Word News

The £10 Sky box that connects ANY TV to the web and lets you watch online ...

<div xmlns='http://www.w3.org/1999/xhtml'>Sky launches Now TV box that can connect any TV set to the internet It costs £9.99 and lets you use BBC iPlayer, Spotify and Facebook on a TV Rivals including Apple TV and Roku boxes that cost from £50 By Victoria Woollaston PUBLISHED: 04:39 EST, 26 July 2013 | UPDATED: 05:02 EST, 26 July 2013 There's been a rise in popularity of the so-called Smart TV - a television set with an internet connection that gives access to on-demand services as well as apps such as YouTube, Facebook and Spotify. Yet these sets don't come cheap and can cost up to £5,000. Now, Sky has launched a cut-price device that turns any television set into a Smart TV for just £9.99. The Now TV box plugs into a set using a HDMI cable and then connects wirelessly to a home network, letting you watch online catch-up services such as BBC iPlayer and Demand 5, as well as listen to music and browse the web. <img src="http://i.dailymail.co.uk/i/pix/2013/07/26/article-2378747-1B0022C8000005DC-25_634x309.jpg"/><img src="http://i.dailymail.co.uk/i/pix/2013/07/26/article-2378747-1B0022CC000005DC-102_299x136.jpg"/> It is set to rival the likes of the £249 YouView set-top box, Roku and Apple's respective boxes, that cost £49.99 and £99 respectively, and the new Chromecast dongle from Google, priced in the U.S at $35 (£22). Plus, the £9.99 Now TV price includes shipping. The Nox TV box is around the same size as a beer mat - 84mm x 84mm x 24mm - and connects to any TV that has a HDMI port. The box then connects wirelessly to a home Wi-Fi network and turns the TV set into a web-enabled device. Once the Now TV box is connected, users can access the box's interface by changing the output on their TV and navigate through menus and services using a special remote control. On-demand services including BBC iPlayer and Demand 5, the catch-up service from Channel 5, is available free of charge, without a contract. The Now TV box also gives access to Sky Sports as well as Sky Movies for a daily fee of £9.99 or monthly subscription starting at £8.99 for three months. Users can additionally listen to music through Spotify or browse Facebook through dedicated apps. <img src="http://i.dailymail.co.uk/i/pix/2013/07/26/article-2378747-1B0022D0000005DC-611_634x353.jpg"/>GOOGLE CANCELS FREE NETFLIX OFFER WITH THE CHROMECAST The news follows the announcement of Google's Chromecast earlier this week that works in a similar way to the Now TV box by plugging into a TV's HDMI port and letting users stream content from a tablet, phone or laptop to their TV screen. According to Now TV, over two thirds of Brits have now taken advantage of on-demand services on their main TV sets - whether via Smart TVs or other connected devices. Two in five people stream must-see shows or movies on a weekly basis. Over half the UK (56 per cent) use more traditional internet-connected devices such as tablets, smartphones or laptops to access TV on demand whilst in the home. Figures from Blinkx, the internet media platform, found that 86 per cent people aged 18 to 34 share videos online after watching, and 59 per cent are sharing on a regular basis. <img src="http://i.dailymail.co.uk/i/pix/2013/07/24/article-2377231-1AF9DF89000005DC-124_634x433.jpg"/> Recent rumours suggest that Apple is looking at ways to remove adverts from its upcoming TV set in a bid to boost sales if and when the device launches later this year. The company has reportedly spoken with broadcasters about the deal and is even thought to have offered to compensate them for any revenue they lose as a result. Other rumours claim the TV set could be controlled using a ring worn on a viewer's finger. Sky's Now TV launched in July 2012. It has helped boost the number of Sky TV customers to 14.8 million with average revenues per user at £577 a year. Sky has also said it is expanding its Sky Go mobile TV service with another 10 channels, is adding 20 new channels to its catch-up TV service, and plans to upgrade its TV boxes to hold more content. Sky said 35 per cent of its customers are now taking TV, broadband and phone services, up from 32 per cent last year. <img src="http://i.dailymail.co.uk/i/pix/2013/07/26/article-2378747-1B0038E6000005DC-991_634x607.jpg"/> But its churn rate - how many customers are leaving - increased to 10.9 per cent from 9.9 per cent. Its Now TV device will also challenge the £299 YouView box, a joint venture between BT, TalkTalk, the BBC, ITV, Channel 4, Channel 5 and Arqiva which also offers on-demand TV for free. YouView was criticised for its high price compared to other services on the market yet announced in July it gained 400,000 customers in the eight months since its launch and streams 2.2 million video-on-demand views every week. In other TV news, BT yesterday revealed it has already signed up half a million customers to its sport channels ahead of their launch - although most of these were existing subscribers. It hopes to win over new customers and defectors from rivals once the Premier League season launches on August 17. www.yahootrend.com</div>

The £10 Sky box that connects ANY TV to the web and lets you watch online ...

Sky launches Now TV box that can connect any TV set to the internet It costs £9.99 and lets you use BBC iPlayer, Spotify and Facebook on a T...

3:18 AM

ITV buys Big Talk

<div xmlns='http://www.w3.org/1999/xhtml'><img src="http://www.televisual.com/images/televisual/1267101932_n-s.jpg"/> <img src="http://www.televisual.com/images/banner/1373619150_NBCUA_Web-Banner-728x90_Televisual_JFKinColor.gif"/> <img src="http://www.televisual.com/images/news/3_1374828166_Picture%205.png"/> ITV has bought Big Talk, the producer of comedy series Rev for the BBC, Channel 4's Friday Night Dinner and ITV's recent sitcom The Job Lot, as well as films including Shaun of the Dead, Hot Fuzz and The World's End. ITV will make an initial payment in the region of £12.5m, depending on Big Talk's 2012/13 financial performance, with additional payments being made on the delivery of significant profit growth over the next five years. The acquisition is the latest in a trail, as ITV focuses on growing its content business. In the last year it has bought up So Television and The Garden in the UK as well as leading US producers of reality, entertainment and drama including Gurney Productions, High Noon Entertainment and, most recently, Thinkfactory Media. Big Talk is one of the UK's fastest growing scripted television and film production companies. It was was founded in 1995 by Nira Park who produced Channel 4 comedies Spaced and Black Books. Kenton Allen joined as ceo from BBC Comedy in 2008, after BBC Worldwide took a 25% stake in the company, and he and Matthew Justice, Big Talk's managing director, restructured the business and have been the driving force behind its rapid growth. Big Talk productions include Friday Night Dinner for Channel 4 and Rev and Him & Her for the BBC. It is also behind E4 youth drama Youngers, and the Daniel Radcliffe and Jon Hamm mini-series A Young Doctor's Notebook, the launch episode of which landed Sky Arts its highest viewings figures in the channel's history. These series are all set to make a return to the screen over the next six months, along with a slate of new commissions for 2013 / 14 including Ambassadors, starring David Mitchell and Robert Webb for BBC Two, Chickens, written by and starring Simon Bird, Joe Thomas and Johnny Sweet, for Sky 1, major BBC One drama Our Zoo, Sky Atlantic comedy drama Mr Sloane, starring Nick Frost, Comedy Central's Mummy's Boys, the Caitlin Moran Channel 4 sitcom pilot Raised By Wolves and Give Out Girls for Sky Living. Big Talk Productions is in development with a number of US networks on versions of its hit UK series as well as a number of original comedy and drama ideas. Under the new agreement, ITV Studios Global Entertainment will distribute all Big Talk's new television content and help the company grow its international presence, particularly in the Northern American market, with BBC Worldwide retaining the global distribution rights to Big Talk's back catalogue and future UK series based on those shows. The acquisition also includes film producer Big Talk Pictures, the sister company of Big Talk Productions, whose productions include Shaun of the Dead, Hot Fuzz, Scott Pilgrim Versus The World, Paul, Attack The Block, Sightseers and, most recently The World's End. Titles shortly to be released include In Fear and Cuban Fury for StudioCanal / FilmFour, with a number of other projects currently in development. Adam Crozier, chief executive of ITV plc, said: "Big Talk has an incredibly talented team, led by Kenton, Matthew and Nira, and has developed strong relationships with directors, producers, writers and performers including Simon Pegg, Nick Frost and Edgar Wright." Kevin Lygo, managing director of ITV Studios, added: "Great comedy is an important part of the genre mix for broadcasters around the world and it's fantastic that Big Talk is joining us. They have a brilliant track record in creating channel defining, returning scripted comedy and drama across many different channels, and they are also developing some fantastic new shows that have the potential to travel internationally." Big Talk's Kenton Allen said: "After an amazing five years of very rapid growth we're delighted to have found a dynamic new partner to help us realise the untapped potential that exists at Big Talk. Adam Crozier, Denise O'Donoghue and Kevin Lygo really impressed us with their vision for ITV Studios and we are incredibly excited about their passion for what Big Talk does best. This marks our next phase of delivering quality comedy and ambitious original drama as we push into the international marketplace and really show the world what we can do." Note to Editors: Pictures attached. Press contacts: Mike Large 020 715 73021 or 07768 261528 Tracey Jaques 020 715 76185 or 07730 637731 -- Mike Large | Director of Communications | Corporate Affairs | ITV plc The London Television Centre, Upper Ground | London | SE1 9LT | Tel: 020 715 73021 | Mob: +44 (0)7768 261528 | Mike.Large@itv.com ITV plc Head Office Tel +44 (0) 20 7157 3000 itv.com Please consider the environment before printing this email ITV plc (Registration No. 4967001) (ITV) is incorporated in England and Wales with its registered office at The London Television Centre, Upper Ground, London SE1 9LT. Please visit the official ITV website at www.itv.com for the latest company news. The contents of this email and any attachments are confidential, may be privileged, may be subject to copyright and are intended solely for the use of the individual to whom they are addressed. If you have received this email and you are not the intended recipient please notifypostmaster@itv.com and delete this email and you are notified that disclosing, copying, distributing or taking any action in reliance on the contents of this email are strictly prohibited. Although ITV routinely screens for viruses, recipients should scan this email and any attachments for viruses. ITV makes no representation or warranty that this email or any of its attachments is free of viruses or defects and does not accept any responsibility for any damage caused by any virus or defect transmitted by this email. ITV reserves the right to monitor all e mails and the systems upon which such e mails are stored or circulated. This email does not conclude a binding agreement. Any views or opinions presented in this email are solely those of the author and do not necessarily represent those of ITV. Thank You. www.yahootrend.com</div>

