users.
Blackberry said that it had shipped 6.8 million phones overall in its first quarter versus 7.8 million in the same three-month period last year.
“It doesn’t bode well for the initial Blackberry 10 launch, particularly the Z10. But even the outlook for a second-quarter loss doesn’t bode well for the Q10 either,” said Brian Colello, an analyst with Morningstar.
Blackberry has been battling stiff competition in the smartphone sector, and has struggled to compete with the likes of Apple and Samsung.
Daniel Ernst from Hudson Square Research said the company fell between two camps.
“They’re not the high-end provider any more, they’re not Apple. They’re not the low-end provider, they’re not Nokia. So they are in the middle and they do relatively low volumes,” he said.
“It’s difficult to make great margins on that kind of volume, so I would say the outlook is quite negative.”
President Barack Obama has landed in South Africa, the second stop in his three-country tour of Africa, amid vigils for Nelson Mandela.
Barack Obama said earlier he did not expect to see former President Nelson Mandela, who is critically ill in hospital.
Leaving Senegal, Barack Obama told reporters on board Air Force One: “I don’t need a photo op.”
Meanwhile, Nelson Mandela’s ex-wife, Winnie Madikizela-Mandela said the former leader had made “a great improvement” in recent days, but was “still unwell”.
Correspondents say security is tight in the streets near Mediclinic Heart Hospital in the capital, Pretoria, where the 94-year old is being treated for a lung infection.
Ministers, politicians, Nelson Mandela’s physician and family members were among those visiting the ex-leader on Friday, his 21st day in hospital.
Barack Obama’s plane landed at a military airbase near Pretoria on Friday evening. He has meetings scheduled in the capital on Saturday morning.
But Barack Obama said earlier he did not expect to see the ailing ex-leader during his visit to South Africa.
“I don’t need a photo op,” the president said aboard Air Force One after leaving Senegal.
President Barack Obama has landed in South Africa amid vigils for Nelson Mandela
“The last thing I want to do is to be in any way obtrusive at a time when the family is concerned with Nelson Mandela’s condition.”
He went on to say: “I think the main message we’ll want to deliver is not directly to him, but to his family – is simply profound gratitude for his leadership all these years, and that the thoughts and prayers of the American people are with him, his family and his country.”
Barack Obama met Nelson Mandela in 2005 when he was still a US senator. Both men became the first black presidents of their nations and have received the Nobel Peace Prize.
The US president has described Nelson Mandela as a “hero for the world”, whose “legacy will linger on through the ages”, and who had inspired his own activism as a student.
Earlier on Friday, Winnie Madikizela-Mandela told reporters outside Nelson Mandela’s former home in Soweto: “I’m not a doctor but I can say that from what he was a few days ago there is great improvement, but clinically he is still unwell.”
She also thanked domestic and international media for their coverage, but added that some of the reports had caused the family distress.
“We had no idea of the love for us out there,” she said.
“There may be problems here and there when some of you get carried away and talk about our father in the past tense,” she said.
Winnie Madikizela-Mandela added: “If sometimes we sound bitter, it is because we are dealing with a difficult situation.”
Earlier this week, Nelson Mandela’s eldest daughter criticized the international media camped outside the Mediclinic Heart Hospital, calling them “vultures”.
People in South Africa are anxious about Nelson Mandela’s health but also want to express their pride in the man many consider the father of the nation.
South Africa’s ruling African National Congress (ANC) said it would hold vigils each day that the former leader remained in hospital, and the distinctive black, green and gold colors of the party are much in evidence.
But the party denied it was exploiting the occasion to canvas for votes ahead of next year’s elections.
“We love our ANC regalia and we have every right to wish Madiba well,” party spokesman Jackson Mthembu said.
Meanwhile, a court in the Eastern Cape has granted an application brought by the Mandela family to exhume three of his children and two other relatives and rebury them in the family cemetery in Qunu, which is where the former leader wants to be buried, their lawyers say.
Edward Snowden’s father, Lon Snowden, has said he believes his son would return to the US on certain conditions.
Lon Snowden asked for “ironclad assurances” his son’s rights would be protected in a letter to Attorney General Eric Holder.
He asked his son not be held before trial nor subjected to a gag order, and be able to choose where he was tried.
Edward Snowden, who faces spy charges in the US, flew to Moscow last weekend and has requested asylum in Ecuador.
“Mr. Snowden is reasonably confident that his son would voluntarily return to the United States if there were ironclad assurances that his constitutional rights would be honored,” said the letter by Lon Snowden’s lawyer, Bruce Fein.
The correspondence also requested for the case against the former intelligence contractor to be dismissed in the event that any of the three conditions were not met.
Earlier on Friday, Lon Snowden told NBC News he had not spoken to his son since April, a month before he fled to Hong Kong after leaking to media details of a huge US snooping programme.
Lon Snowden said his son had broken the law, but denied he was a traitor.
