Tuesday, July 2, 2013

Syria, Snowden top topics for Kerry-Lavrov meeting

BANDAR SERI BEGAWAN, Brunei (AP) ? The Syrian crisis and National Security Agency leaker Edward Snowden were hot-button topics Tuesday at U.S. Secretary of State John Kerry's meeting with Russian Foreign Minister Sergey Lavrov on the sidelines of an Asian summit in Brunei.

Lavrov declined to sum up his more-than-90-minute meeting with Kerry, telling reporters only that their discussion was "excellent." After saying goodbye to Lavrov, Kerry ducked back into the room where he had meetings scheduled with Asian leaders.

Kerry wanted to talk to Lavrov about Russia's support of Syrian President Bashar Assad's regime, which is fighting against opposition forces armed by Western and Arab nations, and the case involving Snowden, which has strained U.S.-Russia relations.

Snowden, who is wanted in the U.S. on three charges of espionage, has been on the run since releasing sensitive NSA documents. He is believed to have been in the Moscow airport's transit zone since his arrival from Hong Kong on June 23. The U.S. has annulled his passport, and Ecuador, where he had hoped to get asylum, has been giving mixed signals about offering him shelter.

Snowden has expanded his requests for asylum to more than 20 countries, including China, according to WikiLeaks, an anti-secrecy group that has adopted Snowden and his cause.

After Snowden applied for political asylum to remain in Russia, Russian President Vladimir Putin told reporters in Moscow that Snowden would have to stop leaking U.S. secrets if he wanted asylum there ? and he added that Snowden seemed unwilling to stop publishing leaks of classified material.

Before the meeting, when a reporter asked whether he and Kerry would talk about asylum for Snowden, Lavrov scolded the reporter, saying, "Don't shout at me, please."

Three U.S. officials, speaking on condition of anonymity because they weren't authorized to publicly discuss the Snowden case, have said Washington is trying to persuade Russia to deport Snowden either directly to the United States or to a third country, possibly in eastern Europe, that would then hand him over to U.S. authorities.

Neither the U.S. State Department nor the Russian foreign ministry issued statements detailing the meeting between Kerry and Lavrov.

Irritated by reporters who chased him down the hall after the meeting, Lavrov said, "I am on my way because I missed my lunch" and "You are absolutely crazy. I don't know how you can work like this."

Source: http://news.yahoo.com/syria-snowden-top-topics-kerry-lavrov-meeting-051938796.html

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Monday, July 1, 2013

Youth Church Leader Accused of Child Sex Crimes

SALISBURY, N.C. -- Deputies say a youth leader had inappropriate behavior towards teenage girls at a church.

Rowan County Sheriff's Office was alerted about the incident by teenage girls who attend High?Rock?Community Church near Salisbury.

The girls said 36-year old Torrey Morgan made sexual activity and advances towards them. The complaints involves several underage victims.

Detectives obtained warrants on Morgan for Disseminate Harmful Material to a Minor Under 18 Years of Age, Disseminate Harmful Material to a Minor Under 16 Years of Age, 2 counts of Indecent Liberties with a Child, and Second Degree Sexual Exploitation of a Minor. WCCB is told that more charges are possible.

Morgan was given a $50,000 secured bond and was placed in the Rowan County Detention Center.?

Source: http://www.wccbcharlotte.com/news/top-stories/Youth-Church-Leader-Accused-of-Child-Sex-Crimes-213704261.html

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Tuesday, June 25, 2013

Gym Towel and Skin Allergy ? Herzline

One of the essential items one should have in his gym bag is towels, the gym where we are working out provide towels and pair of gym clothes to fitness enthusiast. We are using their towel for few months already but just yesterday my husband seems got skin allergies using the towel on his face, my husband think it is from the soap they used in washing the towels and clothes because it only started when they changed soap. We know they have new soap because the gym owner arrived one night with big bag of wash soap.

Gym Towel

[Image not Mine]

The red dotted mark was only on his face and neck where we uses the towel, it doesn?t feel itchy, hot or anything. With the occurrence of the allergy my husband decided to bring his own towel next time we visit the gym. We have towels at home but we thought using the towel in the gym is more convenient because we don?t need to wash clothes everyday.

[ Tagged In ] Fitness, Gym, Gym Essentials, Towel

Source: http://www.herzline.info/gym-towel-and-skin-allergy/

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Race-based college admissions dodge another bullet (Powerlineblog)

Share With Friends: Share on FacebookTweet ThisPost to Google-BuzzSend on GmailPost to Linked-InSubscribe to This Feed | Rss To Twitter | Politics - Top Stories News, RSS and RSS Feed via Feedzilla.

Source: http://news.feedzilla.com/en_us/stories/politics/top-stories/314883121?client_source=feed&format=rss

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B&N To Keep Selling Nook Tablets This Year While It Transitions To Licensing Its Ebook Brand

scaled-0998The Nook is on life support. Device sales are down. Digital content sales are down. Revenue is down. Things look bleak, but B&N plans to keep the devices around at least through 2013. Today in its 2013 year-end report, Barnes & Noble detailed the sad state of the Nook but said it will continue offering the Nook HD and Nook HD+ through the holidays. The company will also continue to support the devices in retail stores. However, things are about to change dramatically with the Nook brand.

Source: http://feedproxy.google.com/~r/Techcrunch/~3/VPcuSZ1TPLc/

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LGBT Community Untapped Market Consumer Brands - Business ...

gay pride, google

Flickr/Brendon Thorne

Rick and Liam wanted recognition of their commitment to each other, so they did what many gay couples are doing these days.

They boarded a plane to New York where marriage between same-sex partners is legal. After hearing about the couple?s plans, the JetBlue crew on their flight showered them with special attention including free drinks and best wishes.

When Rick and Liam realized they lacked a witness for the wedding, one of the flight attendants accompanied the men to city hall to serve in that role, showing up at the nuptials only after stopping to get a special dessert for the occasion. The newly married men penned a heartfelt ?thank you? letter to JetBlue. The airline proudly posted the story on their blog and distributed it to the press.

JetBlue is not alone in its desire to shine a light on its support of its gay consumers. Many brands are waking up to the opportunity that the LGBT market today represents for their business.

Brands from Apple to Budweiser to JCPenney are becoming more interested in gay consumers, with many brands making concerted efforts to target the LGBT market. ?

Why? What is really at stake? Here are just a few numbers surrounding LGBT consumers and the differences in spending power of gay households vs. the American general market:

  • 23% higher median household income1

  • 24% more equity in their homes1

  • 26% of gay men say they will pay more for top quality brands2

  • 30% have taken a major vacation in the past year2

  • 40% bought a new smart phone in the past year2

Estimates put the buying power of the LGBT community at over $800 billion annually. Some marketers are realizing that they may need to adjust their plans to accommodate this segment, or at least make sure that their marketing spending is inclusive of this valuable target. But many brands have been slow to pick up on the impact of the gay and lesbian consumer on their sales. Some are content to let their general market messages do the job of reaching everyone, and see no reason to pay special attention to LGBT consumers.

Are gay consumers? spending habits and brand loyalties really all that different? In some categories, maybe not. But in others, the impact of gay consumer spending is more profound. Here are a few differences between the purchasing habits of gay consumers and everyone else.

Gay Shopping Habits Pay Off For Brands ? Same-sex households spend at rates fairly similar to other households, when it comes to shopping for consumer packaged goods. However, gay and lesbian households make 16% more shopping trips than the average U.S. household ? 173 vs. 149 per year.3 The impact on total spending equates to about 25% more for same-sex households. Male same-sex households are especially likely to spend more frequently, shopping nearly 30% more often than the average household. On average, that?s $2,045 more per year spent on packaged goods in male same-sex households.3 This means that brands have more opportunities to reach LGBT consumers at retail to influence their purchase behaviors and brand preferences.

Gay Consumer Brand Loyalties ? Are the factors that influence the brand selection of gay consumers really that different? They are more likely to pay for quality brands and to influence others as well. When asked if it is worth paying extra for top-of-line or cutting edge products, 26% of gay men agreed, considerably higher than the average American?s answer to that question. And LGBT consumers are a source of word-of-mouth marketing for brands. Gay men (64%) and women (65%) agreed that when they find a brand they like, they are likely to make a point of telling their friends about it. That?s well above the average of all U.S. consumers.2

Gay Consumers and Finances ? Although there is some disagreement about income of gay consumers compared to the average American, most sources indicate LGBT consumers have more disposable income. According to a survey done by Prudential in 2012, gay consumers reported annual household incomes around $61,500, significantly higher than the national median of just over $50,000.1 Gays were more likely to have higher educations, to carry less debt, to have more savings and were less likely to be jobless with an unemployment rate of almost a point below the national percentage. Additionally, LGBT homeowners in the survey had significantly more equity in their homes and were better financially set for retirement.1

But are gay consumers open to brand marketing messages tailored to them? With a constant media-driven debate reminding gay Americans of inequities including workplace discrimination, marriage inequality, and cultural clashes, on an almost daily basis, gays and lesbians are paying attention to brands that appear to be allies.

And even for brands that do not have any plan to market directly to LGBT consumers, the shift in America?s attitudes about the issue is requiring a new sensitivity. Brands from beer to candy bars have found themselves the subjects of consumer or industry criticism when they used ??harmless? jokes in ads that inadvertently seemed to show same-sex relationships in a bad light. And the concerns are not always coming from gay groups. More and more progressive general market consumers are expressing their support of gay issues and holding brands accountable as well.

With billions in spending at stake, it?s more important than ever that brands, even those who have no interest in marketing to gay Americans, become sensitive to these issues. This loyal group of consumers is ready to reward brands that really speak their language.

1Prudential 2012 Survey of more than 1,000 LGBT respondents

2Community Marketing, Inc., July 2012 survey of 13,000 Gay & Lesbian Americans

3Nielsen, January 2013

Source: http://www.businessinsider.com/lgbt-community-untapped-market-consumer-brands-2013-6

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Monday, June 24, 2013

Erdogan quiets Istanbul with softer tone, but calm is likely to be brief

Prime Minister Erdogan temporarily placated Turkish protesters by pausing development of Gezi Park, but their grievances run deeper. It will take more to stop demonstrations for good.

By Jeremy Ravinsky,?Contributor / June 14, 2013

Protesters hold hands to isolate an area for others to attend prayers in Taksim square, Friday. Prime Minister Recep Tayyip Erdogan softened his tone, telling Taksim Square's protesters that he has received their message and will at least temporarily halt plans for redeveloping Gezi Park.

Vadim Ghirda/AP

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? A daily roundup of global reports

Skip to next paragraph Jeremy Ravinsky

Contributor

Jeremy Ravinsky is an intern at the Christian Science Monitor's international desk. Born and raised in Montreal, Canada, Jeremy has lived in Boston for a number of years, attending Tufts University where he is a political science major. Before coming to the Monitor, Jeremy interned at GlobalPost in Boston and Bturn.com in Belgrade, Serbia.

Recent posts

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Today, only a day after issuing his ?final? warning to Taksim Square?s protesters, Turkish Prime Minister Recep Tayyip Erdogan softened his tone, telling them that he has received their message and will at least temporarily halt plans for redeveloping Gezi Park.

After a night of meetings with protest representatives, Mr. Erdogan announced in a speech that the future of Gezi Park, the issue that sparked two-week long anti-government demonstrations, will be decided by the courts, reports?the Guardian.

Although tensions across the country have eased since reaching a fever pitch earlier this week,?many believe that Erdogan?s bid to defuse the unrest won?t be enough to end the demonstrations. For many, the protests are about something much bigger than the issue of Gezi Park: the direction Turkey will take in the future.

Protests began two weeks ago, when a group of peaceful protesters staged a demonstration to attempt to stop the destruction of Gezi Park, one of Istanbul?s last green spaces, to make way for a mall and housing complex. After police violently broke up the sit-in, thousands more took to the streets to protest what they see has the increasingly authoritarian style of Erdogan?s rule and the gradual erosion of secular values by his Islam-rooted Justice and Development Party (AKP), says?the Los Angeles Times.

Protesters accuse Erdogan, who won 50 percent of the vote in his last election, of behaving like an autocrat and only representing those who voted for him. Much of the country feels increasingly alienated by controversial policies, such as limiting the sale of alcohol and birth control.

Though at first defiant, even going so far as to label the protesters as "terrorists," Erdogan came under increasing pressure after several brutal police crackdowns which resulted in injuries to some 5,000 people. Yesterday the European Parliament voted to condemn Turkey for its use of violence against the demonstrators. And according to?Today?s Zaman, Germany is seeking to suspend Turkey?s EU accession talks.?

Should the court rule in favor of the government, a referendum will be held over the fate of Gezi Park. But many protesters told The Christian Science Monitor this is not enough.

Demonstrators and others at odds with the government say they are skeptical of its commitment to conducting a free and fair referendum about the park. Many point out that Erdogan could have held such a vote?long before the situation escalated to clashes?between protesters and police.