ITV buys Big Talk

ITV has bought Big Talk, the producer of comedy series Rev for the BBC, Channel 4's Friday Night Dinner and ITV's recent sitcom T...

2:03 AM

McFly's Danny Jones engaged to Georgia Horsley

<div xmlns='http://www.w3.org/1999/xhtml'>Love Is Easy for the 27-year-old, who shared this celebratory picture over Twitter after popping the question <img src="http://i1.mirror.co.uk/incoming/article2090967.ece/ALTERNATES/s615/Main-Danny-McFly-2090967.jpg"/>The future Mrs J: Danny and Georgia McFly singer Danny Jones is engaged to longterm girlfriend Georgina Horsley. The 27-year-old, who is the third member of the hit band to walk down the aisle, announced his engagement on Twitter - with a snap of the pair. He captioned the adorable picture: "The future mrs j yeahhhh!!" The future mrs j yeahhhhhhhh!!! pic.twitter.com/OWiJT0Y1Q9 - Danny Jones (@Dannymcfly) July 25, 2013 In the happy snap Georgina waves her diamond engagement ring at the camera while a topless Danny grins excitedly. Blonde Georgia also took to her Twitter page, writing: "Sooo this happened tonight!! I'm ENGAGED!!! So so happy!!!" By the use of about a million exclamation marks we are guessing it was a romantic proposal. <img src="http://i2.mirror.co.uk/incoming/article1551859.ece/ALTERNATES/s615/NTAS%20MCLFY-1551859.jpg"/>Only one guy to go... Bandmate Tom Fletcher is already hitched - he married Giovanna Falcone, brother of TOWIE love rat Mario Falcone, in 2012. Next down the aisle was Harry Judd who married Izzy Johnston last year. Speaking about his beauty queen turned model girlfriend last year Danny said : "It's serious. But I don't think I'm quite at the putting-a-ring-on-her finger stage. Maybe in a couple of years. "Girls still ask me out and I'm like 'No, I've got a girlfriend'. I've done my bit for the boys and it was great while it lasted, but I'm well and truly over that now." www.yahootrend.com</div>

McFly's Danny Jones engaged to Georgia Horsley

Love Is Easy for the 27-year-old, who shared this celebratory picture over Twitter after popping the question The future Mrs J: Danny and Ge...

1:48 AM

Pearson's first half numbers impress

<div xmlns='http://www.w3.org/1999/xhtml'><img src="http://static2.proactiveinvestors.co.uk/img/ico/ico_pdf2.gif"/> Shares in Pearson ( LON:PSON), the education and publishing group, edged higher in opening trade after the owner of the Financial Times (FT) newspaper reported solid interim numbers and reiterated guidance for the full year. Underlying sales at the group rose 2% to £2.8bn in the first half of the year, slightly ahead of expectations, with good growth in Education led by North America and developing markets. Adjusted operating profit fell £50mln to £137mln, which included a £37mln hit from restructuring charges and investments to support new product launches in the second half. Pearson 's interim dividend rose 7% to 16p. There was no comment on continued speculation about the future ownership of the FT Group. Pearson said it anticipates advertising at the FT to remain weak and volatile. It is in the early stages of exploring a possible sale its Mergermarket division, the financial intelligence and analysis business. Pearson reiterated its outlook for the full year with adjusted earnings per share [EPS] expected to be broadly level with 2012's number of 82.6p. The group pointed out that the external environment will remain challenging in its developed markets, while market conditions should remain favourable for its businesses in developing economies. Chief executive John Fallon said that the restructuring programme was on track. "In trading terms, 2013 has begun much as we expected," he said. "In general, good growth in our digital, services and developing-market businesses continues to offset tough conditions for traditional publishing." The shares rose 4.8% to 1,312p. www.yahootrend.com</div>

Pearson's first half numbers impress

Shares in Pearson ( LON:PSON), the education and publishing group, edged higher in opening trade after the owner of the Financial Times (FT...

1:07 AM

Come on Dara, tell us more about the secret psychopaths: Christopher Stevens ...

<div xmlns='http://www.w3.org/1999/xhtml'>By Christopher Stevens PUBLISHED: 20:04 EST, 25 July 2013 | UPDATED: 20:04 EST, 25 July 2013 Dara O Briain's Science Club *** Dara O Briain: not the easiest name to spell. It appears to have one 'i' too many and one apostrophe too few, while the first name looks as if it should be Darren. Or Clara. But the brainy, balding comic is taking over TV, so we'd better get used to it. After his success as the human face of The Apprentice, presenting the You're Fired round-ups after each episode, Dara returned last night with his Science Club (BBC2). <img src="http://i.dailymail.co.uk/i/pix/2013/07/26/article-2378394-1AFF5F1B000005DC-265_634x464.jpg"/> Later, the same channel repeated Mock The Week, the current affairs panel game he hosts. With his easy wit and Irish brogue, he's surely a natural for quiz shows, travelogues and wry takes on art history. From there, it'll be a short step to his own chat show, probably called Blarney With Dara. If he learns to cook, he'll be unstoppable, with shows such as Dara's Irish Stew and O Briain On Soda Bread. BBC2 will be Dara from dawn till Newsnight. It could be worse. He's an amiable presenter, able to poke fun without getting too pleased with himself. Whether he's interviewing an ego on stilts from The Apprentice or an over-stimulated geek on Stargazing Live, Dara can cut in and move on while keeping the tone friendly. IMPECCABLE LOGIC OF THE DAY In a segment on robotics last night, he was chatting to a professor with an animatronic seal cub on his lap called Paro. The cub was monopolising everyone's attention, mewling and squeaking like a lost kitten - real or not, it was pitifully cute. Quietly, competently, O Briain rescued the interview with: 'We may need you to let Paro sleep for a while.' Sometimes, that gentle touch is over-done. Science Club's audience was invited to take a 'psychopath test' to reveal how many were potential serial killers. Two people returned dangerously high scores. Imagine the glee of Graham Norton or Jonathan Ross on discovering there were a couple of possible mass murderers in their midst. Dara played it down. It was all a terrible mix-up, he assured the audience, like a waiter apologising for an outbreak of food poisoning. Science Club is an old-fashioned magazine show, like Blue Peter or Tomorrow's World. The mix was uneven - some of the items were pitched at post-grad students, others at children. It was Horrible Histories meets Open University. The MRI scanner that could pick out individual thoughts was intriguingly sci-fi: a professor promised that one day we'd have apps that could read our minds. This, he seemed to think, was a Good Thing - if it means every mobile phone on the planet will have to be destroyed, perhaps he's right. The most entertaining experiment involved a 'miracle berry' that left the tongue unable to taste anything but sweet flavours. To test this, the presenters, including a journalist from the Guardian, downed shots of vinegar. <img src="http://i.dailymail.co.uk/i/pix/2013/07/26/article-2378394-1AFF5FEB000005DC-33_634x351.jpg"/> The berry, it turned out, wasn't so miraculous. The man from the Guardian looked as if his eyes were trying to bail out of his head in a panic. That made me laugh, I have to admit. Perhaps I'm a psychopath. Perhaps, though, the presenters were just gluttons for punishment, like Alex Polizzi in The Hotel Inspector Returns (C5). She went back to 'the worst hotel in Britain' where one horrified guest had got into bed and discovered a used condom between the sheets. Two years ago, Polizzi had tried to help the First In Last Out hotel in Winchester, Hampshire. She gave the owner, John Sweeney, basic tips on service: don't leave food-encrusted plates in the dining room; don't let laundry fester in stinking heaps; and do something about the hairy mould in the shower. But when she returned, things were as bad as ever. The hotel sign appeared to have a bullet-hole in it - clearly, some guests were seriously unimpressed. This rehash format makes cheap telly, with 40 minutes of condensed repeat and a 20-minute refresher course. When the update is as depressing as this, it hardly seems worth the bother. Though at least we know where not to stay in Winchester. www.yahootrend.com</div>

Come on Dara, tell us more about the secret psychopaths: Christopher Stevens ...