“At this point I don’t feel that he’s committed treason,” he said.
Edward Snowden’s father, Lon Snowden, has said he believes his son would return to the US on certain conditions
“He has in fact broken US law, in a sense that he has released classified information.”
Lon Snowden also voiced concern his son was being exploited by WikiLeaks, which has offered legal assistance to the 30-year-old.
“I don’t want to put him in peril, but I am concerned about those who surround him,” he said.
“I think WikiLeaks, if you’ve looked at past history, you know, their focus isn’t necessarily the constitution of the United States. It’s simply to release as much information as possible.”
Edward Snowden flew last Sunday from Hong Kong to Moscow’s Sheremetyevo Airport, where Russian authorities say he remains in a transit zone.
On Friday, the diplomatic fallout from the affair continued as a US envoy accused China of “misbehavior” for allowing Edward Snowden to leave.
“I don’t think we had a good-faith partner throughout that process,” said Stephen Young, the US consul general in Hong Kong, warning of repercussions.
The city’s government has said the US arrest paperwork had clerical errors, and that it had no legal basis to stop Edward Snowden travelling to Russia.
Beijing has accused the US of “double standards” on cybersecurity.
Ecuador says it has not yet processed the former US National Security Agency contractor’s request for asylum.
Russian authorities complained on Friday the US had not informed them in time that Edward Snowden’s passport had been revoked, placing Moscow in a “tough spot”.
“If this fact had been known in advance, then possibly Mr. Snowden might not have flown to Moscow and this entire story might never have happened,” an unnamed Russian official told Interfax news agency.
Russian President Vladimir Putin this week refused to hand over Edward Snowden to Washington, saying he was a “free man”.
Late on Thursday, Venezuelan President Nicolas Maduro repeated his offer of sanctuary to the US fugitive.
Rita Ora, Jake Bugg and Liam Gallagher have kicked off the action at this year’s Glastonbury Festival, as the sun dries up the mud-strewn fields.
Liam Gallagher’s band Beady Eye were the surprise opening act on The Other Stage with a raucous set at 11:00 BST.
“It’s never too early for a bit of rock’n’roll aggro, is it?” asked Liam Gallagher, as his band launched into Oasis hit Morning Glory.
Other acts playing on Friday include Chic and headliners The Arctic Monkeys.
After a day of rain, the clouds broke around midday, apparently conjured up by the sun-bleached rock of US sibling trio Haim. By the end of their set, raincoats were being traded for suncream.
About 180,000 fans have gathered at the 900-acre Worthy farm for the festival, which has been largely peaceful so far, with 107 reported crimes and 61 arrests.
Liam Gallagher have kicked off the action at this year’s Glastonbury Festival
Somerset police say there have also been 32 drug related offences reported, 12 of which were for possession of restricted substances.
Liam Gallagher’s early morning set was something of a turnaround for the former Oasis frontman, who previously headlined the festival in 1995 and 2004.
The latter appearance was not well-received, and Gallagher later claimed the festival was “full of idiots”.
After Friday’s performance, Liam Gallagher said that playing such an early starting time on the Friday morning had been something of a surprise.
“Someone just asked us – do you fancy going on at 11 o’clock, and we thought, why not? We’ve headlined it, we’ve done all that. It’s time to do something different.
“I absolutely loved it, I mean it. I thought 11 o’clock could be really ropey but I thought we done well, man.”
The main stage features a mixture of rap and rock for the rest of Friday, with Professor Green and Dizzee Rascal cosying up to The Vaccines and the Arctic Monkeys.
Professor Green, 29, whose hits include Read All About It and the INXS-based I Need You Tonight added: “There’s more to me than that, and I think this is the best opportunity to show that to people.
“We’re going to put some new music in the set as well as the old, because I think a lot of people that are here won’t know my music, bar the singles, so this is a good opportunity to show the musicality of what we do when we play live.”
Rumors of “secret appearances” are always rife at Glastonbury, and this year’s crop range from the likely (Fatboy Slim and Radiohead’s Thom Yorke) to the fanciful (Daft Punk and David Bowie).
Definitely confirmed for the weekend are co-headliners Mumford and Sons and The Rolling Stones.
Scotty McCreery made a dream come true for 16-year-old Sadie Robertson of the hit A&E show Duck Dynasty.
Scotty McCreery played Sadie Robertson’s recent birthday party after spending an afternoon mudding with John Luke Robertson and enjoying Miss Kay’s home cooking.
The June 17 sweet 16 bash took place at a vineyard in West Monroe, Louisiana.
Us Weekly covered the party for their most recent issue, and in the magazine, fans get a glimpse of the fun, which included Willie and John Luke Robertson joining Scotty McCreery for a version of Man of Constant Sorrow.
Scotty McCreery played Sadie Robertson’s recent birthday party after spending an afternoon mudding with John Luke Robertson and enjoying Miss Kay’s home cooking
According to Country Music Rocks, Scotty McCreery and the Robertsons first met before his recent performance at the Grand Ole Opry. He was invited to play Sadie Robertson’s party and he accepted, thinking it’d be a surprise.