?We don?t trust the results of these elections. Maybe they?ll change the results,? says Yasin Arslan, an aeronautical engineer now in Gezi Park.?

What?s more, it is not clear that Erdogan's concessions will end the demonstrations. According to Al-Monitor, the Taksim Platform ? a coalition of 80 NGOs leading the protests ? have stated that they will neither honor a referendum nor vacate the park.

This weekend, as protestors remain at their camps, the AKP will be holding mass rallies in Istanbul and Ankara, reports?Today?s Zaman. Widely believed to be displays of force to counter the anti-government protests, AKP officials claim that the rallies are simply a part of their campaign for 2014 municipal elections.

But as Bloomberg points out, opposition parties have called for their cancellation, fearing that the rallies will only stoke tensions.

Source: http://rss.csmonitor.com/~r/csmonitor/globalnews/~3/c3miSRhkXPI/Erdogan-quiets-Istanbul-with-softer-tone-but-calm-is-likely-to-be-brief

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'Monsters' beats zombies, Superman at box office

En esta imagen promocional difundida por Disney-Pixar, los personajes de Mike, en la voz de Billy Crystal, a la izquierda, y el profesor Knight, cuya voz hace Alfred Molina, a la derecha, en una escena de la cinta animada "Monsters University". (AP Foto/Disney-Pixar)

En esta imagen promocional difundida por Disney-Pixar, los personajes de Mike, en la voz de Billy Crystal, a la izquierda, y el profesor Knight, cuya voz hace Alfred Molina, a la derecha, en una escena de la cinta animada "Monsters University". (AP Foto/Disney-Pixar)

(AP) ? Turns out zombies and Superman are no match for monsters.

Disney's "Monsters University" is the weekend box-office winner, according to studio estimates released Sunday. The animated family film, which reunites stars Billy Crystal and John Goodman and their characters from the 2001 hit "Monsters, Inc.," debuted in first place with $82 million, beating out swarming zombies in "World War Z" and Superman himself in "Man of Steel."

"The diversity of this weekend is part of what makes this business so great," said Dave Hollis, Disney's head of distribution. "It's a really extraordinary weekend for the industry."

Especially for "Monsters University," Pixar's 14th consecutive film to open in first place. Such expectations of excellence put a "healthy pressure" on filmmakers, Hollis said: "To deliver that kind of quality consistently is a differentiator in the marketplace."

Still, the film exceeded studio expectations with its domestic totals, he said.

Paramount's Brad Pitt zombie romp overcame critical advance publicity to open in second place with $66 million. Media reports months ahead of the film's opening chronicled its problems, including a revamped ending that delayed its release.

Rewrites and reshoots sent the film over budget. It ended up reportedly costing more than $200 million to make, but early reviews were positive.

"What 'World War Z' proves is that all the negative backstory that can be thrown at a movie doesn't matter if the movie's good," said Paul Dergarabedian of box-office tracker Hollywood.com. "I don't think the audience cares one lick if they had to reshoot the ending if they like the ending and like the movie."

The success of the film means it could be a franchise in the making. Paramount's president of domestic distribution, Don Harris, called the opening "spectacular."

"It's the biggest live-action original opening since 'Avatar,'" he said. "(It's) Brad Pitt's biggest opening ever, and in terms of Paramount's recent history, it ranks behind 'Iron Man' and 'Transformers' as the third largest potential franchise opening in the history of the company."

Warner Bros. "Man of Steel" was third at the box office, adding another $41.2 million to its coffers and bringing its domestic ticket sales over $210 million in just the second week of release.

The Sony comedy "This Is the End," which stars Seth Rogen, James Franco and Jonah Hill as versions of themselves trapped in a mansion during the apocalypse, finished in fourth place.

Summit Entertainment's magic-heist thriller "Now You See Me" held onto fifth place in its fourth week in theaters.

Estimated ticket sales for Friday through Sunday at U.S. and Canadian theaters, according to Hollywood.com. Where available, latest international numbers are also included. Final domestic figures will be released on Monday.

1. "Monsters University," $82 million ($54.5 million international).

2. "World War Z," $66 million ($45.8 million international).

3. "Man of Steel," $41.2 million ($89 million international).

4. "This Is the End," $13 million.

5. "Now You See Me," $7.87 million ($6.6 million international).

6. "Fast & Furious 6," $4.7 million ($11.2 million international).

7. "The Internship," $3.43 million ($3.2 million international).

8. "The Purge," $3.41 million ($1.1 million international).

9. "Star Trek: Into Darkness," $3 million ($4.9 million international).

10. "Iron Man 3," $2.2 million ($400,000 international).

___

Estimated weekend ticket sales at international theaters (excluding the U.S. and Canada) for films distributed overseas by Hollywood studios, according to Rentrak:

1. "Man of Steel," $89 million.

2. "Monsters University," $54.5 million.

3. "World War Z," $45.8 million.

4. "After Earth," $13.4 million.

5. "Fast & Furious 6," $11.2 million.

6. "The Hangover Part III," $8.6 million.

7. "Now You See Me," $6.6 million.

8. "Despicable Me 2," $6.4 million.

9. "The Great Gatsby," $5.5 million.

10. "Star Trek: Into Darkness," $4.9 million.

___

Follow AP Entertainment Writer Sandy Cohen on Twitter: www.twitter.com/APSandy .

___

Universal and Focus are owned by NBC Universal, a unit of Comcast Corp.; Sony, Columbia, Sony Screen Gems and Sony Pictures Classics are units of Sony Corp.; Paramount is owned by Viacom Inc.; Disney, Pixar and Marvel are owned by The Walt Disney Co.; Miramax is owned by Filmyard Holdings LLC; 20th Century Fox and Fox Searchlight are owned by News Corp.; Warner Bros. and New Line are units of Time Warner Inc.; MGM is owned by a group of former creditors including Highland Capital, Anchorage Advisors and Carl Icahn; Lionsgate is owned by Lions Gate Entertainment Corp.; IFC is owned by AMC Networks Inc.; Rogue is owned by Relativity Media LLC.

Associated Press

Source: http://hosted2.ap.org/APDEFAULT/f70471f764144b2fab526d39972d37b3/Article_2013-06-23-Box%20Office/id-3f4791da00824a0e8845575db8a96062

Kyle Long

13 feared dead in bus crash in Montenegro

PODGORICA, Montenegro (AP) ? Officials say at least 13 people were killed and several were injured when a bus swayed off a bridge and plunged into a deep ravine in central Montenegro on Sunday.

Local Public Attorney Vojislav Grujic said the bus crashed some 30 kilometers north of the capital Podgorica. He said it is still unclear whether the bus is Romanian or Ukrainian.

The nationality of the passengers was not given.

Police said the bus plunged from a bridge over the Moraca river during a rain storm and crashed some 40 meters into the ravine. A helicopter was used in the rescue operation mounted by Montenegro police.

Source: http://news.yahoo.com/13-feared-dead-bus-crash-montenegro-175948989.html

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Champions needed for an Order of Peace Keepers and Guardians

I'm currently seeking more players for a revered order of champions and peacekeepers on a planet within the Multiverse Roleplay. Characters of all nature are welcome. The Patronus order may be steeped in honor and sacrifice, but it is compromised of individuals with their own minds, desires, and morality that may or may not fall in line with that of the order. Members could be valiant and noble champions, misguided zealots, or perhaps criminals looking to bring the order down from the inside.

Though the Patronus order is largely comprised of fantasy based characters, the Multiverse is a sandbox style RP in which all genres are welcomed and embraced in a mixup of realms and worlds spanning between archaic and primitive to highly fantastical lands, and over to sci-fi and everything else in between.

If you have any further questions, please don't hesitate to contact me via this thread or PM.


5 years ago


Bound together by a common cause, The Patronus grew to its prime at the peak of the Orsa of Terminus' rise to power. With its sworn foe defeated these legendary warriors have scattered across the verse to resume their lives, but old ties are not easily severed. With a kinship forged through blood and sacrifice, perhaps these champions of old only await a time when Terra might have need of their strength once more, a time where one might call them back together again.

Present


Image
The call has been sounded across the realms for all with a heroes heart. Whether you be old, young, veteran, novice, or wayward soul in need of new beginnings, all with the seed of a champion within them will feel the tug of the resonating call. The compulsion to seek out the temple from your dreams calls you northward into the icy peaks of Aslund on the planet of Terra.

The Patronus is an order of peace keepers sworn to the defense of Terra. Warriors, scholars, ambassadors, teachers, heroes and even reformed criminals, the patroni come from all walks of life before swearing off home and country in favor of a deeper purpose. Though The Patronus exists outside of the authority of any singular governmental body and maintains a stance of neutrality on matters of political strife, its members frequently serve in the capacity of ambassadors and negotiators to assist in stemming conflicts.

The Patronus is comprised of several branches and splinter groups all across Terra; though, its primary place of operation is located within the Icy Peaks of Aslund. The temple situated atop the snowy mountains was built to honor the fallen heroes who lay down their lives for Terra and it serves both as a place of remembrance and as a symbol of hope where new patronri are trained to one day join the ranks of these venerable champions.

Though once a prominent and revered order, The Patronus has only just begun to regain its former presence within Terra. With a life-long service that spans generations of blood and sacrifice, this order still commands a great deal of respect, but its global influence has waned with the years. Will this ancient and archaic order rise to the challenge of claiming a place for itself in a changing world, or will it succumb to the ravages of time and fading memories.

Source: http://feedproxy.google.com/~r/RolePlayGateway/~3/WC8Ut_JhSHk/viewtopic.php

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Pa. girl who fought for lung transplant now awake

PHILADELPHIA (AP) ? A spokeswoman for the family of a 10-year-old Pennsylvania girl who underwent a double-lung transplant after a national debate over the process of getting the organs says the girl has awakened from a coma and is communicating by nodding to questions.

Tracy Simon says Sarah Murnaghan was awake Friday and responding to simple questions by nodding to indicate yes or no. Two days earlier, she was moved from a heavy-duty breathing machine to a traditional ventilator.

Sarah, of Newtown Square, suffers from severe cystic fibrosis. She underwent a six-hour operation after a judge intervened and gave her a chance at the list of organs from adult donors, not just child donors.

Simon says Sarah's family is optimistic with the latest progress, but Sarah is frustrated because she can't talk yet.

Source: http://news.yahoo.com/pa-girl-fought-lung-transplant-now-awake-122708877.html

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Wing walker, pilot die in crash at Ohio air show

CINCINNATI (AP) ? The plane that crashed at an Ohio air show, killing the pilot and stunt walker, is registered to a veteran wing walker.

Federal records show that the Boeing Stearman biplane that crashed Saturday at the Vectren Air Show near Dayton was registered to Jane Wicker of Loudon, Va.

The Federal Aviation Administration says Wicker was also a contract employee who worked as an FAA budget analyst.

An FAA official says the kind of aircraft that crashed was heavily used for pilot training during World War II.

The plane turned upside-down as Wicker sat on top of the wing before it titled and crashed into the ground, bursting into flames.

The air show canceled the rest of Saturday's events after the crash but planned to resume Sunday.

Source: http://news.yahoo.com/wing-walker-pilot-die-crash-ohio-air-show-191655523.html

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Eternal Sunshine of the Bionic Mind: Prosthesis Could Restore Memory

NEW YORK ? In the film "Eternal Sunshine of the Spotless Mind," the characters undergo a scientific procedure to erase their memory. But what if instead of erasing memory, you could restore it? One neuroscientist aims to do just that.

Theodore Berger of the University of Southern California is developing a prosthesis to restore memory, by replacing a circuit in the brain's hippocampus. Berger described the device at the Global Future 2045 International Congress, held here June 15-16. Already successful in rats and monkeys, the prosthesis is now being tested in humans.

Memory machine

The hippocampus, a brain structure tucked deep in the brain's temporal lobe, converts short-term memories to long-term ones. Epilepsy or other neurological disorders can damage the hippocampus, preventing a person from retaining new memories. [5 Crazy Technologies That Are Revolutionizing Biotech]

The device Berger and his colleagues are developing could replace parts of a damaged hippocampus, and even enhance an intact one. A tiny chip of electrodes implanted in the hippocampus records signals representing a short-term memory; the signals are sent to a computer that mathematically transforms them into a long-term memory; and signals representing the long-term memory are sent to a second set of electrodes that stimulates another layer of the hippocampus.

The point of the device is not to identify individual memories, but to learn how they are transformed into long-term memory. "It's like learning rules for translation," Berger said, adding that the memories are like words, and the mathematical transformation is like a translator.

Berger's team tested the device in rats trained in a simple memory task. Each rat (with the prosthesis) was placed in a chamber with two levers. First, the lever on just one side was presented, and the rat would push it. After a short waiting period, the levers on both sides would appear, and if the rat pushed the opposite lever from the one it pushed before, the rat got a sip of water. Performing the task successfully required the rat to remember which lever it pushed originally.