By Christopher Stevens PUBLISHED: 20:04 EST, 25 July 2013 | UPDATED: 20:04 EST, 25 July 2013 Dara O Briain's Science Club *** Dara O B...

12:33 AM

Mick Jagger's wrinkles make him more beautiful, says U2 rocker Bono

<div xmlns='http://www.w3.org/1999/xhtml'>The rocker is a fan of Mick Jagger's looks now he has aged and admires his wrinkles <img src="http://i2.mirror.co.uk/incoming/article2085840.ece/ALTERNATES/s615/Bono-attends-Commandeur-de-lOrdre-des-Arts-et-Lettres-2085840.png"/>Bono: A wrinkle fan, apparently Singer Bono admitted that he has become increasingly jealous of Mick Jagger's wrinkles. The U2 frontman believes the Rolling Stones legend looks better than ever, ahead of Mick's 70th birthday tomorrow. In a bizarre comparison to famous Russian ballet star Mikhail Baryshnikov, Bono said: "Mick looks a bit like Baryshnikov, like a ballet dancer from a different age. At the same time he still has a very beautiful face. "The wrinkles that run through it now have made it even more beautiful. Why? Because he wears those wrinkles well. I love his wrinkles." <img src="http://i1.mirror.co.uk/incoming/article2034411.ece/ALTERNATES/s615/The-Rolling-Stones-perform-2034411.jpg"/>Bono likes Mick's older looks The 53-year-old star also angled for an invite to Mick's superstar party, adding: "I would like to see him on the day. "And then I would like to carry his guitar case for him." U2 surpassed The Stones to claim the highest grossing concert tour of all time in 2011, making £479million from their 360 Degree jaunt, but Bono said he owes his business skills to Mick. In a newspaper interview in Germany, he explained: "People despise Mick because they think he only thinks about money, but he is a businessman above all else. <img src="http://i4.mirror.co.uk/incoming/article1823861.ece/ALTERNATES/s615/U2-1823861.jpg"/>U2 earned more money on tour than the Rolling Stones in 2011 "The fact is, he understands the business. Why? Because the Stones lost a lot of money in the beginning. I have to kneel in reverence to what he has achieved. "What I like about him as a person is that he always speaks his mind openly and he never talks much about himself. He is not a narcissistic person." Last week Bono was made a Commander of Arts and Letters, France's highest cultural honour, in recognition of his contributions to the arts and charity. www.yahootrend.com</div>

Mick Jagger's wrinkles make him more beautiful, says U2 rocker Bono

The rocker is a fan of Mick Jagger's looks now he has aged and admires his wrinkles Bono: A wrinkle fan, apparently Singer Bono admitted...

12:03 AM

Equitable Life Victims' Compensation At Risk

<div xmlns='http://www.w3.org/1999/xhtml'>More than 200,000 victims of the collapse of Equitable Life may miss out on compensation payments because of failings in a Government scheme, a scathing report by MPs has warned. The House of Commons Public Accounts Committee accused the Treasury of adopting an "arbitrary" target of March 2014 to close the compensation scheme. The Westminster spending watchdog urged the Treasury to take urgent action to track down as many former policyholders of the failed insurer as possible before the deadline passes. "It is completely unacceptable that more than 10 years after the collapse of Equitable Life so many victims still have not received the compensation they are entitled to," Committee chairwoman Margaret Hodge said. "Hundreds of thousands of conscientious savers are losing out because of the Treasury's failure to get a grip on the payment scheme." Mrs Hodge also said she was "stunned" to learn that the Treasury destroyed details and addresses of 353,000 policyholders on data protection grounds. After a decade-long battle by Equitable savers, the Treasury announced shortly after the coalition Government took office in 2010 that it would compensate up to 1.5 million policyholders. <img src="http://media.skynews.com/media/images/generated/2013/2/15/221482/default/v2/8989722-1-1-252x337.jpg"/>Mrs Hodge slammed the compensation scheme Chancellor George Osborne capped total payments at £1.5bn in his spending review later that year. But the report found that the Government "failed to learn the lessons" from previous schemes, such as those for former miners and Icelandic trawlermen. The Treasury focused on an arbitrary deadline of June 2011 for making the first payments, at the expense of planning properly for how the scheme would be administered, said the report. A "lack of good planning" led to "unacceptable delays" in payments, with only £168m paid out by March 2012, rather than the expected £500m. By the end of March this year, some £577m had been paid out to 407,000 policyholders, with a further 664,200 payments totalling £370m due to be made by the time the scheme winds up in March 2014. But the Treasury estimates that it may not be able to trace some 17%-20% of policyholders - between 200,000 and 236,000 people eligible for payments - by that date. And ministers are not planning to publicise the closure of the scheme until September, which provides little time for applications to be submitted by these savers, many of whom are elderly. Urging ministers and the government agency National Savings & Investment (NS&I) to bring forward the publicity campaign, the cross-party committee said it was "concerned" that some policyholders will miss out. "With less than a year to go before the scheme closes in March 2014, the Treasury still has 664,200 payments worth £370m left to make," Mrs Hodge said. "Unless the Treasury and its administrator, NS&I, get their act together there is a real risk that large numbers of policyholders will miss out." A Treasury source said: "While Labour did absolutely nothing about the Equitable Life scandal for a decade, this Government has allocated up to £1.5bn to help people who suffered a great injustice, with tens of thousands of policy holders receiving around £700m in payments since 2011. "We make no apology for starting to get payments out the door a year after the Coalition was formed. "We do not agree that the Government has failed to get a grip on the planning or delivery of this important work. "We continue to monitor the progress of the Equitable Life Payment Scheme very closely and are working hard to maximise the numbers of people who will eventually receive payments. "Instead of scaremongering, the Labour chairman of this committee should explain why her party shamefully did absolutely nothing about this scandal for a decade." www.yahootrend.com</div>

Equitable Life Victims' Compensation At Risk

More than 200,000 victims of the collapse of Equitable Life may miss out on compensation payments because of failings in a Government scheme...

9:52 PM

Halliburton to plead guilty to destroying Gulf evidence

<div xmlns='http://www.w3.org/1999/xhtml'><img src="http://news.bbcimg.co.uk/media/images/52208000/jpg/_52208775_dkxjuxde.jpg"/> US company Halliburton will plead guilty to destroying evidence relating to the 2010 Gulf Of Mexico oil spill. The plea agreement, which is subject to court approval, means Halliburton will have to pay the maximum possible fine. The spill occurred at BP's Macondo well in the Gulf of Mexico and was the worst in US history. A blast at the Deepwater Horizon oil rig killed 11 workers. BP had accused Halliburton, its contractor, of destroying evidence and asked it to pay for all damages. Halliburton is the third of three major companies at the heart of the oil spill to admit criminal wrongdoing. Oil giant BP and rig operator Transocean have already pleaded guilty to charges related to the disaster. 'Accepted criminal responsibility' The US Department of Justice said that prior to the blowout at the rig, Halliburton had recommended to BP that the Macondo well contain 21 centralizers - metal collars that can improve cementing. However, BP chose to use only six. The justice department said that Halliburton had run computer run two computer simulations of the Macondo well's final cementing job to compare the impact of using six versus 21 centralizers. It said the results of these simulations indicated that there was little difference. The department said that Halliburton's programme manager "was directed to, and did, destroy these results". "Efforts to forensically recover the original destroyed Displace 3D computer simulations during ensuing civil litigation and federal criminal investigation by the Deepwater Horizon Task Force were unsuccessful," it added. "In agreeing to plead guilty, Halliburton has accepted criminal responsibility for destroying the aforementioned evidence." www.yahootrend.com</div>

Halliburton to plead guilty to destroying Gulf evidence

US company Halliburton will plead guilty to destroying evidence relating to the 2010 Gulf Of Mexico oil spill. The plea agreement, which is ...