Sadie Robertson knew all about it however, even requesting he play her favorite song, See You Tonight.
“This boy made my birthday the best day of my life! So thankful that he came down for my party!” she wrote on Twitter.
The day before, the singer and his bandmates went mudding in John Luke Robertson’s jeep and several four-wheelers. Later, they enjoyed friend shrimp and banana pudding before spending the night at the family’s home.
“I was blown away by their hospitality,” Scotty McCreery says.
“I like the fact that they are who they say they are; they are who they look they are on the TV show. They are good, normal folks who like to have fun.”
Yesterday Britney Spears tweeted a sneak peek from her latest music video shoot for Ooh La La song that will feature The Smurfs 2.
Britney Spears, 31, said: “Baby come with me and be my Ooh La La… 🙂 #SneakPeek #OohLaLaVideo.”
In the image, Britney spears appears smiling behind her signature blonde locks and looks as vibrant and glowing as she did from her earliest music video days.
Though more of the video has yet to be revealed, it’s sure to be safe for the whole family as opposed to some of the star’s racier ventures.
The featured song will appear in The Smurfs 2, which hits U.S. theatres on July 31.
In another move that sets a good example for her two children, Britney Spears is auctioning off a feather boa and handcuffs for charity.
The singer wore the items on her Femme Fatale Tour in 2011, which saw her rock the stage in costumes designed by Zaldy Goco.
Britney Spears tweeted a sneak peek from her latest music video shoot for Ooh La La song that will feature The Smurfs 2
Profits from the sale of the items will go to Soles4Souls, a charity that collects unsold shoes from the warehouses of footwear companies and gathers donations from across the United States to distribute to people in need around the world.
The singer posted a series of tweets encouraging support from the sales, writing: “Now u can bid on the boa & handcuffs from the tour & help support @soles4souls … such an amazing cause! More info on http://true2bid.com! [sic].”
The auction is set to last for 13 more days, in which the items are expected to notch up bids far higher than the $0.19 they currently stand at.
Soles4Souls has distributed over 19 million pairs of shoes since it was set up in 2005.
Other celebrities to have worked with the charity include Jessica Alba, Sarah Jessica Parker, Sir Elton John, the Kardashian sisters and Justin Timberlake.
Kris Jenner has confirmed during a TV show that her husband Bruce Jenner has moved out of their Calabasas mansion and into a beachfront pad in Malibu.
Kris Jenner, 57, told Access Hollywood Live that Bruce Jenner, 63, needed to “get away for a bit”.
“It does get a little congested in our house,” admitted Kris Jenner, hinting that the rumors are true that daughter Kim Kardashian, boyfriend Kanye West and their new baby have moved in to their house so Kris can help the new parents with daughter North, nicknamed Nori.
Kris Jenner appeared completely onboard with allowing her husband of 23 years to “have fun” without her.
“It’s a wonderful idea,” she said.
“It’s amazing to have a little bit of space.”
Kris Jenner has confirmed that her husband Bruce Jenner has moved out of their Calabasas mansion and into a beachfront pad in Malibu
But she insisted that he slept at home most nights, although “once in a while” he’ll remain at the beachfront mansion, which is the abode of the couple’s youngest children Kendall and Kylie Jenner.
Kris Jenner was evasive on the show about Kim Kardashian’s new baby, merely stating that the new family had moved into a “private residence”.
But a family insider told RadarOnline.com: “The entire household has been turned upside down because Kim and Nori have moved in. Bruce has been run out of the house! Kris didn’t encourage him to stay either.”
Bruce Jenner “decided to ditch the family home because he was constantly being told to be quiet because of baby Nori” so he thought it would be best to spend some time with his daughters and give Kim Kardashian and Kanye West some space.
The former Olympic gold medalist athlete is a big fan of aviation and often flies expensive scale model helicopters in his spare time but was told his mini-pilot fun would have to be out on hold while the baby settles in.
Bruce Jenner – who has been married to Kris for 22 years – was seen buying a separate home in the latest series of Keeping Up with the Kardashians, but despite occasionally spending time apart the couple insist their marriage is rock solid.
While the Internet comes with nmany benefits, it also has its downsides. For one, it’s an easy way for criminals to steal your personal information. With knowledge about their tactics, however, you can better protect yourself online. Check out these four ways people steal personal information online.
One of the easiest ways that people can steal credit card information is by creating a fraudulent site that looks trustworthy. From there, victims are lured to the site to enter credit card information. For example, you might be fooled into buying a product from the site and use your credit card. When making purchases online, always make sure that a site has the secure image (a padlock) before the address on the address bar.