To test their memory prosthesis, the researchers injected some of these rats with a drug that impaired the rats' natural memory function, and tested the animals in the lever experiment. The rats were still able to push the correct lever to receive their drink, suggesting they were able to form new memories. In other words, the rats' brain implant was remembering for them.

Remarkably, the researchers found that the prosthesis could enhance memory function in rats even when they hadn't been given the drug that impaired their memory.

Replacement recall

Berger's team found that the device was similarly effective when they tested it in monkeys. The researchers are now running a human trial on patients with epilepsy. They haven't gotten much data yet, Berger said, but he thinks it will be fascinating.

Figuring out how to mathematically transform a short-term memory into a long-term one is a major challenge, Berger said ? you only have one shot at getting it right.

The brain's adaptability, or plasticity, is going to be hugely important for the device's effectiveness in humans, Berger said. "There's going to be more influence of the human on the device than the device on the human."

Ultimately, the hope is that memory prostheses could restore or enhance human memory. But the philosophical implications of meddling with memory are immense: If humans could control memories, could they also alter them? Could memories be decoded and used as evidence in a courtroom? And could people erase memories and replace them with new ones altogether? For now, at least, these are questions for the future.

Follow Tanya Lewis on Twitterand Google+.?Follow us @livescience, Facebook& Google+. Original article on?LiveScience.com.

Copyright 2013 LiveScience, a TechMediaNetwork company. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten or redistributed.

Source: http://news.yahoo.com/eternal-sunshine-bionic-mind-prosthesis-could-restore-memory-142110542.html

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Zimmerman jurors begin life in sequestration

SANFORD, Fla. (AP) ? The six jurors and four alternates who will hear opening statements Monday in George Zimmerman's murder trial are beginning their time together in a sequestered bubble: They won't return to their homes for weeks, contact with family and friends will be limited, and Internet and phone usage is restricted.

Court officials are keeping mum about the details of the jury sequestration, which begins this week. But if past cases are any example, the Zimmerman jurors won't be able to tweet or blog. They'll read only newspapers that have been censored of anything dealing with the case. They will do almost everything together as a group. In their hotel rooms, TV news channels will be inaccessible and landline telephones likely will be removed. Deputies will keep the jurors' cellphones and give them back once a day so they can call loved ones and friends.

Prosecutors and defense attorneys say the sequestration is necessary to eliminate jurors' exposure to outside influences as they consider whether the neighborhood watch volunteer committed murder last year when he fatally shot 17-year-old Trayvon Martin. After spending almost two weeks picking a jury, the attorneys will make opening statements Monday.

"Your contact with the outside world will be severely limited," prosecutor Bernie de la Rionda warned potential jurors last week.

Potential jurors looked surprised and glum as the details sank in. One potential juror, a woman who wasn't picked, asked whether court sessions would be held seven days a week during the trial since jurors weren't going to go home. Circuit Judge Debra Nelson said, "No."

"So everyone else will get to go home on weekends but us?" the potential juror asked.

The judge answered "yes" and tried to reassure potential jurors that they wouldn't be cooped up in hotel rooms when not at the Seminole County Courthouse in Sanford. Nelson explained that their meals, transportation and personal needs would be taken care of.

"There will be planned activities for you," the judge said.

The Seminole County's Clerk of Courts has budgeted $150 per person per day to cover room, board and entertainment for the length of the trial, said Maryanne Morse, the clerk. Given that it could last from two weeks to a month, the total cost of sequestration could range from $21,000 to $45,000. That doesn't include the cost of keeping deputies assigned to the group for security.

Court spokeswoman Michelle Kennedy wouldn't comment on the details or logistics of sequestration, or even how jurors will be spend the Fourth of July.

"Their comfort is going to be our top priority," Kennedy said.

A 2007 survey for the National Center for State Courts said that about a quarter of state trials have sequestered juries. But NCSC analyst Gregory Hurley said that number is unreliable since "sequester" wasn't clearly defined, and there was some confusion about its definition. Some respondents defined the term "sequestered" to include deliberations in which the jury was kept together during routine breaks but not overnight.

The six jurors and four alternates in Zimmerman's trial were whittled down from a pool of 40 candidates who had made it into a second round of interviews after questions about their views on firearms, self-defense and crime. The jurors are all women, and the alternates are two men and two women. Their identities are not being released to protect their privacy.

Zimmerman, 29, says he acted in self-defense in shooting Martin in the central Florida community of Sanford, where Zimmerman lived.

Martin's shooting death on Feb. 26, 2012 ? and the initial decision not to charge him ? led to public outrage and demonstrations around the nation, with some accusing Sanford police of failing to thoroughly investigate the shooting.

Prosecutors have said Zimmerman, while a neighborhood watch volunteer for his community, profiled the black teenager as Martin walked back from a convenience store to the home of his father's fiancee. Zimmerman identifies himself as Hispanic.

In 2011, just about 20 miles from the court in Seminole County, the Orange County Courthouse in downtown Orlando sequestered jurors in another high-profile case: the Casey Anthony murder trial. Jurors were sequestered for six weeks in 2011 as they listened to testimony about the young mother charged with killing her 2-year-old daughter. Anthony was acquitted of murder.

The Anthony jury was almost twice the size of the Zimmerman jury. The trial went on twice as long as the Zimmerman trial is expected to last. In Florida, 12 jurors are required only for criminal trials involving capital cases, when the death penalty is on the table if there's a conviction.

In picking a hotel for the Anthony jurors, court officials in Orange County wanted laundry facilities, a gym so jurors could exercise, and a private dining area where they could eat most meals out of the public's view, said courts spokeswoman Karen Levey. When jurors went to local restaurants for lunch or dinner, it was only at places with private dining areas. Televisions were turned off, and newspapers were removed.

Jurors were allowed to watch movie DVDs in their hotel rooms, but the movies had to be approved by prosecutors and defense attorneys. The crime thriller "Primal Fear" didn't make the cut. Neither did Ice Cube's "Are We There Yet?" The cable provider to the hotel reconfigured the televisions in the jurors' hotel rooms to eliminate news programs. But as attention to the trial grew, promotions about trial coverage started popping up on channels that previously had been deemed safe and those also were removed from jurors' selection, Levey said.

By the end of the trial, only one channel remained: the Home Shopping Network.

___

Follow Mike Schneider on Twitter at http://www.twitter.com/MikeSchneiderAP

Source: http://news.yahoo.com/zimmerman-jurors-begin-life-sequestration-134044980.html

texas news kim mulkey

Sunday, June 23, 2013

Brazil: 150K protest against govt corruption

SAO PAULO (AP) ? About 150,000 anti-government demonstrators again took to streets in several Brazilian cities Saturday and engaged police in some isolated, intense conflicts. Anger over political corruption emerged as the unifying issue for the demonstrators, who vowed to stay in the streets until concrete steps are taken to reform the political system.

Across Brazil, protesters gathered to denounce legislation, known as PEC 37, that would limit the power of federal prosecutors to investigate crimes ? which many fear would hinder attempts to jail corrupt politicians.

Federal prosecutors were behind the investigation into the biggest corruption case in Brazil's history, the so-called "mensalao" cash-for-votes scheme that came to light in 2005 and involved top aides of former President Luiz Inacio Lula da Silva buying off members of congress to vote for their legislation.

Last year, the supreme court condemned two dozen people in connection to the case, which was hailed as a watershed moment in Brazil's fight against corruption. However, those condemned have yet to be jailed because of appeals, a delay that has enraged Brazilians.

The protests continued despite a prime-time speech the night before from President Dilma Rousseff, a former leftist guerrilla who was tortured during Brazil's military dictatorship. She tried to appease demonstrators by reiterating that peaceful protests were a welcome, democratic action and emphasizing that she would not condone corruption in her government.

"Dilma is underestimating the resolve of the people on the corruption issue," said Mayara Fernandes, a medical student who took part in a march Saturday in Sao Paulo. "She talked and talked and said nothing. Nobody can take the corruption of this country anymore."

The wave of protests began as opposition to transportation fare hikes, then became a laundry list of causes including anger at high taxes, poor services and high World Cup spending, before coalescing around the issue of rampant government corruption. They have become the largest public demonstrations Latin America's biggest nation has seen in two decades.

Across Brazil, police estimated that about 60,000 demonstrators gathered in a central square in the city of Belo Horizonte, 30,000 shut down a main business avenue in Sao Paulo, and another 30,000 gathered in the city in southern Brazil where a nightclub fire killed over 240 mostly university students, deaths many argued could have been avoided with better government oversight of fire laws. Thousands more protested in dozens of Brazilian cities.

In Belo Horizonte, police used tear gas and rubber bullets to disperse protesters who tried to pass through a barrier and hurled rocks at a car dealership. Salvador also saw protests turn violent.

During her pre-recorded TV speech, Rousseff promised that she would always battle corruption and that she would meet with peaceful protesters, governors and the mayors of big cities to create a national plan to improve urban transportation and use oil royalties for investments in education.

Many Brazilians, shocked by a week of protests and violence, hoped that Rousseff's words after several days of silence from the leader would soothe tensions and help avoid more violence, but not all were convinced by her promises of action.

Victoria Villela, a 21-year-old university who joined the crowd, said she was "frustrated and exhausted by the endless corruption of our government."

"It was good Dilma spoke, but this movement has moved too far, there was not much she could really say. All my friends were talking on Facebook about how she said nothing that satisfied them. I think the protests are going to continue for a long time and the crowds will still be huge."

Around her, fathers held young boys aloft on their shoulders, older women gathered in clusters with their faces bearing yellow and green stripes, the colors of Brazil's flag.

In the northeastern city of Salvador, where Brazil's national football team played Italy and won 4-2 in a Confederations Cup match, some 5,000 protesters gathered about 3 miles (5 kilometers) from the stadium, shouting demands for better schools and transportation and denouncing heavy spending on next year's World Cup.

They blocked a main road and clashed with riot police who moved in to clear the street. Protesters said police used rubber bullets and even tossed tear gas canisters from a helicopter hovering overhead. The protesters scattered and fled to a nearby shopping mall, where they tried to take shelter in an underground parking garage.

"We sat down and the police came and asked us to free up one lane for traffic. As we were organizing our group to do just that, the police lost their patience and began to shoot at us and throw (tear gas) canisters," said Rodrigo Dorado.

That was exactly the type of conflict Rousseff said needed to end, not just so Brazilians could begin a peaceful national discussion about corruption but because much of the violence is taking place in cities hosting foreign tourists attending the Confederations Cup.

Brazil's news media, which had blasted Rousseff in recent days for her lack of response to the protests, seemed largely unimpressed with her careful speech, but noted the difficult situation facing a government trying to understand a mass movement with no central leaders and a flood of demands.

With "no objective information about the nature of the organization of the protests," wrote Igor Gielow in a column for Brazil's biggest newspaper, Folha de S. Paulo, "Dilma resorted to an innocuous speech to cool down spirits."

At its height, some 1 million anti-government demonstrators took to the streets nationwide on Thursday night with grievances ranging from public services to the billions of dollars spent preparing for international sports events.

Outside the stadium in Belo Horizonte where Mexico and Japan met in a Confederations Cup game, Dadiana Gamaleliel, a 32-year-old physiotherapist, held up a banner that read: "Not against the games, in favor of the nation."

"I am protesting on behalf of the whole nation because this must be a nation where people have a voice ... we don't have a voice anymore," she said.

She said Rousseff's speech wouldn't "change anything."

"She spoke in a general way and didn't say what she would do," she said. "We will continue this until we are heard."

___

Associated press writers Tales Azzoni and Ricardo Zuniga in Salvador, Stan Lehman in Sao Paulo and Rob Harris in Belo Horizonte contributed to this report

Source: http://news.yahoo.com/brazil-150k-protest-against-govt-corruption-235445043.html

David Boudia David Rakoff Bourne Legacy London 2012 Soccer Olympics closing ceremony PGA Championship 2012 John Witherspoon

Ohio air show resumes after stuntwoman, pilot die

CINCINNATI (AP) ? An air show in southwestern Ohio reopened with a moment of silence Sunday, a day after a pilot and wing walker died in a horrifying, fiery crash in front of thousands of spectators.

The Vectren Air Show near Dayton, which closed right after Saturday's crash, resumed Sunday in honor of pilot Charlie Schwenker and veteran stuntwoman Jane Wicker, both of Virginia.

"As a pilot, you accept the fact that accidents do happen ? it's an accepted risk we take," said John King, president of the Flying Circus Airshow, which had trained Wicker.

"They were both dedicated to flying and the act. They were true, ultimate professionals," King said. "I don't know of anyone who could have done any better than what they were doing."

Wicker and Schwenker were killed when their plane crashed in front of spectators who screamed in shock as the aircraft became engulfed in flames. No one else was hurt.

Video of the crash showed their plane gliding through the sky before abruptly rolled over, crashing and exploding into flames. Wicker, performing at the Dayton show for the first time, had been sitting atop the 450 HP Stearmans.