7:07 PM

SSE calls for energy action

<div xmlns='http://www.w3.org/1999/xhtml'><img src="http://images.dailyexpress.co.uk/img/dynamic/22/590x/David-Cameron-417532.jpg"/> SSE, which supplies about 17 per cent of the nation's energy, said ministers were dragging their feet on launching reforms to allow companies to build new power stations and wind farms. The group welcomed Government electricity market changes, planned for 2018/19, that will set up a market ensuring power is available when needed. It should even out costs faced by generators who have to switch between different power sources to cope with peaks and troughs in supplying renewable energy such as wind power. But it said the shake-up was needed sooner to give utilities confidence to keep or shut existing stations, build new plants and avoid power cuts. SSE said: "The UK Government's intention to defer the capacity market until 2018/19 means the next few years will remain uncertain for existing and new plant. It does not address the risk of imminent shortages." The UK Government does not address the risk of imminent shortages It will spend about £1.5billion in 2013/14 on networks and its wholesale business. Since April, it has completed work to strengthen transmission lines in Scotland and energised part of a new power link. It has also added a new 32-megawatt wind farm to its wind portfolio, giving it 3,283 megawatts, and continued work on a power station in south-east Ireland due to open later next year. The group, which has faced criticism from consumer groups for increasing profits while hiking energy bills, said it remained on track to pay inflation-busting dividend rises in 2013/14 and beyond. Chief executive Alistair Phillips-Davies said: "SSE's year has got off to an encouraging start." Shares fell 20p to 1605p. Related articles www.yahootrend.com</div>

SSE calls for energy action

SSE, which supplies about 17 per cent of the nation's energy, said ministers were dragging their feet on launching reforms to allow com...

6:36 PM

Lady Gaga Fans Go Wild Over The Mother Monster's VMA Return

<div xmlns='http://www.w3.org/1999/xhtml'>On Thursday (July 25), Lady Gaga announced she'd be returning to the stage at the 2013 MTV Video Music Awards ... and though the big show doesn't go live until August 25, well, let's just say her Little Monsters are counting down the seconds until she's back. Yes, as you'd expect, Gaga's fans were quite excited by her return, filling Facebook, Twitter, Instagram and just about every other avenue of social traffic with their usual blend of hyperventilation and exclamation. Shoot, as soon as MTV's Instagram broke the news of her return, they kicked things into overdrive. "Oh my f---ing God, Gaga will return to save pop music!" Arthur Henrique wrote on MTV's Facebook page. "The VMAs this year are gonna rock because of Gaga. I love her so much!" "This is probably the most anticipated performance at the VMAs," Christopher Reyes added. "I know I'm watching it!" The Queen is back to slay! #LadyGagaAt2013VMAs pic.twitter.com/7AEm6SkHsu - ʟᴀᴅʏ ɢᴀɢᴀ (@monsterkid) July 25, 2013 On Twitter, her fans quickly made the hashtag #LadyGagaAtThe2013VMAs trend around the world, and they celebrated her return by promising "No sleep till 8/25!" and warnings that the entire world better "GET F---ING READY." They also got physical, breaking into spirited bouts of dance without even hearing Gaga's new single (it'll premiere on August 19, six days before the VMAS, fyi.) I'M DANCING AROUND ALREADY AND I HAVEN'T EVEN HEARD THE SINGLE!! SO EXCITED!! @ladygaga #LadyGagaAt2013VMAs #ARTPOP pic.twitter.com/XUKntodRTZ - Ariel | Lady Gaga (@arielzmermaid) July 25, 2013 And, over on Instagram, well, they got creative ... <img src="http://distilleryimage1.s3.amazonaws.com/f9b5ee0af56e11e2997822000a1fd57c_7.jpg"/> Yow, let's hope no one actually faints. And if you were looking for perhaps the greatest summation of their enthusiasm, well, look no further than MTV.com reader "CarolinaPeace19," who not only shattered the record for most caps used in a comment, but probably his or her Caps Lock key, too. "OMFG! GAGA IS BACK! SLAYGA IS BACK! AAAAAH! I'M SO HAPPY I CAN'T BREATHE! VMA's ARE ALWAYS THE PLACE WHEN SHE PULLS OUT HER MOST SHOCKING PERFORMANCE ART PIECES!" Carolina wrote. "CAN'T WAIT TO SEE WHAT SHE IS GONNA DO NOW, FIRST BLEEDING DRESS (I KNEW HER WITH THIS PERFORMANCE) THEN MEAT DRESS, THEN A MALE ALTER EGO, WHAT IS GONNA BE NOW? AHSDAKJHDKJAHDJK *DEAD* AND THE RED CARPET OMG! *DEAD AGAIN*" Pace yourself, guys and gals. The 2013 MTV Video Music Awards don't air until August 25. We don't want to see anyone get hurt! www.yahootrend.com</div>

Lady Gaga Fans Go Wild Over The Mother Monster's VMA Return

On Thursday (July 25), Lady Gaga announced she'd be returning to the stage at the 2013 MTV Video Music Awards ... and though the big sho...

4:03 PM

Venice unveils film festival line

<div xmlns='http://www.w3.org/1999/xhtml'>New films from Stephen Frears, Terry Gilliam and Jonathan Glazer will have their world premieres at this year's Venice International Film Festival. Director Bernardo Bertolucci will head the jury at the event, which runs from 28 August to 7 September. Twenty titles in all will compete for the festival's Golden Lion award. As previously announced, Alfonso Cuaron's Gravity, starring George Clooney and Sandra Bullock as astronauts, will open the event. Frears' film Philomena sees Dame Judi Dench and Steve Coogan tell the true story of a woman who searched for 50 years to find the child she was forced to give up. Gilliam's The Zero Theorem stars Christoph Waltz as a reclusive computer genius attempting to solve a mathematical equation that will determine whether life has meaning. Also in competition is Under the Skin, the first feature from Sexy Beast director Jonathan Glazer since 2004's Birth. Based on the novel by Michael Faber, it stars Scarlett Johansson as an alien who searches remote roads in Scotland to find human prey. Also on the line up is Child of God. Directed by and starring James Franco, it tells of a violent loner who lives in a cave in the mountains of Tennessee. <img src="http://news.bbcimg.co.uk/media/images/68945000/jpg/_68945539_gravity.jpg"/> Titles showing out of competition include Steven Knight's Locke, a real-time thriller starring Tom Hardy and Olivia Colman. Paul Schrader's erotic thriller The Canyons, written by Bret Easton Ellis and featuring Lindsay Lohan, will also have a special screening. Kim Ki-Duk's controversial film Moebius, which has struggled to get a release in South Korea due to its incestuous content, is also being shown out of competition. Its director won the Golden Lion last year with his film Pieta, about a brutal debt collector who is forced to examine his life. www.yahootrend.com</div>

Venice unveils film festival line

New films from Stephen Frears, Terry Gilliam and Jonathan Glazer will have their world premieres at this year's Venice International Fil...

2:18 PM

Bryan Cranston shows off his tiny commemorative inking at Breaking Bad wrap ...

<div xmlns='http://www.w3.org/1999/xhtml'>By George Stark and Shyam Dodge PUBLISHED: 15:20 EST, 25 July 2013 | UPDATED: 15:20 EST, 25 July 2013 While it's small and fits under the knuckle of his right hand, he is clearly proud of the tattoo. Bryan Cranston, who plays chemistry teacher turned drug dealer Walter White on Breaking Bad , recently had a minuscule design of the hit show's logo permanently inked into the side of his right finger. And the 57-year-old actor took to showing off his sentimental body art at the wrap party for the groundbreaking AMC drama's final season in Los Angeles, on Wednesday night. <img src="http://i.dailymail.co.uk/i/pix/2013/07/25/article-2378084-1AFC144D000005DC-377_634x871.jpg"/> Throughout the evening the star brandished his small tattoo, which commemorates his time on the series that rocketed him to national acclaim. His portrayal of high school teacher and meth chemist Walter White transformed Cranston's career - so it is understandable he would want something to help remember his time on the Emmy-Award winning series. <img src="http://i.dailymail.co.uk/i/pix/2013/07/25/article-2378084-1AFDF388000005DC-176_634x465.jpg"/> During the final day on set in Albuquerque, Bryan and Aaron were joined by other crew members at a hotel bar for a goodbye drink, and they decided to get themselves inked by a set decorator who was also a tattoo artist. 'I wanted something... something that would give me private personal pleasure, like when I pass by and catch a glimpse of a picture of my mom, or my old manager - people who are gone now,' he tells Magazine. Adding: 'And it seemed appropriate. I mean, Breaking Bad changed my life.' A shocked sounding wife Dearden revealed: 'Bryan's not a tattoo guy. He's the last person who would ever do it.' <img src="http://i.dailymail.co.uk/i/pix/2013/07/25/article-2378084-1AFD8328000005DC-586_634x964.jpg"/> Meanwhile Aaron - who plays his assistant Jesse Pinkman - had 'no half measures' tattooed onto his bicep which relates to the storyline in the episode titles Half Measures. The final series of the hit AMC show will premiere on August 11, but Bryan has said he 'isn't worried' about how the show will end. <img src="http://i.dailymail.co.uk/i/pix/2013/07/16/article-2365971-1AD74099000005DC-824_634x814.jpg"/> 'I genuinely could not care less how I look,' Bryan said, who has spent a fair amount of the series in small white y-front pants. As well as his television work which also includes his role as Hal on Malcolm in the Middle, Bryan was recently seen in the films Argo and Drive. www.yahootrend.com</div>

Bryan Cranston shows off his tiny commemorative inking at Breaking Bad wrap ...