2. Phishing
Identity theft is so rampant that in 2012, the top complaint reported to the Consumer Sentinel Network was identity theft. The same report says that government document/benefit fraud was the most frequently reported form of identity theft. This is when someone illegally uses government documents (social security cards, driver’s licenses, etc.) in order to receive government benefits (welfare, unemployment benefits, etc.).
While this can occur offline, people can also steal this information from the Internet. Phishing is a technique where the thief poses as another individual to steal your personal information. For example, they might send you an email saying that they are your bank and that they need to verify your information. When you click on the link in the email, they’ll ask you to enter your social security number, date of birth, driver’s license number, or whatever other information they need. They can then use this information to create fake government documents.
With this tactic, criminals hack into your computer and literally spy on you. They can see everything you’re doing and watch as you enter usernames and passwords, allowing them access to your bank or credit card accounts along with other personal information.
Spyware is often connected to other software programs, and people download these programs thinking that they’re safe, such as game downloads, web links, and email attachments. Hackers might also create programs that look like something safe, such as a web browser update, so that people trust the program. To protect yourself, be careful about what you download and what links you click on.
4. Pretexting
Pretexting is a technique that criminals use to gain a certain amount of personal information before directly contacting you. First, they’ll do research on you, such as finding out about your marital status, telephone number, email address, home address, and other information that is often found on online directories. They then contact you, such as by calling you on the phone, and pose as a business that needs your information.
People often believe this scam because the person already has much of their personal information. To protect your personal information online, use services such as those at Reputation.com so that criminals can’t get their hands on your information in the first place.
Identity theft is a serious concern, and advancing technologies only makes it easier for criminals to get their hands on your information. Be careful about your online activity, and learn about other ways to protect yourself online.
The latest installment in the Terminator franchise will be the first in a stand-alone “rebooted” trilogy.
Paramount Pictures said the fifth Terminator film, based on the original series starring Arnold Schwarzenegger, is due to be released in June 2015.
There was no official confirmation on who would direct or star in the forthcoming film.
However, Arnold Schwarzenegger revealed earlier this month he would be returning to the role that made him a household name.
Arnold Schwarzenegger revealed he would be returning to the role of Terminator that made him a household name
Speaking at an event in Sydney, Australia, the former governor of California said: “I’m very happy that the studios want me to be in Terminator 5 and to star as the Terminator, which we start shooting in January.”
Arnold Schwarzenegger starred in the first three Terminator films – released in 1984, 1991 and 2003 – which grossed more than $1 billion at the global box office.
A computer-generated version of the actor appeared in 2009’s Terminator Salvation, which starred Christian Bale and Sam Worthington.
The new film will be penned by Shutter Island screenwriter Laeta Kalogridis and Drive Angry’s Patrick Lussier.
With a release date scheduled for June 26, the movie will join a slew of summer blockbusters, coming out a week before Independence Day 2 and two weeks ahead of Pirates of the Caribbean 5.
Star Wars – Episode 7 is also due to be released around the same time.
Monsignor Nunzio Scarano, a senior Italian cleric, has been arrested in connection with an inquiry into the Vatican bank scandal over allegations of corruption and fraud.
Monsignor Nunzio Scarano works in the Vatican’s financial administration. A secret service agent and a financial broker have also been arrested.
They are suspected of trying to move 20 million euros illegally into Italy.
Pope Francis ordered an unprecedented internal investigation into the bank’s affairs in the wake of recent scandals.
Monsignor Nunzio Scarano has been under investigation by Italian police for a series of suspicious transactions involving the recycling of a series of cheques described as church donations through the Vatican Bank.
Monsignor Nunzio Scarano has been arrested in connection with an inquiry into the Vatican bank scandal over allegations of corruption and fraud
Earlier this month, the pontiff named a trusted cleric to oversee the management of the bank, which has been beset by allegations of money-laundering.
Officially known as the Institute for the Works of Religion, the bank is one of the world’s most secretive. It has 114 employees and $7.1 billion (5.4 billion euros) of assets.
Pope Francis has given the commission carte blanche, bypassing normal secrecy rules, to try to get to the bottom of scandals which have plagued the bank for decades.
Traditionally, the Vatican Bank has refused to co-operate with Italian authorities investigating financial crime on the grounds of the sovereign independence of the Vatican city state.
But Pope Francis has shown that he is now determined to get to the bottom of long-standing allegations of corruption and money-laundering by the bank.
The Institute for the Works of Religion was a major shareholder in the Banco Ambrosiano, a big Italian bank which collapsed in 1982 with losses of more than $3 billion.
Its chairman, Roberto Calvi, was found hanging from Blackfriars Bridge in London – in a murder disguised as a suicide. Roberto Calvi had close relations with the Vatican.
Alec and Hilaria Baldwin took to Twitter during James Gandolfini’s funeral service on Thursday.
The pregnant yoga instructor’s social media feed was full of upbeat posts while James Gandolfini’s friends, family and co-stars were gripped with grief at a New York Catholic church.