The decision to resume the show a day after the crash was an emotional one supported by Wicker's ex-husband, said air show general manager Brenda Kerfoot.

"He said, 'This is what Jane and Charlie would have wanted,'" Kerfoot said. "'They want you to have a safe show and go out there and do what you do best.'"

Wicker, 44, who lived in Bristow, Va., was a mother of two boys and engaged to be married, Kerfoot said.

"She was a well-rounded, delightful woman who was passionate about aviation," said Kerfoot. "She was in the business for a very long time and was well-loved by the air show community; she would certainly have wanted the show to go on."

Schwenker, 64, of Oakton, Va., was married.

The cause of the crash is unclear and the conclusion of an investigation by the National Transportation Safety Board likely will take months. The NTSB planned a mid-afternoon news conference Sunday to discuss the accident.

Wicker's website says she responded to a classified ad from the Flying Circus Airshow in Bealeton, Va., in 1990, for a wing-walking position, thinking it would be fun. She was a contract employee who worked as a Federal Aviation Administration budget analyst, the FAA said.

In one post on Wicker's site, the stuntwoman explains what she loved most about her job.

"There is nothing that feels more exhilarating or freer to me than the wind and sky rushing by me as the earth rolls around my head," the post says. "I'm alive up there. To soar like a bird and touch the sky puts me in a place where I feel I totally belong. It's the only thing I've done that I've never questioned, never hesitated about and always felt was my destiny."

She also answered a question she said she got frequently: What about the risk?

"I feel safer on the wing of my airplane than I do driving to the airport," she wrote. "Why? Because I'm in control of those risks and not at the mercy of those other drivers."

A program for the air show touted Wicker as a performer of "heart-stopping" feats who did moves that "no other wing walker is brave enough to try."

"Wing riding is not for this damsel; her wing walking style is the real thing," the program said. "With no safety line and no parachute, Jane amazes the crowd by climbing, walking, and hanging all over her beautiful ... aircraft.

"Spectators are sure to gasp as this daredevil demonstrates in true form the unbelievable art of wing walking," it says.

On the video of the crash, an announcer narrates as Wicker's plane glides through the air.

"Keep an eye on Jane. Keep an eye on Charlie. Watch this! Jane Wicker, sitting on top of the world," the announcer said, right before the plane makes a quick turn and nosedive.

Some spectators said they knew something was wrong because the plane was flying low and slow.

Thanh Tran, of Fairfield, said he could see a look of concern on Wicker's face just before the plane went down.

"She looked very scared," he said. "Then the airplane crashed on the ground. After that, it was terrible, man ... very terrible."

In 2011, wing walker Todd Green fell 200 feet to his death at an air show in Michigan while performing a stunt in which he grabbed the skid of a helicopter.

In 2007, veteran stunt pilot Jim LeRoy was killed at the Dayton show when his biplane slammed into the runway while performing loop-to-loops and caught fire.

Still, King said, in the four decades since Flying Circus started, many kids have been so inspired watching the show that they later became military and commercial pilots.

"Our show takes them back to the barnstorming era of air shows," he said. "It's amazing how many people have taken up aviation careers because of their first exposure to the Flying Circus."

___

Associated Press writer Verena Dobnik in New York contributed to this report.

___

Follow Amanda Lee Myers on Twitter at https://twitter.com/AmandaLeeAP

Source: http://news.yahoo.com/ohio-air-show-resumes-stuntwoman-pilot-die-131204772.html

JJ Watt jerry sandusky raul ibanez completely wrong hayden panettiere stacey dash christopher columbus