By George Stark and Shyam Dodge PUBLISHED: 15:20 EST, 25 July 2013 | UPDATED: 15:20 EST, 25 July 2013 While it's small and fits under ...

2:03 PM

Rosamund Pike 'Beats Major Names To Star Opposite Ben Affleck In Gone Girl'

<div xmlns='http://www.w3.org/1999/xhtml'>By Joanna Crawley On July 25, 2013 British actress Rosamund Pike has landed a starring role in David Fincher's big screen adaptation of Gillian Flynn's smash hit novel Gone Girl, reports suggest. The Bond girl will play the lead female opposite Ben Affleck in the anticipated movie, with reports circulating earlier this month that the Argo star is first in line for the male lead. Fincher has reportedly lined up an all-star cast with How I Met Your Mother's Neil Patrick Harris and Tyler Perry also in line for supporting roles. The Hollywood Reporter reveal that Rosamund, who recently starred opposite Tom Cruise in Jack Reacher, has been offered and is expected to accept the starring role in the thriller. Pike will play the role of Amy, a wife who goes missing on her fifth wedding anniversary, with her husband (Affleck) soon becoming the prime suspect. <img src="http://static.entertainmentwise.com/photos/Image/wenn20500698.jpg"/>Rosamund Pike has landed a lead role in the film adaptation of Gone Girl (WENN) The British stunner has managed to beat a long line of A-listers to the coveted role, if rumours are to be believed. Recent reports had the likes of Charlize Theron, Natalie Portman and Emily Blunt in the frame whilst Abbie Cornish and Olivia Wilde also had been considered. Following sales of over two million in it's first year of release alone, Gone Girl's film rights were soon snapped up by 20th Century Fox with Reese Witherspoon's production company Pacific Standard signed on to produce. Reports from earlier this month have Oscar winner Ben Affleck in the frame to play Amy's husband with The Social Network director Fincher said to be in final negotiations with the in demand actor. The film is due to start shooting this September with a 2014 release date expected. www.yahootrend.com</div>

Rosamund Pike 'Beats Major Names To Star Opposite Ben Affleck In Gone Girl'

By Joanna Crawley On July 25, 2013 British actress Rosamund Pike has landed a starring role in David Fincher's big screen adaptation of ...

12:04 PM

Barnum, Theatre in the Park, Chichester, UK

<div xmlns='http://www.w3.org/1999/xhtml'><img src="http://im.ft-static.com/content/images/8d12d8fc-aacf-40dd-ad17-eb2ce41c2008.img"/>©Michael Le Poer Trench While Chichester's main Festival Theatre is partially rebuilt and extended, it has erected a large tent on the lawn beside it. Inside, the £800,000 structure is clearly modelled on the Festival space: its geometry is based on roundels rather than hexagons, but it is broadly the same size and configuration. And, of course, a big tent with a ring-shaped stage is a conceptually perfect venue for a revival of Cy Coleman's 1980 musical based on the life and career of showman Phineas Taylor Barnum. Mark Bramble's script envisages staging as, if not an outright circus, certainly a succession of carny-style spectacles and routines, and periodically the entire cast goes into full-throttle greatest-show-on-earth mode: at one point a rope-dancing acrobat was working two feet away from me (and several above me) in the aisle. In the title role (originated by Jim Dale), Christopher Fitzgerald is on the compact side for such a larger-than-life figure. However, what he lacks in stature and magnetism he makes up in energy: the part entails not just acting, singing and dancing, but acrobatics, prestidigitation and even a tightrope walk, executed by Fitzgerald sans fakery and while finishing off a musical number. Tamsin Carroll is more naturally engaging as his wife Charity or "Chairy", a realist with whom he constantly but always lovingly clashed (a recurring motif has it that they know they're all right whenever they start arguing again). Other figures include General Tom Thumb, played by full-size actor Jack North with his interlocutors clambering on to the shoulders of others to maintain the perspective, and Jenny Lind the operatic "Swedish nightingale" who in Anna O'Byrne's performance sounds rather more Welsh. Timothy Sheader is an accomplished director of musicals, and is here assisted by co-choreographer Liam Steel, late of DV8. Yet for all its structural and presentational exuberance, the show never rises to the source material. Barnum served as mayor of New York, was twice bankrupted and also became the richest man in the US, but his life and his life-long passion for imaginative forms of "humbug" are compacted into a show that runs for barely two hours, including a generous interval, and that entertains for its duration but leaves little lasting impression. <img src="http://www.ft.com/cms/bb884982-2767-11e2-8c4f-00144feabdc0.gif"/> Copyright The Financial Times Limited 2013. You may share using our article tools. Please don't cut articles from FT.com and redistribute by email or post to the web. www.yahootrend.com</div>

Barnum, Theatre in the Park, Chichester, UK

©Michael Le Poer Trench While Chichester's main Festival Theatre is partially rebuilt and extended, it has erected a large tent on the l...

11:03 AM

Aston Martin teams up with Mercedes

<div xmlns='http://www.w3.org/1999/xhtml'><img src="http://static.guim.co.uk/sys-images/Business/Pix/pictures/2013/7/25/1374771330107/Aston-Martin--010.jpg"/> Luxury sportscar maker Aston Martin is to team up with Daimler's high-performance Mercedes-AMG division to develop a new generation of bespoke V8 engines for the British firm, it said on Thursday. Under the deal, which is due to be finalised before the end of the year, Daimler will take a non-voting stake of up to 5% in the 100-year-old British firm, which achieved its greatest fame with the 1963 launch of the DB5 sports car featured in early James Bond movies. The agreement follows completion of the sale three months ago of a 37.5% stake in Aston Martin to Italian private equity group Investindustrial for $241m (£157m) via a capital increase agreed by the carmaker's majority owner Investment Dar and Kuwaiti compatriot Adeem Investment. Aston Martin has said the investment by Investindustrial, which outbid Indian tractor maker Mahindra & Mahindra for the stake, would underpin a new product development programme worth more than £500m over the next five years. The deals will help Aston Martin, the only global luxury carmaker not attached to a larger manufacturer, to better compete with the likes of Volkswagen's Bentley and Porsche, as well as UK rival Jaguar Land Rover, which was bought by India's Tata Motors in 2008 and has since achieved huge sales growth, especially in China. Under the latest agreement Daimler's Mercedes company will supply engines to Aston Martin, which will also receive electronic components from Daimler's Mercedes-Benz unit, the pair said. "The opportunity to include content from Mercedes-AMG in our next generation sports cars is, clearly, good news," Ian Minards, Aston Martin's product development director, said. "This points to a very bright future for the company as it starts its second century in business," he added. The Mercedes deal could eventually replace Aston Martin's current engine supply agreement with Ford, which owned Aston Martin until 2007. Ford makes V8 and V12 engines for the carmaker at its plant in Cologne, Germany. Aston Martin declined to comment on reports last month that it recently extended the Ford supply deal for another five years. "This is a great deal for Aston Martin, which needed a bigger partner, and will give it access to new engine technology and save it a fortune on the massive cost of developing powerful and fuel-efficient engines and electronic systems," said IHS Automotive research director Christoph Stürmer. Conversely, should Aston Martin's professional investors ultimately want an exit, Daimler could put itself in pole position to turn its initial shareholding into a strategic controlling stake, assuming the partnership proves successful. "Daimler has many other problems they need to address at the moment. But if they succeed there, then it wouldn't hurt to have an Aston Martin in your portfolio," said Stefan Bratzel, the head of Germany's Centre for Automotive Management. Mercedes has three families of engine Aston could choose from - an in-line four cylinder unit, a V8 and a V12 but Thursday's announcement specified the agreement was for the development of V8 powertrains, with no mention of whether the company would develop a new generation of V12 engines. Aston Martin has struggled for growth since the economic downturn in 2008 and reported a 9% fall in 2012 profits during which time it sold around 3,800 cars - around 10% fewer cars than a year earlier. Aston sells 15% of its vehicles in Asia but wants to significantly boost its presence in emerging markets. Rival Jaguar Land Rover has spent $800m over the last five years on marketing and expanding its dealerships in China, which is now close to becoming JLR's largest single market. www.yahootrend.com</div>

Aston Martin teams up with Mercedes

Luxury sportscar maker Aston Martin is to team up with Daimler's high-performance Mercedes-AMG division to develop a new generation of b...

10:22 AM

Leeds City Council apologise after Bruce Springsteen issued with parking ticket ...