Hilaria Baldwin’s messages included a request for ideas about wedding anniversary presents and promotional notes about her upcoming appearance on the Rachael Ray show.
The 29-year-old, who is due to give birth to her first child this summer, did make time to pay tribute to James Gandolfini amid the social media flurry, writing: “The circle of life is unbelievable – birth, life, death… Please take care of yourselves as life is fragile. Rest in Peace Jimmy.”
Hilaria Baldwin barely skipped a beat before changing the tone, writing: “What did you do for your first wedding anniversary? What did you give your partner? Ours is coming up!”
During the time of the service, she re-tweeted a post from the Rachael Ray show, promoting one of her own recipes of a summer smoothie.
“I’m sure you have some amazing recipes!” Hilaria Baldwin wrote.
She also re-tweeted a “cute” Us Weekly article about herself, which saw her throwing a baby show for “Military moms-to-be”.
At one point, Hilaria Baldwin directed a magazine to get in touch with her publicist.
She also claimed she didn’t have her cell with her, tweeting: “FYI I don’t believe in bringing phones into a funeral and I never did and I never would.”
Sources close to Hilaria Baldwin insist to that the couple left the ceremony early through a side exit because she was feeling “faint” in the heat and she tweeted from her car on the way home. It’s unclear exactly how long they stayed.
Alec and Hilaria Baldwin arrive at Cathedral Church of Saint John the Divine for James Gandolfini’s funeral services
Meanwhile, Alec Baldwin appeared to promote a new movie titled Dirty Wars, posting a link just a short time before he honored James Gandolfini.
Eventually, Alec Baldwin, 55, tweeted: “The end of The Sopranos has a different meaning to me now. Rest in Peace, Jimmy.”
He also posted a link to a news article on the funeral.
Hilaria and Alec Baldwin were among the throngs of stars who turned out at the Cathedral Church of Saint John the Divine in New York to say goodbye to the beloved actor.
James Gandolfini’s wife Deborah Lin gave a heart-wrenching eulogy for her ‘honest, kind and loving’ husband in the cathedral.
The first family member to speak, Deborah Lin described James Gandolfini as someone who “cared more about others than himself” and said she enjoyed watching him be a wonderful father to his two children.
“Jim, one of the things I loved the most was watching you be the father that you were to Michael and Lily,” she said.
“Thank you for the memories of the beautiful life we shared together. I love you Jim and I always will. Rest in Peace.”
James Gandolfini’s sister Johanna Antonacci and actor Lennie Loftin also did readings during the ceremony, which began at 10 a.m. local time at the Cathedral Church of Saint John the Divine and Sopranos creator David Chase read out a letter he had written to his leading man.
James Gandolfini’s son, Michael, who tragically found his father dying in an Italian hotel room while the pair were on vacation last week, looked teary-eyed as he arrived at the church just moments after the actor’s casket was escorted inside.
Michael Gandolfini joined more than 1,000 mourners including Edith “Edie” Falco, James Gandolfini’s on-screen wife Carmela in the HBO hit show at for the ceremony, which lasted two hours and was described as a “wonderful” tribute to the star.
Other cast members who came to pay their respects included pregnant Jamie Lynn-Sigler, who played Tony Soprano’s daughter Meadow, Aida Turturro, who played his sister Janice, John Ventimiglia, who portrayed Artie Bucco, and Michael Imperioli, who starred as Tony’s nephew Christopher Moltisanti.
James Gandolfini died of a heart attack at age 51 while holidaying in Rome, Italy, with his son last week.
Gold price has continued its drop, falling to its lowest level in almost three years, after the US Federal Reserve said it could wind down its stimulus programme.
Gold fell to $1,191.21 an ounce in Asia trade, after breaching the $1,200 mark in New York on Thursday for the first time since August 2010.
The US Fed said last week that its bond purchases would start to “taper off” in coming months if the economy recovers.
Analysts said investors had been anticipating further price falls.
As a result there was a sell-off, resulting in a big drop in prices in recent days.
Gold price has continued its drop, falling to its lowest level in almost three years
“You don’t want to catch a falling knife, so people who might be buyers are stepping aside and don’t want to show gold at their quarter-end statement,” said Axel Merk, chief investment officer at Merk Funds.
Gold prices have had a remarkable run over the past few years, driven by two key factors.
The first has been the uncertainty surrounding the global economic situation after the global financial crisis and the sovereign debt problems in the eurozone.
That saw many investors turn to gold – seen as a traditional safe haven asset in times of uncertainty.
At the same time, the slowdown in the global economy, prompted central banks across the world to lower interest rates – to historic lows in many cases – in an attempt to try to boost growth.
Analysts said that with interest rates so low, investors have been favoring gold.
However, things have started to change in the past few months.
The US economy has been recovering; as a result, the Fed Chairman Ben Bernanke has said that the US central bank will scale back its $85bn a month bond buying programme.
Analysts said that such a move may see interest rates rise again – making gold a less attractive option.