Music News Headlines - Yahoo! News

Music News Headlines - Yahoo! Newshttp://news.yahoo.com/music/ Get the latest Music news headlines from Yahoo! News. Find breaking Music news, including analysis and opinion on top Music stories, photos and more.en-USCopyright (c) 2013 Yahoo! Inc. All rights reservedThu, 20 Jun 2013 13:18:04 -04005Music News Headlines - Yahoo! Newshttp://news.yahoo.com/music/ http://l.yimg.com/a/i/us/nws/th/main_142c.gifSyria war forces music festival from Lebanon's Roman ruins<p><a href="http://news.yahoo.com/syria-war-forces-music-festival-lebanons-roman-ruins-171804322.html"><img src="http://l.yimg.com/bt/api/res/1.2/.4Op1hA0fzP_PfbDmvm2EA--/YXBwaWQ9eW5ld3M7Zmk9ZmlsbDtoPTg2O3E9ODU7dz0xMzA-/http://media.zenfs.com/en_us/News/Reuters/2013-06-20T171804Z_2_CBRE95J1C1R00_RTROPTP_2_CENTERTAINMENT-US-SYRIA-CRISIS-LEBANON-FESTIVAL.JPG" width="130" height="86" alt="An army soldier mans a checkpoint in the town of Arsal, in the eastern Bekaa Valley" align="left" title="An army soldier mans a checkpoint in the town of Arsal, in the eastern Bekaa Valley" border="0" /></a>By Laila Bassam BEIRUT (Reuters) - Lebanon&#039;s annual Baalbek music festival has been forced to move from its usual venue among Roman ruins in the Bekaa Valley because of rocket fire and a spillover of fighting from Syria, organizers said on Thursday. Baalbek is a stronghold of the Lebanese Shi&#039;ite militant group Hezbollah, which is fighting across the border alongside its ally Syrian President Bashar al-Assad against a two-year-old rebel uprising. ...</p><br clear="all"/>http://news.yahoo.com/syria-war-forces-music-festival-lebanons-roman-ruins-171804322.htmlThu, 20 Jun 2013 13:18:04 -0400Reuterssyria-war-forces-music-festival-lebanons-roman-ruins-171804322<p><a href="http://news.yahoo.com/syria-war-forces-music-festival-lebanons-roman-ruins-171804322.html"><img src="http://l.yimg.com/bt/api/res/1.2/.4Op1hA0fzP_PfbDmvm2EA--/YXBwaWQ9eW5ld3M7Zmk9ZmlsbDtoPTg2O3E9ODU7dz0xMzA-/http://media.zenfs.com/en_us/News/Reuters/2013-06-20T171804Z_2_CBRE95J1C1R00_RTROPTP_2_CENTERTAINMENT-US-SYRIA-CRISIS-LEBANON-FESTIVAL.JPG" width="130" height="86" alt="An army soldier mans a checkpoint in the town of Arsal, in the eastern Bekaa Valley" align="left" title="An army soldier mans a checkpoint in the town of Arsal, in the eastern Bekaa Valley" border="0" /></a>By Laila Bassam BEIRUT (Reuters) - Lebanon&#039;s annual Baalbek music festival has been forced to move from its usual venue among Roman ruins in the Bekaa Valley because of rocket fire and a spillover of fighting from Syria, organizers said on Thursday. Baalbek is a stronghold of the Lebanese Shi&#039;ite militant group Hezbollah, which is fighting across the border alongside its ally Syrian President Bashar al-Assad against a two-year-old rebel uprising. ...</p><br clear="all"/>Palestinians step up campaign for Gaza "Arab Idol" star<p><a href="http://news.yahoo.com/palestinians-step-campaign-gaza-arab-idol-star-103735349.html"><img src="http://l.yimg.com/bt/api/res/1.2/IfvPzYTD6zVCM5QjN4h7bA--/YXBwaWQ9eW5ld3M7Zmk9ZmlsbDtoPTg2O3E9ODU7dz0xMzA-/http://media.zenfs.com/en_us/News/Reuters/2013-06-20T103735Z_1_CBRE95J0TJ300_RTROPTP_2_TELEVISION-US-PALESTINIANS-GAZA-IDOL.JPG" width="130" height="86" alt="A banner depicting Mohammed Assaf, a contestant in Arab Idol, hangs from poles in the West Bank city of Ramallah" align="left" title="A banner depicting Mohammed Assaf, a contestant in Arab Idol, hangs from poles in the West Bank city of Ramallah" border="0" /></a>By Nidal al-Mughrabi GAZA (Reuters) - Palestinian fans and big business are rallying behind a 22-year-old singer from the Gaza Strip in a final push to vote him the next &quot;Arab Idol&quot; in a TV talent contest choosing a winner in Beirut on Saturday. Mohammed Assaf is the first Palestinian to qualify for &quot;Arab Idol&quot;, the Middle East&#039;s version of &quot;American Idol&quot;, in which contestants perform for judges and voting viewers. ...</p><br clear="all"/>http://news.yahoo.com/palestinians-step-campaign-gaza-arab-idol-star-103735349.htmlThu, 20 Jun 2013 06:37:35 -0400Reuterspalestinians-step-campaign-gaza-arab-idol-star-103735349<p><a href="http://news.yahoo.com/palestinians-step-campaign-gaza-arab-idol-star-103735349.html"><img src="http://l.yimg.com/bt/api/res/1.2/IfvPzYTD6zVCM5QjN4h7bA--/YXBwaWQ9eW5ld3M7Zmk9ZmlsbDtoPTg2O3E9ODU7dz0xMzA-/http://media.zenfs.com/en_us/News/Reuters/2013-06-20T103735Z_1_CBRE95J0TJ300_RTROPTP_2_TELEVISION-US-PALESTINIANS-GAZA-IDOL.JPG" width="130" height="86" alt="A banner depicting Mohammed Assaf, a contestant in Arab Idol, hangs from poles in the West Bank city of Ramallah" align="left" title="A banner depicting Mohammed Assaf, a contestant in Arab Idol, hangs from poles in the West Bank city of Ramallah" border="0" /></a>By Nidal al-Mughrabi GAZA (Reuters) - Palestinian fans and big business are rallying behind a 22-year-old singer from the Gaza Strip in a final push to vote him the next &quot;Arab Idol&quot; in a TV talent contest choosing a winner in Beirut on Saturday. Mohammed Assaf is the first Palestinian to qualify for &quot;Arab Idol&quot;, the Middle East&#039;s version of &quot;American Idol&quot;, in which contestants perform for judges and voting viewers. ...</p><br clear="all"/>Has Jay-Z's 'Magna Carta Holy Grail' Album Gone Platinum Before Its Release?<p><a href="http://news.yahoo.com/jay-zs-magna-carta-holy-grail-album-gone-202230669.html"><img src="http://l2.yimg.com/bt/api/res/1.2/_A3sJfi_EK9UR6mQ8mi16g--/YXBwaWQ9eW5ld3M7Zmk9ZmlsbDtoPTg2O3E9ODU7dz0xMzA-/http://media.zenfs.com/en_us/News/Reuters/2013-06-19T202230Z_1_CBRE95I1KLS00_RTROPTP_2_MUSIC-US-JAYZ-PLATINUM.JPG" width="130" height="86" alt="Rapper Jay-Z attends &#039;The Great Gatsby&#039; world premiere in New York" align="left" title="Rapper Jay-Z attends &#039;The Great Gatsby&#039; world premiere in New York" border="0" /></a>By Tony Maglio LOS ANGELES (TheWrap.com) - Jay-Z once spit, &quot;I deserve platinum plaques, to match my bezel.&quot; And while the rapper&#039;s got a bunch of those (and plenty of bezels), after Samsung announced it would purchase a million copies of his new album &quot;Magna Carta Holy Grail,&quot; is there another platinum disc in the mail already? The answer is &quot;not yet,&quot; according to a music industry insider. A record cannot be certified platinum (or gold, or multiplatinum) before it&#039;s out, regardless of presale numbers. ...</p><br clear="all"/>http://news.yahoo.com/jay-zs-magna-carta-holy-grail-album-gone-202230669.htmlWed, 19 Jun 2013 17:01:33 -0400Reutersjay-zs-magna-carta-holy-grail-album-gone-202230669<p><a href="http://news.yahoo.com/jay-zs-magna-carta-holy-grail-album-gone-202230669.html"><img src="http://l2.yimg.com/bt/api/res/1.2/_A3sJfi_EK9UR6mQ8mi16g--/YXBwaWQ9eW5ld3M7Zmk9ZmlsbDtoPTg2O3E9ODU7dz0xMzA-/http://media.zenfs.com/en_us/News/Reuters/2013-06-19T202230Z_1_CBRE95I1KLS00_RTROPTP_2_MUSIC-US-JAYZ-PLATINUM.JPG" width="130" height="86" alt="Rapper Jay-Z attends &#039;The Great Gatsby&#039; world premiere in New York" align="left" title="Rapper Jay-Z attends &#039;The Great Gatsby&#039; world premiere in New York" border="0" /></a>By Tony Maglio LOS ANGELES (TheWrap.com) - Jay-Z once spit, &quot;I deserve platinum plaques, to match my bezel.&quot; And while the rapper&#039;s got a bunch of those (and plenty of bezels), after Samsung announced it would purchase a million copies of his new album &quot;Magna Carta Holy Grail,&quot; is there another platinum disc in the mail already? The answer is &quot;not yet,&quot; according to a music industry insider. A record cannot be certified platinum (or gold, or multiplatinum) before it&#039;s out, regardless of presale numbers. ...</p><br clear="all"/>After four decades, Black Sabbath tops U.S. album chart<p><a href="http://news.yahoo.com/four-decades-black-sabbath-tops-u-album-chart-192256344.html"><img src="http://l2.yimg.com/bt/api/res/1.2/OTdoOt_pmvj3SWFsJP_A8w--/YXBwaWQ9eW5ld3M7Zmk9ZmlsbDtoPTg2O3E9ODU7dz0xMzA-/http://media.zenfs.com/en_us/News/Reuters/2013-06-19T192256Z_1_CBRE95I1HUH00_RTROPTP_2_CENTERTAINMENT-US-BLACKSABBATH-CHARTS.JPG" width="130" height="86" alt="Original members of the rock band Black Sabbath announce their reunion in Los Angeles" align="left" title="Original members of the rock band Black Sabbath announce their reunion in Los Angeles" border="0" /></a>By Piya Sinha-Roy LOS ANGELES (Reuters) - Veteran heavy-metal band Black Sabbath landed its first No. 1 album on the Billboard 200 album chart on Wednesday, more than four decades after the rockers debuted their first album in the United States. &quot;13,&quot; the 19th studio album from Black Sabbath, sold 155,000 copies in its first week, according to figures from Nielsen SoundScan, knocking last week&#039;s No. 1 album by Queens of the Stone Age off the top spot on the weekly U.S. album chart. ...</p><br clear="all"/>http://news.yahoo.com/four-decades-black-sabbath-tops-u-album-chart-192256344.htmlWed, 19 Jun 2013 15:22:56 -0400Reutersfour-decades-black-sabbath-tops-u-album-chart-192256344<p><a href="http://news.yahoo.com/four-decades-black-sabbath-tops-u-album-chart-192256344.html"><img src="http://l2.yimg.com/bt/api/res/1.2/OTdoOt_pmvj3SWFsJP_A8w--/YXBwaWQ9eW5ld3M7Zmk9ZmlsbDtoPTg2O3E9ODU7dz0xMzA-/http://media.zenfs.com/en_us/News/Reuters/2013-06-19T192256Z_1_CBRE95I1HUH00_RTROPTP_2_CENTERTAINMENT-US-BLACKSABBATH-CHARTS.JPG" width="130" height="86" alt="Original members of the rock band Black Sabbath announce their reunion in Los Angeles" align="left" title="Original members of the rock band Black Sabbath announce their reunion in Los Angeles" border="0" /></a>By Piya Sinha-Roy LOS ANGELES (Reuters) - Veteran heavy-metal band Black Sabbath landed its first No. 1 album on the Billboard 200 album chart on Wednesday, more than four decades after the rockers debuted their first album in the United States. &quot;13,&quot; the 19th studio album from Black Sabbath, sold 155,000 copies in its first week, according to figures from Nielsen SoundScan, knocking last week&#039;s No. 1 album by Queens of the Stone Age off the top spot on the weekly U.S. album chart. ...</p><br clear="all"/>Rolling Stones release back catalogue on iTunes<p><a href="http://news.yahoo.com/rolling-stones-release-back-catalogue-itunes-163852923.html"><img src="http://l1.yimg.com/bt/api/res/1.2/.CDjKdF1LqdHDcfs0EN5oQ--/YXBwaWQ9eW5ld3M7Zmk9ZmlsbDtoPTg2O3E9ODU7dz0xMzA-/http://media.zenfs.com/en_us/News/Reuters/2013-06-19T163852Z_1_CBRE95I1A9F00_RTROPTP_2_CENTERTAINMENT-US-ROLLINGSTONES-ITUNES.JPG" width="130" height="86" alt="Members of the Rolling Stones perform at a concert during the band&#039;s &quot;50 and Counting&quot; tour in Chicago" align="left" title="Members of the Rolling Stones perform at a concert during the band&#039;s &quot;50 and Counting&quot; tour in Chicago" border="0" /></a>LONDON (Reuters) - The Rolling Stones released a career-spanning digitally re-mastered back catalogue on Apple Inc&#039;s iTunes Store on Wednesday as part of their 50th anniversary celebrations. The new iTunes release chronicles the British group&#039;s entire oeuvre, from their introductory 1963 cover of Chuck Berry&#039;s &quot;Come On&quot; to last year&#039;s Greatest Hits collection &quot;GRRR!&quot;, their record label Universal Music said on Wednesday. The Rolling Stones - Mick Jagger, Keith Richards, Ronnie Wood and Charlie Watts - emerged alongside the Beatles in the early 1960s. ...</p><br clear="all"/>http://news.yahoo.com/rolling-stones-release-back-catalogue-itunes-163852923.htmlWed, 19 Jun 2013 12:38:52 -0400Reutersrolling-stones-release-back-catalogue-itunes-163852923<p><a href="http://news.yahoo.com/rolling-stones-release-back-catalogue-itunes-163852923.html"><img src="http://l1.yimg.com/bt/api/res/1.2/.CDjKdF1LqdHDcfs0EN5oQ--/YXBwaWQ9eW5ld3M7Zmk9ZmlsbDtoPTg2O3E9ODU7dz0xMzA-/http://media.zenfs.com/en_us/News/Reuters/2013-06-19T163852Z_1_CBRE95I1A9F00_RTROPTP_2_CENTERTAINMENT-US-ROLLINGSTONES-ITUNES.JPG" width="130" height="86" alt="Members of the Rolling Stones perform at a concert during the band&#039;s &quot;50 and Counting&quot; tour in Chicago" align="left" title="Members of the Rolling Stones perform at a concert during the band&#039;s &quot;50 and Counting&quot; tour in Chicago" border="0" /></a>LONDON (Reuters) - The Rolling Stones released a career-spanning digitally re-mastered back catalogue on Apple Inc&#039;s iTunes Store on Wednesday as part of their 50th anniversary celebrations. The new iTunes release chronicles the British group&#039;s entire oeuvre, from their introductory 1963 cover of Chuck Berry&#039;s &quot;Come On&quot; to last year&#039;s Greatest Hits collection &quot;GRRR!&quot;, their record label Universal Music said on Wednesday. The Rolling Stones - Mick Jagger, Keith Richards, Ronnie Wood and Charlie Watts - emerged alongside the Beatles in the early 1960s. ...