<div xmlns='http://www.w3.org/1999/xhtml'>The Boss was the first artists to play the new £60m venue last night (July 24) <img src="http://static.nme.com/images/gallery/2012BruceSpringsteenPA051112.jpg"/> Leeds City Council has been forced to apologise after Bruce Springsteen's entourage were handed parking tickets prior to his gig in Leeds last night (July 24).<img src="http://static.nme.com/images/article/2012IOWBruceSpringsteen02PA250612.jpg"/>Springsteen became the first artists to perform live at Leeds Arena last night but his status didn't prevent authorities issuing trucks carrying his equipment with tickets after they were discovered parked illegally on a sidestreet near the venue. BBC News reports that Leeds City Council have since apologised and revoked the tickets as well as opening an inquiry into what happened. Keith Wakefield, Labour leader of Leeds Council, said: "It was somebody being a little bit stupid and zealous. It is an awareness thing. The lorries are supposed to park offsite and then be called into the arena." Springsteen's Leeds gig was part of his current world tour which includes a number of stops around the UK. The Boss and his E Street Band started a gig in London in June with a number of songs from 1982 album 'Nebraska' before stopping to announce they would be performing 1984 album'Born In The USA' in its entirety. This followed similar performances at Wembley Stadium and Coventry's Ricoh Arena, where the New Jersey artist performed 'Darkness On The Edge Of Town' and 'Born To Run' respectively. The world's greatest music magazine is now available as a digital edition! For exclusive content you won't find on NME.COM, visit our digital editions page to download directly to your iPad, iPhone, Kindle Fire or Nook. <img src="http://static.nme.com/themes/default/static_images/bestofnme/best-of-head-3.jpg"/> Bruce Springsteen Merchandise Latest Tickets - Booking Now <img src="http://static.nme.com/themes/default/static_images/masthead/social-newsletter.jpg"/> NME Store & Framed Prints <img src="http://static.nme.com/images/thums/195_NMECoverCMA3Pete230713.jpg"/> www.yahootrend.com</div>

Leeds City Council apologise after Bruce Springsteen issued with parking ticket ...

The Boss was the first artists to play the new £60m venue last night (July 24) Leeds City Council has been forced to apologise after Bruce S...

9:33 AM

SAC Capital faces fraud charges

SAC Capital faces fraud charges

US authorities have launched criminal charges against the Wall Street hedge fund SAC Capital. The fund is being charged with four counts of ...

9:07 AM

Mike musical heads to Broadway

<div xmlns='http://www.w3.org/1999/xhtml'><img src="http://news.bbcimg.co.uk/media/images/59982000/jpg/_59982574_59982573.jpg"/> A stage musical based on the Steven Soderbergh film Magic Mike is to open on Broadway. Channing Tatum, star of the film, confirmed the news on Twitter. Released in 2012, the film was based on the actor's early days as a male stripper. Tatum, 33, will produce the musical alongside Soderbergh, Magic Mike writer Reid Carolin, Gregory Jacobs and Nick Wechsler. The production team are also working on a sequel to the film. Tom Kitt and Brian Yorkey, creators of award-winning show Next to Normal, have been signed up to write the songs, while Roberto Aguirre-Sacasa will pen the book. The Glee writer co-wrote Spider-Man: Turn Off the Dark and the upcoming musical version of American Psycho. Magic Mike was self-financed by Tatum and Soderbergh and was made for $7 million (£4.5m). It went on to become a surprise hit, making $167m (£109m) from global ticket sales. This month Tatum was named the second highest-paid actor in the world by Forbes magazine. It estimates he earned $60m (£39m) last year, mainly from Magic Mike. It also reports that a chain of Magic Mike bars are in the pipeline. www.yahootrend.com</div>

Mike musical heads to Broadway

A stage musical based on the Steven Soderbergh film Magic Mike is to open on Broadway. Channing Tatum, star of the film, confirmed the news ...

8:33 AM

Film review: Frances Ha

<div xmlns='http://www.w3.org/1999/xhtml'>You will love it unless you're evil and hate everything Thu, 25/07/2013 - 14:19 by Tim Chipping This will be an uncharacteristically short film review from us because there's so little to say about Frances Ha. It's a tiny, low budget bundle of black & white, subtly comic, loveliness. Written by the film's star Greta Gerwig and the director Noah Baumbach it's a tale of friendship, romance, apartment sharing, unemployment, thwarted ambition and aimlessness, in which nothing much happens. And you will love it unless you're evil and hate everything. If you fell in love with Greta Gerwig after Damsels In Distress (as we did) but were disappointed by last year's Lola Versus (and who wasn't?) this is everything that film tried to be and failed. Frances Ha also begins with a breakup, and a central character similarly self-obsessed and charmingly clueless (Greta's forte it seems). But God is in the details and Baumbach and Gerwig have delighted in filling the script so it overflows with believable personality quirks, glorious babbling dialogue and joyous social awkwardness. The film's drawn comparisons with Lena Dunham's Girls. It's an easy shelf to put it on, since Frances Ha also deals with a woman in her rapidly increasing 20s who has yet to figure out who she is and what she's supposed to be doing. But where Girls delights in the worst aspects of a solipsistic generation, Frances is all heart and silliness. But it does have Adam Driver in it. So it is a bit like Girls. There's no romance, no action, peril or suspense. Nothing really happens at all. It's mostly just an hour and a half of Greta Gerwig saying stuff. And we never wanted it to end. <img src="http://www.holymoly.com/sites/all/themes/holymoly16/images/likethisstory.png"/> www.yahootrend.com</div>

Film review: Frances Ha

You will love it unless you're evil and hate everything Thu, 25/07/2013 - 14:19 by Tim Chipping This will be an uncharacteristically sho...

6:48 AM

'Breaking Bad' Premiere: Champagne Flows in RV for Bryan Cranston, Cast

<div xmlns='http://www.w3.org/1999/xhtml'><img src="http://www.hollywoodreporter.com/sites/default/files/imagecache/blog_post_349_width/2013/07/aaron_paul_bryan_cranston_breaking_bad_premiere_-_p_2013.jpg"/> The RV sparkled and the blue meth candy flowed at Wednesday night's Breaking Bad premiere, where the show's stars celebrated its final eight episodes. The cast of the AMC hit forwent the limousines and instead rolled up in Walter and Jesse's iconic RV, with Aaron Paul (Jesse) behind the wheel. Yellow smoke poured from its vent and champagne glasses clacked inside as the RV pulled in front of the Kim Novak Theatre on the Sony Lot. PHOTOS: 'Breaking Bad' Principals Strike a Pose for THR's Cover Shoot For an RV that's been used for so many bad deeds onscreen, Bryan Cranston (Walter) managed to use it for some real-life good. The star raised more than $400,000 for The National Center for Missing & Exploited Children by allowing donors the chance to win a trip to the premiere in the RV. The cast was predictably tightlipped on details about the final episodes, but they offered some teases. Cranston told The Hollywood Reporter when we next see Walter, he's not dwelling on the past, because his present is too dangerous. "He lives moment to moment. He doesn't have the luxury of retrospective thought," Cranston said. "He's trying to stay alive." Anna Gunn (Skylar) said the premiere finds her character having gone from thinking she can "control the situation" to realizing "there's no controlling the situation." "She's hoping against hope that Walt means it when he says he's out of the business," Gunn told . "But there's part of her that knows deep down it's not likely." STORY: Vince Gilligan: 'I Cried' Writing 'Breaking Bad' Finale (Walt Jr.) promised the ending will not disappoint. "There will be no loopholes. There will be no endings that are dreams," Mitte said. "I think the fans are going to love it. I think everyone is going to react to it very well." Though it was a goodbye, it wasn't a tearful event. Show creator Vince Gilligan snapped photos of his cast, while nearby, Cranston and Gunn horsed around, joking about how much they liked being each other's "fake" spouses. "We have all of the license to fool around, and none of the complications. It's fantastic," Cranston joked to reporters. PHOTOS: What's Next for Stars of Big TV Shows Ending This Year When Jonathan Banks (Mike) appeared on the carpet, Bob Odenkirk (Saul) made a beeline for his Emmy-nominated costar, shouting "this guy is awesome." He proclaimed Banks would win the Emmy this year for sure. (Banks is up against Paul for best supporting actor in a drama series, which Paul has won twice.) Later, Banks snuck behind the line of reporters and attempted to interview Paul using a box of breath mints as a microphone. Dean Norris (Hank) and Betsy Brandt(Marie) weren't at the premiere, but past castmembers David Costabile (Gale) and the actors behind the terrifying cartel cousins ( Luis Moncada and Daniel Moncada) were there to show support. Inside the theater, the crowd was treated to the upcoming season premiere, with Steve Mosko, president of Sony Pictures Television, introducing the episode by saying "Tonight is not a sad night. tonight is a celebration." PHOTOS: 'Breaking Bad': Cooking Up Season 5 On Set With Bryan Cranston and Vince Gilligan He then read the show's rather unassuming logline, presented to him at an October 2006 green light meeting: "A 40-year-old man learns that he has two years left to live. With no insurance for his family, he takes matters into his own hands by becoming Riverside County's newest drug dealer." Mosko noted how remarkable it is that those two sentences led to such a celebrated show. "That was seven years ago, and today we're here talking about one of the greatest shows in the history of television." At the after party, goodies included blue meth candy and a cake featuring Gilligan's severed head on a tortoise. Talk about going out in style. Breaking Bad returns on AMC on Aug. 11 at 9 p.m. ET. E-mail: Aaron.Couch@thr.com Twitter: @AaronCouch www.yahootrend.com</div>

'Breaking Bad' Premiere: Champagne Flows in RV for Bryan Cranston, Cast

The RV sparkled and the blue meth candy flowed at Wednesday night's Breaking Bad premiere, where the show's stars celebrated its fi...