At the same time, the risks surrounding the eurozone crisis seem to have abated as well, which has also hurt gold prices.
“Gold’s major attribute as a potential hedge against a major global crisis has been diluted,” said Mark Matthews of Julius Baer.
Mark Matthews said that given these factors the gold price may fall further.
Glastonbury Festival reveller Lee Nickleson got down on one knee to propose to his sweetheart – while holding a can of cider.
Lee Nickleson, 35, of Leeds, West Yorkshire, was so nervous about popping the question to Ceilidh Jackson that he forgot to put down his can of Stella Artois Cidre. Friends unfurled a banner reading “Will You Marry Me?” as he proposed to his partner of four years on the first day of the music festival.
Glastonbury reveller Lee Nickleson gets down on one knee to propose girlfriend Ceilidh Jackson
Ceilidh Jackson, 25, was delighted when he pulled the ring from his pocket and immediately said “Yes”. The pair even have their own caravan so they can have some privacy during the festival.
Cash machine installer Lee Nickleson, who has been to the festival once before, said: “I’ve been wanting to propose for a while, but I didn’t know where to do it. Then I realized that Glastonbury would be the perfect place. I proposed on the first day because I wanted to get it out of the way.
“Otherwise I would be too nervous all weekend. I’m glad she didn’t say <<no>> though – that would have put a bit of a dampener on the party. It was Ceilidh’s first time at Glastonbury, so I wanted to make it special. We had a respectable night – we turned in to our love-shack about 2 a.m.
“You don’t want to burn out on the first night of the festival. I probably shouldn’t have been holding a can, but I couldn’t think. I had other things at the forefront of my mind, to be honest. It has set everything up for a great festival.”
Healthcare worker Ceilidh Jackson added: “I don’t mind that he was carrying a can – in fact, I didn’t even notice. I was shocked and delighted. He’s so lovely. I was already looking forward to this weekend so much, but now I think it’ll be the best weekend ever.”
The US Senate has passed a broad immigration reform bill that includes a path to citizenship for an estimated 11 million undocumented immigrants.
The 68-32 vote comes after months of debate and a recent deal to boost border security spending significantly.
But the legislation faces a tough road in the more conservative House.
House Speaker John Boehner has said he will not advance legislation that lacks support of most of his fellow Republicans, who remain resistant.
After the bill’s passage on Thursday, President Barack Obama said the vote brought the US “a critical step closer to fixing our broken immigration system once and for all”.
“Today, the Senate did its job,” Barack Obama said in a statement.
“It’s now up to the House to do the same.”
Barack Obama has made immigration a top priority for his second term, asking Congress to deliver a bill for him to sign by autumn.
As the vote was held on Thursday afternoon, Senate Majority Leader Harry Reid, a Democrat, made the rare request of asking all 99 of his colleagues to be present and to vote from their desks.
“This is not a vote where people should be straggling in,” Harry Reid said.
The US Senate has passed a broad immigration reform bill that includes a path to citizenship for an estimated 11 million undocumented immigrants.
After the vote, members of the bipartisan group that negotiated the original bill, known as the Gang of Eight, thanked the broad coalition that had backed immigration reform efforts.
One member of the group, Democratic Senator Dick Durbin, said the voices of young undocumented immigrants “had made a difference”.
Republican Senator Lindsey Graham said the bill’s border security measures had “exceeded every expectation I had”, and said the bill had “practically militarized the border”.
Forward movement on the bill comes shortly after two Republican senators this week brokered a compromise to increase the bill’s funding of border security measures. An amendment that added an additional 20,000 border security agents was passed on Wednesday.
Earlier, the non-partisan Congressional Budget Office estimated the legislation, without the increased border funds, would reduce the US budget deficit by $175 billion over 10 years and boost economic growth.
And analysts say many Republicans acknowledge reforming the immigration system will be key for their election prospects in the future as Hispanics become an increasingly important voter bloc.
On Thursday, John Boehner, the Republican House speaker, said the House would not take up the Senate bill directly.
“We’re going to do our own bill… that reflects the will of our majority and the will of the American people,” he said.
John Boehner’s comments cast doubt on the chances legislation will quickly reach Barack Obama’s desk, and could portend failure for immigration reform entirely, analysts say.
Separate bills designed by House Republicans include stricter border and interior security measures, employment checks and most significantly, no path to citizenship for undocumented immigrants.
Some Republicans believe such a programme rewards those who broke the law by immigrating to the country illegally.
Senator Chuck Grassley, who voted against the Senate bill, said he was counting on the House to pass legislation that is “much more tough”.
What’s in the Senate immigration bill?
Path to citizenship for immigrants who arrived illegally before 31 December 2011
Billions in funding for border security, including 20,000 new Border Patrol agents, and 700 miles of fencing
Requirement border security and fencing goals be met before these immigrants can become permanent residents
A start-up visa for foreign entrepreneurs; new visa programmes for low-skilled workers and the agricultural sector
All employers must use E-Verify, a programme to verify electronically each employee’s legal status within four years
The Glastonbury Festival rain made its traditional appearance this afternoon, with fans wearing wellies and ponchos when a shower hit the tent city.