</p><br clear="all"/>Jeremy Jordan's Followup to 'Smash' Begins Production With Anna Kendrick as Co-Star<p><a href="http://news.yahoo.com/jeremy-jordans-followup-smash-begins-production-anna-kendrick-225249826.html"><img src="http://l2.yimg.com/bt/api/res/1.2/rvib897IPBDLCbD88IUM2A--/YXBwaWQ9eW5ld3M7Zmk9ZmlsbDtoPTg2O3E9ODU7dz0xMzA-/http://media.zenfs.com/en_us/News/Reuters/2013-06-19T225249Z_1_CBRE95I1RKA00_RTROPTP_2_MUSIC-US-THELAST5YEARS.JPG" width="130" height="86" alt="Actor Jeremy Jordan takes part in a panel discussion of NBC Universal&#039;s series &quot;Smash&quot; during the 2013 Winter Press Tour for the Television Critics Association in Pasadena, California" align="left" title="Actor Jeremy Jordan takes part in a panel discussion of NBC Universal&#039;s series &quot;Smash&quot; during the 2013 Winter Press Tour for the Television Critics Association in Pasadena, California" border="0" /></a>By Greg Gilman LOS ANGELES (TheWrap.com) - Production on Richard LaGravenese&#039;s musical adaptation of &quot;The Last 5 Years,&quot; starring Anna Kendrick and &quot;Smash&quot; star Jeremy Jordan, begins this week in New York, Lucky Monkey Pictures and Sh-K-Boom Records said Wednesday. LaGravenese(&quot;Beautiful Creatures&quot;) wrote and is directing the adaptation of Jason Robert Brown&#039;s musical of the same name, which is a deconstruction of the love affair and marriage of Cathy Hiatt (Kendrick), a struggling actress, and Jamie Wellerstein (Jordan), a rising novelist. ...</p><br clear="all"/>http://news.yahoo.com/jeremy-jordans-followup-smash-begins-production-anna-kendrick-225249826.htmlWed, 19 Jun 2013 18:52:49 -0400Reutersjeremy-jordans-followup-smash-begins-production-anna-kendrick-225249826<p><a href="http://news.yahoo.com/jeremy-jordans-followup-smash-begins-production-anna-kendrick-225249826.html"><img src="http://l2.yimg.com/bt/api/res/1.2/rvib897IPBDLCbD88IUM2A--/YXBwaWQ9eW5ld3M7Zmk9ZmlsbDtoPTg2O3E9ODU7dz0xMzA-/http://media.zenfs.com/en_us/News/Reuters/2013-06-19T225249Z_1_CBRE95I1RKA00_RTROPTP_2_MUSIC-US-THELAST5YEARS.JPG" width="130" height="86" alt="Actor Jeremy Jordan takes part in a panel discussion of NBC Universal&#039;s series &quot;Smash&quot; during the 2013 Winter Press Tour for the Television Critics Association in Pasadena, California" align="left" title="Actor Jeremy Jordan takes part in a panel discussion of NBC Universal&#039;s series &quot;Smash&quot; during the 2013 Winter Press Tour for the Television Critics Association in Pasadena, California" border="0" /></a>By Greg Gilman LOS ANGELES (TheWrap.com) - Production on Richard LaGravenese&#039;s musical adaptation of &quot;The Last 5 Years,&quot; starring Anna Kendrick and &quot;Smash&quot; star Jeremy Jordan, begins this week in New York, Lucky Monkey Pictures and Sh-K-Boom Records said Wednesday. LaGravenese(&quot;Beautiful Creatures&quot;) wrote and is directing the adaptation of Jason Robert Brown&#039;s musical of the same name, which is a deconstruction of the love affair and marriage of Cathy Hiatt (Kendrick), a struggling actress, and Jamie Wellerstein (Jordan), a rising novelist. ...</p><br clear="all"/>Kanye West wins over critics with 'daring' new album 'Yeezus'<p><a href="http://news.yahoo.com/kanye-west-wins-over-critics-daring-album-yeezus-235727395.html"><img src="http://l2.yimg.com/bt/api/res/1.2/_eS.iISvsh75DYw3sucXpg--/YXBwaWQ9eW5ld3M7Zmk9ZmlsbDtoPTg2O3E9ODU7dz0xMzA-/http://media.zenfs.com/en_us/News/Reuters/2013-06-18T235807Z_2_CBRE95H1UK700_RTROPTP_2_MUSIC-US-KANYEWEST.JPG" width="130" height="86" alt="Recording artist Kanye West attends the NBA basketball game between Miami Heat and Los Angeles Lakers in Los Angeles" align="left" title="Recording artist Kanye West attends the NBA basketball game between Miami Heat and Los Angeles Lakers in Los Angeles" border="0" /></a>By Piya Sinha-Roy LOS ANGELES (Reuters) - Rapper Kanye West pushes the boundaries of hip hop with his latest album &quot;Yeezus,&quot; using aggressive electro-dance music beats to channel his anger and win over critics, who have called the record &quot;daring&quot; and &quot;ambitious.&quot; &quot;Yeezus,&quot; the 36-year-old rapper&#039;s seventh solo studio album, has also sped to the top of the iTunes digital music chart upon its release on Tuesday, led by the single &quot;Black Skinhead. ...</p><br clear="all"/>http://news.yahoo.com/kanye-west-wins-over-critics-daring-album-yeezus-235727395.htmlTue, 18 Jun 2013 19:58:07 -0400Reuterskanye-west-wins-over-critics-daring-album-yeezus-235727395<p><a href="http://news.yahoo.com/kanye-west-wins-over-critics-daring-album-yeezus-235727395.html"><img src="http://l2.yimg.com/bt/api/res/1.2/_eS.iISvsh75DYw3sucXpg--/YXBwaWQ9eW5ld3M7Zmk9ZmlsbDtoPTg2O3E9ODU7dz0xMzA-/http://media.zenfs.com/en_us/News/Reuters/2013-06-18T235807Z_2_CBRE95H1UK700_RTROPTP_2_MUSIC-US-KANYEWEST.JPG" width="130" height="86" alt="Recording artist Kanye West attends the NBA basketball game between Miami Heat and Los Angeles Lakers in Los Angeles" align="left" title="Recording artist Kanye West attends the NBA basketball game between Miami Heat and Los Angeles Lakers in Los Angeles" border="0" /></a>By Piya Sinha-Roy LOS ANGELES (Reuters) - Rapper Kanye West pushes the boundaries of hip hop with his latest album &quot;Yeezus,&quot; using aggressive electro-dance music beats to channel his anger and win over critics, who have called the record &quot;daring&quot; and &quot;ambitious.&quot; &quot;Yeezus,&quot; the 36-year-old rapper&#039;s seventh solo studio album, has also sped to the top of the iTunes digital music chart upon its release on Tuesday, led by the single &quot;Black Skinhead. ...</p><br clear="all"/>Legendary country singer Slim Whitman dead at 90By Patricia Reaney and Tim Ghianni NEW YORK/NASHVILLE (Reuters) - Legendary country singer and songwriter Slim Whitman, known for his smooth falsetto and high-pitched yodeling talent, died in Florida on Wednesday at the age of 90, his son-in-law said. Roy Beagle, who is married to Whitman's daughter Sharon, said the singer-songwriter who was born Ottis Dewey Whitman Jr. was admitted to hospital on Tuesday. "He died last night at the Orange Park hospital at about 12:45 this morning of heart failure," Beagle told Reuters. ...http://news.yahoo.com/legendary-country-singer-slim-whitman-dead-90-154838101.htmlWed, 19 Jun 2013 14:42:15 -0400Reuterslegendary-country-singer-slim-whitman-dead-90-154838101Justin Bieber hits photographer in Los Angeles car scrape<p><a href="http://news.yahoo.com/justin-bieber-traffic-accident-los-angeles-134201347.html"><img src="http://l.yimg.com/bt/api/res/1.2/M.9_EXMUHl6QCjI6OyC85w--/YXBwaWQ9eW5ld3M7Zmk9ZmlsbDtoPTg2O3E9ODU7dz0xMzA-/http://media.zenfs.com/en_us/News/Reuters/2013-06-18T134201Z_1_CBRE95H122C00_RTROPTP_2_MUSIC-US-JUSTINBIEBER.JPG" width="130" height="86" alt="Singer Justin Bieber arrives late for the premiere of the film &quot;After Earth&quot; in New York" align="left" title="Singer Justin Bieber arrives late for the premiere of the film &quot;After Earth&quot; in New York" border="0" /></a>LOS ANGELES (Reuters) - Teen pop star Justin Bieber struck a photographer with his Ferrari sports car while driving away from a comedy club in Los Angeles on Monday night, but the accident was not considered a hit-and-run, police said. Video taken outside the Laugh Factory comedy club showed Bieber behind the wheel of his white Ferrari, surrounded by photographers as he was pulling away. Celebrity website TMZ said Bieber motioned the photographers to clear out of the way but apparently pinned one between his Ferrari and a parked car as he pulled out. He then drove away. ...</p><br clear="all"/>http://news.yahoo.com/justin-bieber-traffic-accident-los-angeles-134201347.htmlTue, 18 Jun 2013 13:17:41 -0400Reutersjustin-bieber-traffic-accident-los-angeles-134201347<p><a href="http://news.yahoo.com/justin-bieber-traffic-accident-los-angeles-134201347.html"><img src="http://l.yimg.com/bt/api/res/1.2/M.9_EXMUHl6QCjI6OyC85w--/YXBwaWQ9eW5ld3M7Zmk9ZmlsbDtoPTg2O3E9ODU7dz0xMzA-/http://media.zenfs.com/en_us/News/Reuters/2013-06-18T134201Z_1_CBRE95H122C00_RTROPTP_2_MUSIC-US-JUSTINBIEBER.JPG" width="130" height="86" alt="Singer Justin Bieber arrives late for the premiere of the film &quot;After Earth&quot; in New York" align="left" title="Singer Justin Bieber arrives late for the premiere of the film &quot;After Earth&quot; in New York" border="0" /></a>LOS ANGELES (Reuters) - Teen pop star Justin Bieber struck a photographer with his Ferrari sports car while driving away from a comedy club in Los Angeles on Monday night, but the accident was not considered a hit-and-run, police said. Video taken outside the Laugh Factory comedy club showed Bieber behind the wheel of his white Ferrari, surrounded by photographers as he was pulling away. Celebrity website TMZ said Bieber motioned the photographers to clear out of the way but apparently pinned one between his Ferrari and a parked car as he pulled out. He then drove away. ...</p><br clear="all"/>Mumford & Sons bassist on the mend after brain surgery<p><a href="http://news.yahoo.com/mumford-sons-bassist-mend-brain-surgery-231310626.html"><img src="http://l.yimg.com/bt/api/res/1.2/3y9Hud8UzXViG41uFeLsdw--/YXBwaWQ9eW5ld3M7Zmk9ZmlsbDtoPTg2O3E9ODU7dz0xMzA-/http://media.zenfs.com/en_us/News/Reuters/2013-06-17T231310Z_1_CBRE95G1SIF00_RTROPTP_2_CENTERTAINMENT-US-MUMFORDANDSONS.JPG" width="130" height="86" alt="Bass player Ted Dwane performs with his band Mumford and Sons on the main stage during the 2nd day of the Coachella Valley Music &amp; Arts Festival in Indio" align="left" title="Bass player Ted Dwane performs with his band Mumford and Sons on the main stage during the 2nd day of the Coachella Valley Music &amp; Arts Festival in Indio" border="0" /></a>(Reuters) - British folk band Mumford &amp; Sons&#039; bassist Ted Dwane posted a message on Monday saying he was recovering after brain surgery to remove a blood clot. Dwane posted a picture of himself with a shaved head on the band&#039;s official website with the caption, &quot;Bear with a sore head! Thanks so much for all the well wishing, it seems to be working! I&#039;m home.&quot; The Grammy-winning London band was forced to cancel the final three U.S. dates of its &quot;Summer Stampede&quot; tour last week after doctors discovered a clot on the surface of Dwane&#039;s brain, which required immediate surgery. ...</p><br clear="all"/>http://news.yahoo.com/mumford-sons-bassist-mend-brain-surgery-231310626.htmlMon, 17 Jun 2013 19:13:10 -0400Reutersmumford-sons-bassist-mend-brain-surgery-231310626<p><a href="http://news.yahoo.com/mumford-sons-bassist-mend-brain-surgery-231310626.html"><img src="http://l.yimg.com/bt/api/res/1.2/3y9Hud8UzXViG41uFeLsdw--/YXBwaWQ9eW5ld3M7Zmk9ZmlsbDtoPTg2O3E9ODU7dz0xMzA-/http://media.zenfs.com/en_us/News/Reuters/2013-06-17T231310Z_1_CBRE95G1SIF00_RTROPTP_2_CENTERTAINMENT-US-MUMFORDANDSONS.JPG" width="130" height="86" alt="Bass player Ted Dwane performs with his band Mumford and Sons on the main stage during the 2nd day of the Coachella Valley Music &amp; Arts Festival in Indio" align="left" title="Bass player Ted Dwane performs with his band Mumford and Sons on the main stage during the 2nd day of the Coachella Valley Music &amp; Arts Festival in Indio" border="0" /></a>(Reuters) - British folk band Mumford &amp; Sons&#039; bassist Ted Dwane posted a message on Monday saying he was recovering after brain surgery to remove a blood clot. Dwane posted a picture of himself with a shaved head on the band&#039;s official website with the caption, &quot;Bear with a sore head! Thanks so much for all the well wishing, it seems to be working! I&#039;m home.&quot; The Grammy-winning London band was forced to cancel the final three U.S. dates of its &quot;Summer Stampede&quot; tour last week after doctors discovered a clot on the surface of Dwane&#039;s brain, which required immediate surgery. ...</p><br clear="all"/>Jay Z's million-album Samsung sale unlikely to count for charts<p><a href="http://news.yahoo.com/jay-zs-million-album-samsung-sale-unlikely-count-230052244.html"><img src="http://l1.yimg.com/bt/api/res/1.2/nr6l.Xt2EwanEsewlFl92w--/YXBwaWQ9eW5ld3M7Zmk9ZmlsbDtoPTg2O3E9ODU7dz0xMzA-/http://media.zenfs.com/en_us/News/Reuters/2013-06-17T230052Z_1_CBRE95G1RY800_RTROPTP_2_USA.JPG" width="130" height="86" alt="Rapper Jay-Z attends &#039;The Great Gatsby&#039; world premiere in New York" align="left" title="Rapper Jay-Z attends &#039;The Great Gatsby&#039; world premiere in New York" border="0" /></a>By Eric Kelsey LOS ANGELES (Reuters) - Rapper Jay Z&#039;s upcoming studio album will go to a million users of Samsung smartphones three days before its official release in a promotional deal, but the distribution is unlikely to count toward official sales figures, an industry expert said on Monday. Jay Z, 43, announced on Sunday in a three-minute television commercial during the telecast of basketball&#039;s NBA Finals that his latest album &quot;Magna Carter Holy Grail&quot; will be released on July 4 exclusively to 1 million users of Samsung smartphones who had downloaded a special app. ...