5:48 AM

Cat allergy discovery promises new treatments

<div xmlns='http://www.w3.org/1999/xhtml'>Featured Article Academic Journal Main Category: Allergy Also Included In: Veterinary; Immune System / Vaccines Article Date: 25 Jul 2013 - 3:00 PDT Patient / Public: <img src="http://www.medicalnewstoday.com/images/rater/notyetrated.gif"/> Healthcare Prof: <img src="http://www.medicalnewstoday.com/images/rater/notyetrated.gif"/> New research led by the University of Cambridge in the UK has discovered the reason for the extreme immune reaction in some people who are allergic to cats. A study published online this week in the Journal of Immunology explains how the cat allergen Fel d 1 triggers an immune receptor that is also involved in allergic responses to dust mites. Lead author Dr. Clare Bryant, from Cambridge's Department of Veterinary Medicine, told the press: "We are hopeful that our research will lead to new and improved treatments for cat and possibly dog allergy sufferers." The idea is that new drugs could target the pathway to the newly discovered receptor so it can't trigger the severe immune response in affected people. Until this study, scientists were somewhat mystified by the severe reaction of the immune system to cat allergen. They already knew that the most common culprit was the cat allergen Fel d 1, which is present in cat dander, the microscopic pieces of cat skin that are often accompanied by saliva from grooming and become airborne, landing on furnishings, bedding, carpets, curtains and many other surfaces and objects in the home. Allergic reactions are the result of the immune system responding to what it perceives as dangers or threats to health and life. Normally these threats are from pathogens like viruses and bacteria. Part of the mechanism of recognizing and reacting to pathogens are proteins called receptors, which behave like unique locks, which can only be released when the correct key comes along. But sometimes the immune system misidentifies a non-threatening substance, reacts to it as if it were a pathogen and mounts the same inflammatory response. One way this happens is because a "key" that shouldn't release a lock somehow does so. In the case of Fel d 1, the lock that it releases or triggers is the pathogen recognition receptor Toll-like receptor 4 (TLR4). TLR4 is already known to be involved in allergic reactions to dust mites and the metal nickel. But Bryant and colleagues discovered that Fel d 1 is aided and abetted by another culprit. It teams up with a bacterial toxin found everywhere in the environment. It only needs very low doses of this toxin, called lipopolysaccharide (LPS) to unleash the severe immune response seen in people with cat allergy. For their study, the team ran a set of tests where they exposed human cells to cat and dog dander proteins. In some tests they added low levels of LPS, and in the others they did not. They discovered that the presence of the bacterial toxin LPS somehow increases the signalling to the immune system, intensifying the response to the cat allergen Fel d 1. In a further set of tests, they then discovered TLR4 was the part of the immune system that was reacting to the combination of LPS and Fel d 1. And when they used a drug that blocks TLR4 (essentially by occupying the lock so the allergen "key" can't get in to release it), they found the cat dander protein had no effect on human cells: they had prevented the inflammatory immune response. Bryant says: "Not only did we find out that LPS exacerbates the immune response's reaction to cat dander, we identified the part of immune system that recognises it, the receptor TLR4." The team also found that the allergen Can f 6, which is present in dog dander, also activates TLR4 when LPS is present. Drugs to inhibit TLR4 are already available, says Bryant, so they are hopeful that their "research will lead to new and improved treatments for cat and possibly dog allergy sufferers." Funds from the Wellcome Trust and the Medical Research Council (MRC) helped finance the study. Written by Catharine Paddock PhD Copyright: Medical News TodayNot to be reproduced without permission of Medical News Today Visit our allergy section for the latest news on this subject. "Allergens as Immunomodulatory Proteins: The Cat Dander Protein Fel d 1 Enhances TLR Activation by Lipid Ligands"; Jurgen Herre, Hans Grönlund, Heather Brooks, Lee Hopkins, Lisa Waggoner, Ben Murton, Monique Gangloff, Olaniyi Opaleye, Edwin R. Chilvers, Kate Fitzgerald, Nick Gay, Tom Monie, and Clare Bryant; Journal of Immunology 1300284, published ahead of print 22 July 2013; DOI:10.4049/jimmunol.1300284; Link to Abstract. Additional source: University of Cambridge Press Release. Please use one of the following formats to cite this article in your essay, paper or report: Please note: If no author information is provided, the source is cited instead. Add Your Opinion On This Article 'Cat allergy discovery promises new treatments' Please note that we publish your name, but we do not publish your email address. It is only used to let you know when your message is published. We do not use it for any other purpose. Please see our privacy policy for more information. If you write about specific medications or operations, please do not name health care professionals by name. All opinions are moderated before being included (to stop spam). We reserve the right to amend opinions where we deem necessary. Contact Our News Editors For any corrections of factual information, or to contact the editors please use our feedback form.<img src="http://www.medicalnewstoday.com/images/transpixel.gif"/> Please send any medical news or health news press releases to: Note: Any medical information published on this website is not intended as a substitute for informed medical advice and you should not take any action before consulting with a health care professional. For more information, please read our terms and conditions. <img src="http://www.medicalnewstoday.com/images/rightbar/160665-hayfever.jpg"/> Hay fever (or hayfever), also known as allergic rhinitis, is a common condition that shows signs and symptoms similar to a cold with sneezing, congestion, runny nose and sinus pressures. Read more... Most Popular Articles Follow Our Allergy News On Twitter <img src="http://www.medicalnewstoday.com/images/icons/twittericon_rightbar.jpg"/> Get the latest news for this category delivered straight to your Twitter account. Simply visit our Allergy Twitter account and select the 'follow' option. </div>

Cat allergy discovery promises new treatments

Featured Article Academic Journal Main Category: Allergy Also Included In: Veterinary; Immune System / Vaccines Article Date: 25 Jul 2013 - ...

5:12 AM

One Direction launch 'Little Things' make

<div xmlns='http://www.w3.org/1999/xhtml'><img src="http://fashion.telegraph.co.uk/Images/Columnists/katy_young_medium.jpg"/> Who cares if they don't wear the stuff? One Direction can still launch a make-up collection and make millions - and so they are, with 'Little Things'. <img src="http://ris.fashion.telegraph.co.uk/RichImageService.svc/imagecontent/1/TMG10201400/m/One-Direction-Main_2583963a.jpg"/> Lipsticks, cheek tints and polishes - that's what makes you beautiful according to boy band One Direction, who have just launched their capsule cosmetic collection with MUA Make-Up Academy. So fans, forget the natural look because it's the Little Things (the name of their 15-piece lip, nail and cheek colour collection) which makes all the difference now. READ - One Direction's new fragrance: Our Moment If you can't decide between colours, let the British boys Harry, Liam, Zayn and Louis, persuade you. Each band member has chosen their favourite polish (represented by a smiley photo of each hanging from the lid), and signed their own 'Kiss You' lippy colour from a range which includes coral Rock Me and Moments, a romantic soft pink - natch. Fashionista.com report how each boy, between their worldwide tour, song writing and performing, has also had time to pick out their own scented lip gloss for us. 'Harry loves strawberry,' while 'Niall loves cherry' and 'Louis Loves Vanilla,' (good to know). So it was easy pickings for the beauty-loving popstars, who also have a fragrance, 'Our Moment,' which strangely includes none of aforementioned notes, but launches in September. READ: One Direction's style in pictures With projected sales on their fragrance expected to reach $120 million (£78 million) in their first year, this is another beauty moment from One Direction we'd been expecting. <img src="http://i.telegraph.co.uk/multimedia/archive/02626/1d-makeup_2626869a.jpg"/> Prices start from £3 and go on sale July 29 at selected Superdrug stores or at superdrug.com andwww.muacosmetics.com www.yahootrend.com</div>

One Direction launch 'Little Things' make

Who cares if they don't wear the stuff? One Direction can still launch a make-up collection and make millions - and so they are, with &...