However, a good forecast is expected for the rest of the hotly-anticipated weekend.
Meanwhile aerial photographs show the sprawling site of the world-famous music festival, where the rain has stayed away so far for the thousands of fans attending.
Sunshine even broke through the clouds over Worthy Farm in Somerset yesterday, as festival goers trudged miles with rucksacks, tents and sleeping bags to reach the campsites.
The site was due to open at 8 a.m. but flung open its doors an hour early to allow the streams of people in, at an estimated rate of 5,000 per hour. Some had even slept out in their cars overnight to be the first in line.
They carried their precious cargo of beer and cider in shopping trolleys, laundry baskets and wheelbarrows as they made their way across the 900-acre site to secure the best camping spots.
The main performances at the event, which had a fallow year in 2012 to coincide with the Olympic and Paralympic Games, will not start until tomorrow – when Arctic Monkeys will top the bill, followed by The Rolling Stones on Saturday night and Mumford & Sons closing the festival on Sunday.
Celebrities including Kate Moss are set to be among the festival goers, with Mick Jagger even staying in Somerset to enjoy the weekend’s festivities. Hundreds of festival-goers proved they had the moves like Mick Jagger by taking part in a Jumping Jack Flashmob at Glastonbury.
The Jagger Off, arranged by two Rolling Stones fans to celebrate the band’s first appearance at the festival, saw crowds of people mimic Mick Jagger’s trademark dance moves.
It was held near the Pyramid Stage, where the band will perform their headline set on Saturday night, under the watchful eye of a giant metal phoenix that is perching on top of the structure this year.
A sound system played classic Rolling Stones songs including Brown Sugar and Start It Up to about 400 fans.
Organizer James Duke-Evans, 33, from south London, said: “It’s gone fantastically well.
“When it got dreamed up late at night we thought it would be funny if 100 people turned up, but 3,500 joined the Facebook group in the end.
“People like to get involved in something that’s not scripted and programmed. I’ve been told some people were looking forward to this more than the festival itself. And quite frankly – do you really want to live in a world where things like this don’t happen?”
Mick Jagger is expected to be on the festival site over the weekend, and is staying nearby with his family.
There is a chance he might even stumble upon the second “Jagger Off”, at the silent disco held in the early hours of Saturday morning.
“I would imagine it’s on Jagger’s radar. I don’t think he can avoid it,” said James Duke-Evans.
Glastonbury aerial photographs show the sprawling site of the world-famous music festival
“It’s a tribute to him. We’ve watched him for years and I hope he’ll be able to watch us if he sees the footage from today.”
Many of those performing the moves, which including the “finger waggle” and “squeezing through a narrow doorway”, wore Mick Jagger masks as a tribute to their musical hero.
Some 135,000 ticket holders have been making their way on to the site at Worthy Farm, Somerset, since the festival flung open its doors yesterday morning. Campsites have been filling up quickly as music fans rushed to pitch their tents in the best spots.
They are set to be joined by celebrities, said to include Wayne and Colleen Rooney and Kate Moss, over the coming days. The main acts play from tomorrow, with other headline acts including The Arctic Monkeys and Mumford & Sons.
Police are hailing a successful start to the event, with crimes down from the last Glastonbury Festival in 2011.
In the first day, 40 crimes were reported, 22 of which were thefts, mostly from tents, and police made a total of 24 arrests, many of them over drugs.
There have been 24 drug-related offences but some of those involved were dealt with by way of a caution instead of arrest, Inspector Shirley Eden said.
Their first arrest of the festival was a person who tried to smuggle drugs into the site in a packet of fruit pastilles.
A police officer’s suspicion was raised by the fact the sweets had been hidden in a sock.
“It looked like a bag of sweets but it turned out the sweets had been taken out and replaced with drugs,” said the officer.
There is a team of 600 police officers on site, working in three shifts, and plans for the policing operation have been under way since the end of the last festival.
Inspector Shirley Eden said: “For there to have been 40 crimes so far at a festival of this size is pretty good.
“I work in Bath in my day job and would say the populations are roughly equivalent. The number of crimes you would expect in Bath in a 24-hour period is on a par with what we’ve had here. Our message to people is to protect their property and put it in the free lock ups.
“We’ve had officers in plain clothes on site who’ve seen people sleeping, with their mobile phones clearly on display next to them.
“I know people want to relax and chill but they need to look after their stuff. The majority of people here are not criminals and are not looking to steal, but there’s always going to be some crime.”
There have also been arrests for drink driving and theft from a motor vehicle, police said.
Liam Gallagher, rumored to be playing a set with his band Beady Eye, could be seen arriving at Castle Cary – the nearest railway station – by train yesterday morning.