</p><br clear="all"/>http://news.yahoo.com/jay-zs-million-album-samsung-sale-unlikely-count-230052244.htmlMon, 17 Jun 2013 19:00:52 -0400Reutersjay-zs-million-album-samsung-sale-unlikely-count-230052244<p><a href="http://news.yahoo.com/jay-zs-million-album-samsung-sale-unlikely-count-230052244.html"><img src="http://l1.yimg.com/bt/api/res/1.2/nr6l.Xt2EwanEsewlFl92w--/YXBwaWQ9eW5ld3M7Zmk9ZmlsbDtoPTg2O3E9ODU7dz0xMzA-/http://media.zenfs.com/en_us/News/Reuters/2013-06-17T230052Z_1_CBRE95G1RY800_RTROPTP_2_USA.JPG" width="130" height="86" alt="Rapper Jay-Z attends &#039;The Great Gatsby&#039; world premiere in New York" align="left" title="Rapper Jay-Z attends &#039;The Great Gatsby&#039; world premiere in New York" border="0" /></a>By Eric Kelsey LOS ANGELES (Reuters) - Rapper Jay Z&#039;s upcoming studio album will go to a million users of Samsung smartphones three days before its official release in a promotional deal, but the distribution is unlikely to count toward official sales figures, an industry expert said on Monday. Jay Z, 43, announced on Sunday in a three-minute television commercial during the telecast of basketball&#039;s NBA Finals that his latest album &quot;Magna Carter Holy Grail&quot; will be released on July 4 exclusively to 1 million users of Samsung smartphones who had downloaded a special app. ...</p><br clear="all"/>Veteran bands Motorhead, Black Sabbath top UK metal music awards<p><a href="http://news.yahoo.com/veteran-bands-motorhead-black-sabbath-top-uk-metal-215033507.html"><img src="http://l1.yimg.com/bt/api/res/1.2/AwQLJRESb1aH8vHAEImoaw--/YXBwaWQ9eW5ld3M7Zmk9ZmlsbDtoPTg2O3E9ODU7dz0xMzA-/http://media.zenfs.com/en_us/News/Reuters/2013-06-17T215033Z_1_CBRE95G1OPB00_RTROPTP_2_CENTERTAINMENT-US-METAL.JPG" width="130" height="86" alt="Original members of the rock band Black Sabbath announce the reunion of the rock group at the Whiskey A Go Go in Los Angeles" align="left" title="Original members of the rock band Black Sabbath announce the reunion of the rock group at the Whiskey A Go Go in Los Angeles" border="0" /></a>By Ellen Sowerby LONDON (Reuters) - Veteran British rock bands Motorhead and Black Sabbath were crowned the kings of heavy metal on Monday, winning the top accolades at the UK&#039;s top metal music awards, the Metal Hammer Golden Gods. Motorhead, best known for its 1980 hit &quot;Ace of Spades&quot;, received the Golden Gods awards at the 11th annual ceremony for making a significant contribution to the rock and heavy metal industry over nearly four decades. Black Sabbath won the award for best album for &quot;13&quot; which soared to No. ...</p><br clear="all"/>http://news.yahoo.com/veteran-bands-motorhead-black-sabbath-top-uk-metal-215033507.htmlMon, 17 Jun 2013 17:50:33 -0400Reutersveteran-bands-motorhead-black-sabbath-top-uk-metal-215033507<p><a href="http://news.yahoo.com/veteran-bands-motorhead-black-sabbath-top-uk-metal-215033507.html"><img src="http://l1.yimg.com/bt/api/res/1.2/AwQLJRESb1aH8vHAEImoaw--/YXBwaWQ9eW5ld3M7Zmk9ZmlsbDtoPTg2O3E9ODU7dz0xMzA-/http://media.zenfs.com/en_us/News/Reuters/2013-06-17T215033Z_1_CBRE95G1OPB00_RTROPTP_2_CENTERTAINMENT-US-METAL.JPG" width="130" height="86" alt="Original members of the rock band Black Sabbath announce the reunion of the rock group at the Whiskey A Go Go in Los Angeles" align="left" title="Original members of the rock band Black Sabbath announce the reunion of the rock group at the Whiskey A Go Go in Los Angeles" border="0" /></a>By Ellen Sowerby LONDON (Reuters) - Veteran British rock bands Motorhead and Black Sabbath were crowned the kings of heavy metal on Monday, winning the top accolades at the UK&#039;s top metal music awards, the Metal Hammer Golden Gods. Motorhead, best known for its 1980 hit &quot;Ace of Spades&quot;, received the Golden Gods awards at the 11th annual ceremony for making a significant contribution to the rock and heavy metal industry over nearly four decades. Black Sabbath won the award for best album for &quot;13&quot; which soared to No. ...</p><br clear="all"/>George Jones Biopic in Works at 28 EntertainmentBy Todd Cunningham LOS ANGELES (TheWrap.com) - 28 Entertainment has begun work on a movie about iconic country music singer George Jones and his wife Nancy, the company announced Tuesday. It has acquired the rights to the project, written by Dennis L. Baxter and produced by Baxter and 28 Entertainment's Jay Hoffman and Brian A. Hoffman, which depicts George's life as a country music legend while battling his personal demons. Nancy Jones will executive produce and consult on the project. ...http://news.yahoo.com/george-jones-biopic-works-28-entertainment-234210309.htmlTue, 18 Jun 2013 19:42:10 -0400Reutersgeorge-jones-biopic-works-28-entertainment-234210309Black Sabbath top British album chart again: after 43 years<p><a href="http://news.yahoo.com/black-sabbath-top-british-album-chart-again-43-180312979.html"><img src="http://l2.yimg.com/bt/api/res/1.2/HilEo.XVG7dqtLB3yPF.1w--/YXBwaWQ9eW5ld3M7Zmk9ZmlsbDtoPTg2O3E9ODU7dz0xMzA-/http://media.zenfs.com/en_us/News/Reuters/2013-06-16T180312Z_1_CBRE95F1E5J00_RTROPTP_2_MUSIC-BLACKSABBATH.JPG" width="130" height="86" alt="Black Sabbath lead singer Ozzy Osborne attends a news conference with the other original members of the band to announce the reunion of the rock group in Los Angeles" align="left" title="Black Sabbath lead singer Ozzy Osborne attends a news conference with the other original members of the band to announce the reunion of the rock group in Los Angeles" border="0" /></a>By Costas Pitas LONDON (Reuters) - The British rock band Black Sabbath&#039;s album &quot;13!&quot; has given them a first British Number One album in nearly 43 years, a record interval between chart-toppers, the Official Charts Company said on Sunday. Black Sabbath were last at the top of the UK chart with their second album, &quot;Paranoid&quot;. &quot;I&#039;m in shock!&quot; Black Sabbath front man Ozzy Osbourne told the Official Charts Company. &quot;The success of this album has blown me off my feet. We&#039;ve never had a record climb the charts so fast. ...</p><br clear="all"/>http://news.yahoo.com/black-sabbath-top-british-album-chart-again-43-180312979.htmlSun, 16 Jun 2013 14:03:12 -0400Reutersblack-sabbath-top-british-album-chart-again-43-180312979<p><a href="http://news.yahoo.com/black-sabbath-top-british-album-chart-again-43-180312979.html"><img src="http://l2.yimg.com/bt/api/res/1.2/HilEo.XVG7dqtLB3yPF.1w--/YXBwaWQ9eW5ld3M7Zmk9ZmlsbDtoPTg2O3E9ODU7dz0xMzA-/http://media.zenfs.com/en_us/News/Reuters/2013-06-16T180312Z_1_CBRE95F1E5J00_RTROPTP_2_MUSIC-BLACKSABBATH.JPG" width="130" height="86" alt="Black Sabbath lead singer Ozzy Osborne attends a news conference with the other original members of the band to announce the reunion of the rock group in Los Angeles" align="left" title="Black Sabbath lead singer Ozzy Osborne attends a news conference with the other original members of the band to announce the reunion of the rock group in Los Angeles" border="0" /></a>By Costas Pitas LONDON (Reuters) - The British rock band Black Sabbath&#039;s album &quot;13!&quot; has given them a first British Number One album in nearly 43 years, a record interval between chart-toppers, the Official Charts Company said on Sunday. Black Sabbath were last at the top of the UK chart with their second album, &quot;Paranoid&quot;. &quot;I&#039;m in shock!&quot; Black Sabbath front man Ozzy Osbourne told the Official Charts Company. &quot;The success of this album has blown me off my feet. We&#039;ve never had a record climb the charts so fast. ...</p><br clear="all"/>Bassist Kim Deal leaves alt-rock band the Pixies<p><a href="http://news.yahoo.com/bassist-kim-deal-leaves-alt-rock-band-pixies-200104679.html"><img src="http://l3.yimg.com/bt/api/res/1.2/ZiSWZwM0dKCLL4yJi04NTw--/YXBwaWQ9eW5ld3M7Zmk9ZmlsbDtoPTg2O3E9ODU7dz0xMzA-/http://media.zenfs.com/en_us/News/Reuters/2013-06-14T200104Z_1_CBRE95D1JMG00_RTROPTP_2_MUSIC-PALEO.JPG" width="130" height="86" alt="Kim Deal of US band The Pixies performs during the opening night of the Paleo music festival in Nyon" align="left" title="Kim Deal of US band The Pixies performs during the opening night of the Paleo music festival in Nyon" border="0" /></a>LOS ANGELES (Reuters) - Kim Deal, the bass player behind some of the Pixies&#039; biggest hits, has left the 1980s alternative rock band, its remaining members said on Friday. Deal&#039;s pulsing bass and understated singing punctuated the influential group&#039;s early songs, which won critical acclaim for their quick bursts of sound and wild guitars. &quot;We are sad to say that Kim Deal has decided to leave the Pixies,&quot; the band&#039;s singer-guitarist Black Francis, drummer David Lovering and guitarist Joey Santiago said in a statement posted on their Facebook page. ...</p><br clear="all"/>http://news.yahoo.com/bassist-kim-deal-leaves-alt-rock-band-pixies-200104679.htmlFri, 14 Jun 2013 16:01:04 -0400Reutersbassist-kim-deal-leaves-alt-rock-band-pixies-200104679<p><a href="http://news.yahoo.com/bassist-kim-deal-leaves-alt-rock-band-pixies-200104679.html"><img src="http://l3.yimg.com/bt/api/res/1.2/ZiSWZwM0dKCLL4yJi04NTw--/YXBwaWQ9eW5ld3M7Zmk9ZmlsbDtoPTg2O3E9ODU7dz0xMzA-/http://media.zenfs.com/en_us/News/Reuters/2013-06-14T200104Z_1_CBRE95D1JMG00_RTROPTP_2_MUSIC-PALEO.JPG" width="130" height="86" alt="Kim Deal of US band The Pixies performs during the opening night of the Paleo music festival in Nyon" align="left" title="Kim Deal of US band The Pixies performs during the opening night of the Paleo music festival in Nyon" border="0" /></a>LOS ANGELES (Reuters) - Kim Deal, the bass player behind some of the Pixies&#039; biggest hits, has left the 1980s alternative rock band, its remaining members said on Friday. Deal&#039;s pulsing bass and understated singing punctuated the influential group&#039;s early songs, which won critical acclaim for their quick bursts of sound and wild guitars. &quot;We are sad to say that Kim Deal has decided to leave the Pixies,&quot; the band&#039;s singer-guitarist Black Francis, drummer David Lovering and guitarist Joey Santiago said in a statement posted on their Facebook page. ...</p><br clear="all"/>Backup singers take center stage in new documentary film<p><a href="http://news.yahoo.com/backup-singers-center-stage-documentary-film-192952783.html"><img src="http://l1.yimg.com/bt/api/res/1.2/_J.p6E3Qu9P3qDOpAYsaMw--/YXBwaWQ9eW5ld3M7Zmk9ZmlsbDtoPTg2O3E9ODU7dz0xMzA-/http://media.zenfs.com/en_us/News/Reuters/2013-06-14T192952Z_1_CBRE95D1I6800_RTROPTP_2_NORWAY.JPG" width="130" height="86" alt="Singer Bruce Springsteen and the E-street band perform during their concert at Telenor Arena in Oslo" align="left" title="Singer Bruce Springsteen and the E-street band perform during their concert at Telenor Arena in Oslo" border="0" /></a>By Andrea Burzynski NEW YORK (Reuters) - Bruce Springsteen and Mick Jagger appear in the new film &quot;Twenty Feet from Stardom,&quot; but only to shine the spotlight on the unsung backup singers who make them sound even better. Opening in New York and Los Angeles on Friday and expanding across the United States in coming weeks, the music documentary features the lives and careers of singers who have harmonized with the likes of Ray Charles, The Rolling Stones, Elton John and many more. ...</p><br clear="all"/>http://news.yahoo.com/backup-singers-center-stage-documentary-film-192952783.htmlFri, 14 Jun 2013 15:29:52 -0400Reutersbackup-singers-center-stage-documentary-film-192952783<p><a href="http://news.yahoo.com/backup-singers-center-stage-documentary-film-192952783.html"><img src="http://l1.yimg.com/bt/api/res/1.2/_J.p6E3Qu9P3qDOpAYsaMw--/YXBwaWQ9eW5ld3M7Zmk9ZmlsbDtoPTg2O3E9ODU7dz0xMzA-/http://media.zenfs.com/en_us/News/Reuters/2013-06-14T192952Z_1_CBRE95D1I6800_RTROPTP_2_NORWAY.JPG" width="130" height="86" alt="Singer Bruce Springsteen and the E-street band perform during their concert at Telenor Arena in Oslo" align="left" title="Singer Bruce Springsteen and the E-street band perform during their concert at Telenor Arena in Oslo" border="0" /></a>By Andrea Burzynski NEW YORK (Reuters) - Bruce Springsteen and Mick Jagger appear in the new film &quot;Twenty Feet from Stardom,&quot; but only to shine the spotlight on the unsung backup singers who make them sound even better. Opening in New York and Los Angeles on Friday and expanding across the United States in coming weeks, the music documentary features the lives and careers of singers who have harmonized with the likes of Ray Charles, The Rolling Stones, Elton John and many more. ...</p><br clear="all"/>Bob Dylan to play 33 European tour dates<p><a href="http://news.yahoo.com/bob-dylan-play-33-european-tour-dates-143432320.html"><img src="http://l1.yimg.com/bt/api/res/1.2/5kAWT__a7XxMLN0q13rnRg--/YXBwaWQ9eW5ld3M7Zmk9ZmlsbDtoPTg2O3E9ODU7dz0xMzA-/http://media.zenfs.com/en_us/News/Reuters/2013-06-14T143432Z_1_CBRE95D14HS00_RTROPTP_2_CENTERTAINMENT-US-BOBDYLAN-TOUR.JPG" width="130" height="86" alt="U.S. musician Bob Dylan performs on the second day of the Hop Farm Music Festival in Paddock Wood, Kent" align="left" title="U.S. musician Bob Dylan performs on the second day of the Hop Farm Music Festival in Paddock Wood, Kent" border="0" /></a>By Constance Watson LONDON (Reuters) - Singer Bob Dylan will embark on a 33-date tour of Europe starting in Oslo on October 10 and ending at London&#039;s Royal Albert Hall on November 28, a statement on his website said on Friday. The &quot;Blowin in the Wind&quot; singer - who is scheduled to finish his &quot;AmericanaramA&quot; tour in Mountain View, California on August 4 - said tickets for &quot;Bob Dylan in Europe&quot; would go on sale on Friday. &quot;Bob Dylan and his band will tour Europe this fall,&quot; the statement on his website said of the 10-country tour. ...</p><br clear="all"/>http://news.yahoo.com/bob-dylan-play-33-european-tour-dates-143432320.htmlFri, 14 Jun 2013 10:34:32 -0400Reutersbob-dylan-play-33-european-tour-dates-143432320<p><a href="http://news.yahoo.com/bob-dylan-play-33-european-tour-dates-143432320.html"><img src="http://l1.yimg.com/bt/api/res/1.2/5kAWT__a7XxMLN0q13rnRg--/YXBwaWQ9eW5ld3M7Zmk9ZmlsbDtoPTg2O3E9ODU7dz0xMzA-/http://media.zenfs.com/en_us/News/Reuters/2013-06-14T143432Z_1_CBRE95D14HS00_RTROPTP_2_CENTERTAINMENT-US-BOBDYLAN-TOUR.JPG" width="130" height="86" alt="U.S. musician Bob Dylan performs on the second day of the Hop Farm Music Festival in Paddock Wood, Kent" align="left" title="U.S. musician Bob Dylan performs on the second day of the Hop Farm Music Festival in Paddock Wood, Kent" border="0" /></a>By Constance Watson LONDON (Reuters) - Singer Bob Dylan will embark on a 33-date tour of Europe starting in Oslo on October 10 and ending at London&#039;s Royal Albert Hall on November 28, a statement on his website said on Friday. The &quot;Blowin in the Wind&quot; singer - who is scheduled to finish his &quot;AmericanaramA&quot; tour in Mountain View, California on August 4 - said tickets for &quot;Bob Dylan in Europe&quot; would go on sale on Friday. &quot;Bob Dylan and his band will tour Europe this fall,&quot; the statement on his website said of the 10-country tour. ...</p><br clear="all"/>Country singer Billy Ray Cyrus, wife to divorce after 19 years<p><a href="http://news.yahoo.com/country-singer-billy-ray-cyrus-wife-divorce-19-174500203.html"><img src="http://l2.yimg.com/bt/api/res/1.2/cClNbr5am9lU6mJSXBQoRg--/YXBwaWQ9eW5ld3M7Zmk9ZmlsbDtoPTg2O3E9ODU7dz0xMzA-/http://media.zenfs.com/en_us/News/Reuters/2013-06-14T174500Z_1_CBRE95D1DBJ00_RTROPTP_2_CENTERTAINMENT-US-BILLYRAYCYRUS.JPG" width="130" height="86" alt="Tish Cyrus, Billy Ray Cyrus, and daughter Miley Cyrus arrive at Golden Globe awards in Beverly Hills" align="left" title="Tish Cyrus, Billy Ray Cyrus, and daughter Miley Cyrus arrive at Golden Globe awards in Beverly Hills" border="0" /></a>LOS ANGELES (Reuters) - The wife of country singer Billy Ray Cyrus has filed for divorce in Los Angeles after 19 years of marriage, the couple said in a statement. Tish Finley Cyrus, the mother of 20-year-old pop star and actress Miley Cyrus, married the &quot;Achy Breaky Heart&quot; singer in December 1993, and the couple have three children together. &quot;This is a personal matter and we are doing what is in the best interest of our family,&quot; the couple said in a statement late on Thursday. &quot;We ask that you respect our privacy at this time. ...</p><br clear="all"/>http://news.yahoo.com/country-singer-billy-ray-cyrus-wife-divorce-19-174500203.htmlFri, 14 Jun 2013 13:45:00 -0400Reuterscountry-singer-billy-ray-cyrus-wife-divorce-19-174500203<p><a href="http://news.yahoo.com/country-singer-billy-ray-cyrus-wife-divorce-19-174500203.html"><img src="http://l2.yimg.com/bt/api/res/1.2/cClNbr5am9lU6mJSXBQoRg--/YXBwaWQ9eW5ld3M7Zmk9ZmlsbDtoPTg2O3E9ODU7dz0xMzA-/http://media.zenfs.com/en_us/News/Reuters/2013-06-14T174500Z_1_CBRE95D1DBJ00_RTROPTP_2_CENTERTAINMENT-US-BILLYRAYCYRUS.JPG" width="130" height="86" alt="Tish Cyrus, Billy Ray Cyrus, and daughter Miley Cyrus arrive at Golden Globe awards in Beverly Hills" align="left" title="Tish Cyrus, Billy Ray Cyrus, and daughter Miley Cyrus arrive at Golden Globe awards in Beverly Hills" border="0" /></a>LOS ANGELES (Reuters) - The wife of country singer Billy Ray Cyrus has filed for divorce in Los Angeles after 19 years of marriage, the couple said in a statement. Tish Finley Cyrus, the mother of 20-year-old pop star and actress Miley Cyrus, married the &quot;Achy Breaky Heart&quot; singer in December 1993, and the couple have three children together. &quot;This is a personal matter and we are doing what is in the best interest of our family,&quot; the couple said in a statement late on Thursday. &quot;We ask that you respect our privacy at this time. ...</p><br clear="all"/>Mumford & Sons cancel U.S. tour as bassist leaves hospital<p><a href="http://news.yahoo.com/mumford-sons-cancel-u-tour-bassist-leaves-hospital-110000643.html"><img src="http://l2.yimg.com/bt/api/res/1.2/5QwrzguyFWi9jZSvIRqQXA--/YXBwaWQ9eW5ld3M7Zmk9ZmlsbDtoPTg2O3E9ODU7dz0xMzA-/http://media.zenfs.com/en_us/News/Reuters/2013-06-14T110202Z_2_CBRE95D0UKG00_RTROPTP_2_MUSIC-US-MUMFORD-TOUR.JPG" width="130" height="86" alt="Bass player Ted Dwane performs with his band Mumford and Sons on the main stage during the 2nd day of the Coachella Valley Music &amp; Arts Festival in Indio" align="left" title="Bass player Ted Dwane performs with his band Mumford and Sons on the main stage during the 2nd day of the Coachella Valley Music &amp; Arts Festival in Indio" border="0" /></a>By Constance Watson LONDON (Reuters) - British folk-rockers Mumford &amp; Sons canceled the final three U.S. dates of their &quot;Summer Stampede&quot; tour on Friday and said bassist Ted Dwane was out of hospital after brain surgery. The Grammy award-winning band said Dwane was on the road to a full recovery and that the decision to cancel all concerts until a June 30th performance at the Glastonbury Festival in Britain was based on medical advice. ...</p><br clear="all"/>http://news.yahoo.com/mumford-sons-cancel-u-tour-bassist-leaves-hospital-110000643.htmlFri, 14 Jun 2013 07:00:00 -0400Reutersmumford-sons-cancel-u-tour-bassist-leaves-hospital-110000643<p><a href="http://news.yahoo.com/mumford-sons-cancel-u-tour-bassist-leaves-hospital-110000643.html"><img src="http://l2.yimg.com/bt/api/res/1.2/5QwrzguyFWi9jZSvIRqQXA--/YXBwaWQ9eW5ld3M7Zmk9ZmlsbDtoPTg2O3E9ODU7dz0xMzA-/http://media.zenfs.com/en_us/News/Reuters/2013-06-14T110202Z_2_CBRE95D0UKG00_RTROPTP_2_MUSIC-US-MUMFORD-TOUR.JPG" width="130" height="86" alt="Bass player Ted Dwane performs with his band Mumford and Sons on the main stage during the 2nd day of the Coachella Valley Music &amp; Arts Festival in Indio" align="left" title="Bass player Ted Dwane performs with his band Mumford and Sons on the main stage during the 2nd day of the Coachella Valley Music &amp; Arts Festival in Indio" border="0" /></a>By Constance Watson LONDON (Reuters) - British folk-rockers Mumford &amp; Sons canceled the final three U.S. dates of their &quot;Summer Stampede&quot; tour on Friday and said bassist Ted Dwane was out of hospital after brain surgery. The Grammy award-winning band said Dwane was on the road to a full recovery and that the decision to cancel all concerts until a June 30th performance at the Glastonbury Festival in Britain was based on medical advice. ...</p><br clear="all"/>British singer George Michael writing new album<p><a href="http://news.yahoo.com/british-singer-george-michael-writing-album-143820302.html"><img src="http://l3.yimg.com/bt/api/res/1.2/MQs.f62JWljsBSRhzxgdQg--/YXBwaWQ9eW5ld3M7Zmk9ZmlsbDtoPTg2O3E9ODU7dz0xMzA-/http://media.zenfs.com/en_us/News/Reuters/2013-06-13T143820Z_1_CBRE95C14OQ00_RTROPTP_2_CENTERTAINMENT-US-GEORGEMICHAEL-ALBUM.JPG" width="130" height="86" alt="British singer George Michael performs on stage during his &quot;Symphonica&quot; tour concert in Vienna" align="left" title="British singer George Michael performs on stage during his &quot;Symphonica&quot; tour concert in Vienna" border="0" /></a>By Constance Watson LONDON (Reuters) - British singer George Michael is writing a new album while he recovers from head injuries sustained during a car accident last month, his spokeswoman said on Thursday. The 49-year-old former Wham! frontman has been recuperating at home after nearly two weeks in hospital. British media reported that Michael fell out of a car at speed on a busy motorway outside London during rush hour on May 16. &quot;He&#039;s doing extremely well,&quot; Michael&#039;s spokeswoman said. &quot;He is writing a new album.&quot; There was no release date for the new material. ...</p><br clear="all"/>http://news.yahoo.com/british-singer-george-michael-writing-album-143820302.htmlThu, 13 Jun 2013 10:38:20 -0400Reutersbritish-singer-george-michael-writing-album-143820302<p><a href="http://news.yahoo.com/british-singer-george-michael-writing-album-143820302.html"><img src="http://l3.yimg.com/bt/api/res/1.2/MQs.f62JWljsBSRhzxgdQg--/YXBwaWQ9eW5ld3M7Zmk9ZmlsbDtoPTg2O3E9ODU7dz0xMzA-/http://media.zenfs.com/en_us/News/Reuters/2013-06-13T143820Z_1_CBRE95C14OQ00_RTROPTP_2_CENTERTAINMENT-US-GEORGEMICHAEL-ALBUM.JPG" width="130" height="86" alt="British singer George Michael performs on stage during his &quot;Symphonica&quot; tour concert in Vienna" align="left" title="British singer George Michael performs on stage during his &quot;Symphonica&quot; tour concert in Vienna" border="0" /></a>By Constance Watson LONDON (Reuters) - British singer George Michael is writing a new album while he recovers from head injuries sustained during a car accident last month, his spokeswoman said on Thursday. The 49-year-old former Wham! frontman has been recuperating at home after nearly two weeks in hospital. British media reported that Michael fell out of a car at speed on a busy motorway outside London during rush hour on May 16. &quot;He&#039;s doing extremely well,&quot; Michael&#039;s spokeswoman said. &quot;He is writing a new album.&quot; There was no release date for the new material. ...</p><br clear="all"/>'The Voice' Finale: Christina Aguilera, Pitbull, Bruno Mars, Nelly Join Performance Roster<p><a href="http://news.yahoo.com/voice-finale-christina-aguilera-pitbull-bruno-mars-nelly-223207159.html"><img src="http://l3.yimg.com/bt/api/res/1.2/i3tE3uRdOGKcj1yIN1lEiw--/YXBwaWQ9eW5ld3M7Zmk9ZmlsbDtoPTg2O3E9ODU7dz0xMzA-/http://media.zenfs.com/en_us/News/Reuters/2013-06-12T223207Z_1_CBRE95B1QLS00_RTROPTP_2_MUSIC-US-THEVOICE-FINALE.JPG" width="130" height="86" alt="Musicians Pitbull and Christina Aguilera perform during the Billboard Music Awards at the MGM Grand Garden Arena in Las Vegas" align="left" title="Musicians Pitbull and Christina Aguilera perform during the Billboard Music Awards at the MGM Grand Garden Arena in Las Vegas" border="0" /></a>By Tim Kenneally LOS ANGELES (TheWrap.com) - Christina Aguilera is returning to &quot;The Voice&quot; sooner than expected. The &quot;Bionic&quot; singer, who took a break from her coaching duties on the current cycle of the NBC singing competition but will return for its next cycle in the fall, will be back on the show for its season finale June 18. NBC also said Tuesday that Bruno Mars, Nelly, Pitbull and country duo Florida Georgia Line will also perform during the two-hour finale. ...</p><br clear="all"/>http://news.yahoo.com/voice-finale-christina-aguilera-pitbull-bruno-mars-nelly-223207159.htmlWed, 12 Jun 2013 18:32:07 -0400Reutersvoice-finale-christina-aguilera-pitbull-bruno-mars-nelly-223207159<p><a href="http://news.yahoo.com/voice-finale-christina-aguilera-pitbull-bruno-mars-nelly-223207159.html"><img src="http://l3.yimg.com/bt/api/res/1.2/i3tE3uRdOGKcj1yIN1lEiw--/YXBwaWQ9eW5ld3M7Zmk9ZmlsbDtoPTg2O3E9ODU7dz0xMzA-/http://media.zenfs.com/en_us/News/Reuters/2013-06-12T223207Z_1_CBRE95B1QLS00_RTROPTP_2_MUSIC-US-THEVOICE-FINALE.JPG" width="130" height="86" alt="Musicians Pitbull and Christina Aguilera perform during the Billboard Music Awards at the MGM Grand Garden Arena in Las Vegas" align="left" title="Musicians Pitbull and Christina Aguilera perform during the Billboard Music Awards at the MGM Grand Garden Arena in Las Vegas" border="0" /></a>By Tim Kenneally LOS ANGELES (TheWrap.com) - Christina Aguilera is returning to &quot;The Voice&quot; sooner than expected. The &quot;Bionic&quot; singer, who took a break from her coaching duties on the current cycle of the NBC singing competition but will return for its next cycle in the fall, will be back on the show for its season finale June 18. NBC also said Tuesday that Bruno Mars, Nelly, Pitbull and country duo Florida Georgia Line will also perform during the two-hour finale. ...</p><br clear="all"/>'Happy Birthday to You' belongs to us all, lawsuit saysBy Bernard Vaughan NEW YORK (Reuters) - "Happy Birthday to You," the ditty sung around the world in tribute to everyone from toddlers to centenarians, belongs to the public, according to a lawsuit filed on Thursday. The proposed class action asks a federal court to declare the song to be in the public domain and that Warner/Chappel Music Inc, the music publishing arm of Warner Music Group, return "millions of dollars of unlawful licensing fees" it has collected for reproductions and public performances of the song. ...http://news.yahoo.com/happy-birthday-belongs-us-lawsuit-says-203646375.htmlThu, 13 Jun 2013 16:36:46 -0400Source: http://rss.news.yahoo.com/rss/music

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