James Wilby, forecaster with Meteogroup, said: “You always expect there to be a deluge when it’s Glastonbury but luckily that doesn’t seem the case.
“There’s a fair bit of cloud around but it’s starting to brighten up, with temperatures up to 20C yesterday. It’s pretty pleasant and will stay dry.
“This morning will be dry and bright but there’s a chance of rain in the afternoon, with a damp end to the day. It will be more typical of the conditions you’d expect at a festival. It could potentially get a bit muddy, but there will only be a millimetre or two of rain.”
Friday will see spots of drizzle but conditions will improve during the day, with Saturday being dry and sunny. Sunday will be the best day of the festival with temperatures up to 22C (71.6F), James Wilby said.
Forecaster Tony Gray from the Met Office said: “On Friday there’s a chance of light rain first thing in the morning, but then it should be cloudy. Saturday you’ve got a chance of some sunny intervals after lunchtime and high temperatures reaching 19C.
“Sunday much the same – a bit overcast, but sunny intervals for the afternoon and evening, highest temperature 19C. Monday it’s basically overcast until 10am, followed by cloudy conditions.”
Glastonbury organizer Michael Eavis said he believes the weather, combined with the line-up, means this year’s festival will be “unusually good”.
“The whole thing is fantastic,” the 77-year-old farmer said.
“There are 1,000 acres of creativity on a massive scale and to a very, very high standard. You won’t see anything else like this in the whole world.”
There is even the promise of the best-ever Glastonbury toilets, with a new system that sees waste go straight into the ground, designed to beat the infamous smell.
Michael Eavis has even said that, 43 years since the first Glastonbury, they have finally found “the perfect loo”.
To mark the resurrection of the festival after a year off, a giant phoenix has been installed on top of the Pyramid stage, designed by Joe Rush, who was behind many of the mechanical vehicles and props used at the Paralympics closing ceremony.
Indeed one of them – a steamship on which singer Rihanna performed – can be found at the festival this year.
Other highlights fans can expect are appearances from Primal Scream, Nick Cave and the Bad Seeds, Smashing Pumpkins, Elvis Costello, The xx, Public Enemy, Professor Green and Dizzee Rascal.
As ever, the Glastonbury Festival is also offering some more unusual acts alongside the chart toppers – with Bruce Forsyth playing on the Avalon Stage on Sunday, country star Kenny Rogers taking to the Pyramid Stage the same day, and the Dalai Lama’s Tibetan monks also making an appearance.
The unlikely combination of shorts and wellies was the order of the day as temperatures rose during the afternoon, with ice cream vans and bars alike enjoying a roaring trade.
Many chose to enjoy the sun while sitting at the stone circle, overlooking the whole site, while others were still pouring in through the entrances.
Family, friends and fans have paid tribute to James Gandolfini at his funeral in New York City, a week after he died in Italy.
David Chase, who created The Sopranos series that made James Gandolfini a household name was among the speakers.
“You were a good boy,” he said during the ceremony at New York’s Cathedral Church of Saint John the Divine.
James Gandolfini, who was 51, died following a heart attack last Wednesday while on holiday with his son.
One of four speakers at the funeral, David Chase remembered James Gandolfini in the form of a letter to the actor, in the present tense, saying he brought the traits of a sad boy, “amazed and confused,” to the role of Tony Soprano.
“You could see it in your eyes. That’s why you were a great actor.”
Family, friends and fans have paid tribute to James Gandolfini at his funeral in New York City
David Chase recalled that James Gandolfini once told him: “You know what I want to be? A man. That’s all. I want to be a man.”
David Chase said he marveled upon hearing that, since the actor represented a man so many others wanted to be.
James Gandolfini’s widow, Deborah Lin, and two family friends also spoke during the service.
The actor’s portrayal of the mob boss in the HBO series won him three Emmy Awards as best actor in a drama series. The show ran for six seasons.
Aida Turturro, who played James Gandolfini’s sister in The Sopranos, was one of the first from the show’s large cast to arrive for the funeral service at 10:00 EST, which was led by the Very Reverend Dr. James A Kowalski.
Some 1,500 seats had been set up in the church for celebrities, fellow actors and members of the public who wanted to pay their respects to the star.
Several members of the cast of The Sopranos attended, including Edie Falco, Joe Pantoliano, Dominic Chianese, and Steve Buscemi.
The New Jersey Governor, Chris Christie also made an appearance.
Laila Robins, who played James Gandolfini’s on-screen mother as a young woman in the early seasons, remembered his friendly and humble nature.
“He had an acting coach on set back then because he just wanted to do a good job. That was so sweet, and I remember that about him the most – just how badly he wanted to do a good job. He worked so hard,” she said.
The funeral took place a day after a private family wake was held in New Jersey on Wednesday.
Broadway theatres later paid tribute to James Gandolfini, who was nominated for a Tony Award in 2009 for his role in God of Carnage, by dimming their lights.