3:18 AM

Unilever sales miss forecasts as emerging markets growth slows

<div xmlns='http://www.w3.org/1999/xhtml'><img src="http://static.guim.co.uk/sys-images/Business/Pix/pictures/2013/7/25/1374738648087/Unilever-makes-Marmite-008.jpg"/> Consumer goods giant Unilever has warned that growth in emerging markets was slowing, while there was "little sign" of recovery in North America or Europe. The Anglo-Dutch firm reported underlying sales growth of 5% in the second quarter on Thursday, just below market expectations. The maker of Marmite and Persil said growth in emerging markets in the quarter was 10.3%, compared with 10.4% in the previous quarter, while developed markets fell by 1.3%. "Growth is slowing in emerging markets, as macro-economic headwinds influence consumer behaviour," the company said. "Within this overall trend we see a mixed picture across the major countries reflecting different local circumstances. Developed markets remain sluggish with little sign of any recovery in North America or Europe." Shares in Unilever fell 1.5% in early trading, losing 41p to £26.74. The FTSE 100 company's strongest growth came from its home care and personal care divisions, while refreshment was held back by "adverse weather" which hit ice cream sales. Its ice cream brands include Ben & Jerry's, Magnum, Wall's and Carte D'Or. In its foods division, the good growth of Knorr and Hellmann's was offset by a decline in spreads. Group turnover in the first half overall rose 0.4% to €25.5bn (£21.9bn), while pre-tax profit rose 14% to €3.6bn. The chief executive, Paul Polman, said: "Our innovation pipeline is robust which will be vital as we navigate the slowdown in many parts of the world. "The tougher economic environment and reinvigorated competition require us to set the bar higher on innovation and to increase investment behind our brands. At the same time we need to continue to take costs out of the system to help finance this investment." The International Monetary Fund warned earlier this month that emerging markets are slowing down, as it cut its forecasts for global growth this year. www.yahootrend.com</div>

Unilever sales miss forecasts as emerging markets growth slows

Consumer goods giant Unilever has warned that growth in emerging markets was slowing, while there was "little sign" of recovery in...

2:52 AM

Katharina Fritsch on her Fourth Plinth cockerel sculpture: 'I didn't want to make ...

<div xmlns='http://www.w3.org/1999/xhtml'>Katharina Fritsch takes a sip of her mint tea, leans in close and - in a voice full of mischief - says: "I think the English have a great sense of humour. I know they like to play games with language. They like their double meanings. So I wanted to play around." The German artist, bleary-eyed in a London hotel after only getting two hours' sleep on an early flight from Düsseldorf, is talking about her sculpture for the fourth plinth in Trafalgar Square. The moment she was asked to submit an idea, she knew what it would be: a big blue cock. Sorry, I mean a big blue cockerel. Fritsch's winning commission - an oversized rooster 4.7 metres tall painted a deep matt blue - is unveiled today, positively inviting double entendres as it sits there in the shadow of Nelson's Column. And that, of course, is part of the point. There is certainly a delicious, childish pleasure to be had in seeing a sculpture called Hahn/Cock ( hahn means "cock" in German and carries the same double meaning) in such an august location, waving his tail-feathers at the National Gallery and aiming his beak at Nelson's sniffily turned back. There's humour, too, in the fact that a cockerel - the national symbol of France, especially when coloured a distinctly Gallic hue - will reside for the next 18 months right beside a monument to the vanquishing of the French. Is this irony intentional? "I definitely never thought about the French thing," she says. "But it's a nice humorous side-effect to have something French in a place that celebrates victory over Napoleon." She gives an impish smile. "He has come back as a cockerel!" <img src="http://static.guim.co.uk/sys-images/Arts/Arts_/Pictures/2013/7/24/1374685088935/HahnCock-for-the-Fourth-P-001.jpg"/> Humour runs through much of Fritsch's work, which is well-known in Britain: she was the subject of a major show at Tate Modern in 2001, and is represented by influential gallery White Cube; but she is much more famous in Germany. Since the late 1970s, when she began studying at Düsseldorf's prestigious Kunstakademie, where she now teaches, she has turned out a series of meticulously rendered sculptures of animals and people, their detailed naturalism made strange by spray-painted colours that are garishly unexpected and uniformly matt. Sometimes, she places her sculptures in unsettling scenarios, like scenes from a fairytale or a half-remembered dream. In Man and Mouse, a giant, soot-black rodent looms over a man's sleeping body; in Child with Poodles, a baby lies on a painted gold star, surrounded by hundreds of miniature black dogs. The poodles are funny, but they are also faintly terrifying - and as far from kitsch as it is possible for a plaster poodle to be. While it's true that only the square's pigeons are likely to be terrified by Hahn/Cock, there is more to the work than humour: it's a clear sendup of masculine posturing and power, of which Nelson's column is a fine example. The cockerel's carefully sculpted plumage echoes the folds of the admiral's uniform, while the natty crest looks a bit like his hat. Standing right behind him, Hahn/Cock makes stern-faced old Nelson look, well, a little silly. Is this a feminist statement? "I'm a feminist, I must say," she replies. "It's about male posing, about showing power, about showing ... erections! I mean, look at that column!" She laughs. "As a German woman, when I first came to London, the area around Trafalgar Square seemed to be very much focusing on men - especially with fashion, with Jermyn Street. You have all these dandies, all these businessmen in their suits, who have to be powerful and successful. And they are a little bit posing like cockerels." Before he's even had a chance to roost, Fritsch's cockerel has already ruffled some feathers - as has become traditional with the Fourth Plinth programme, which has seen a rolling series of artworks on the site. Most of the commissions - including Marc Quinn's 2005 sculpture of the disabled artist Alison Lapper, and Antony Gormley's interactive project One & Other, which saw more than 2,000 people occupy the plinth for an hour each over 100 days - have had their share of nay-sayers. This is part of the point: the plinth programme is keen to inspire a healthy debate about what constitutes public art. Fritsch certainly sees it this way. Chief among the early detractors of Hahn/Cock are local conservation group the Thorney Island Society, who registered a planning objection earlier this year on the grounds that the sculpture was "totally inappropriate; however fanciful and dramatic it might appear to be". Fritsch's response is diplomatic. "I think from their point of view," she says, "they might be right. I had a few days of big insecurity. I'm very respectful, as a German coming to a foreign city. I don't want to make fun of Trafalgar Square, or the battle of Trafalgar. But I was invited. And I think that, through this piece, you have a monument that is always asking, 'What was the Battle of Trafalgar? Who is this man on the column?' I think it's keeping history alive." For Fritsch, colour is what transforms a sculpture from a naturalistic ornament into a symbol. "It evens it out, makes it abstract - like a visual sign, an icon. That is important: my work is always on the borderline between a detailed sculpture and a sign." Fritsch fell in love with colour while touring Germany's medieval and baroque churches as a child, absorbing their brightly painted works of art; she also has a form of synaesthesia (a crossover of the senses) and associates colours with numbers and days of the week. Sunday is white, the number seven is blue-grey. She is passionate about returning colour to sculpture, believing in its power to trigger an emotional reaction. "In the more abstract 20th century," she says, "colour was lost. It was not allowed because it was maybe too childish, too sensual, too emotional." Emotions certainly run high when Fritsch displays her work in public. In 1987, she was asked to create a public sculpture for Münster, and came up with a sunshine-yellow madonna: a potent statement in such a predominantly Catholic city. The first version, in plastic, was stolen and ended up at a police station; the second, in cement, had its nose broken off, and was regularly sprayed with graffiti. It was a good lesson in how strong reactions can be to public art. "People got very emotional," she says. "In the daytime, people brought candles and flowers and stood there singing and taking photographs. Then in the night, drunken people hit her or sprayed her. I never expected anything like it." More recently, she was delighted by the response to Figurengruppe (Group of Figures), a collection of nine sculptures, including another yellow madonna, that was installed in the garden of New York's Museum of Modern Art in 2011. "It was unbelievably popular," she says. "I think people were attracted because it was about colour - and there were no pedestals. The impact of a sculpture becomes very direct when you can stand right next to it and take a photo." Hahn/Cock doesn't present quite the same photo opportunity - unless visitors come armed with a ladder - but the vivid blue bird is sure to be all over Flickr and Instagram fairly soon. For Fritsch, its unveiling today is the tense final step in a long, painstaking journey that began with that initial flash of inspiration. "An idea," she says, "appears in a minute - you have all these memories and things in your brain and they all get together. In a single second, you have the right picture. I don't know if this idea will work. But I am hopeful." www.yahootrend.com</div>

Katharina Fritsch on her Fourth Plinth cockerel sculpture: 'I didn't want to make ...

Katharina Fritsch takes a sip of her mint tea, leans in close and - in a voice full of mischief - says: "I think the English have a gre...

1:33 AM

BT Sport signs up half a million in Sky battle

<div xmlns='http://www.w3.org/1999/xhtml'><img src="http://news.bbcimg.co.uk/media/images/68937000/jpg/_68937744_premier.jpg"/> BT says it has signed up more than 500,000 subscribers to its television sports channels ahead of the new football season. BT Sport is being launched in August as part of the company's plans to compete with Sky and boost revenues. It has secured the rights to 38 Premier League matches in the coming season, compared with Sky's 116. The update came as BT reported pre-tax profits of £449m for the three months to June, above analysts' expectations. BT's chief executive Ian Livingston said the subscriber numbers were promising. "It is early days but we are very pleased with the strong start in BT Sport. More than half a million households have now ordered BT Sport and that's before the channels have even launched," he said. Sky Sports does not reveal how many subscribers it has, but it is widely believed to be in the millions. BT's sports offering is partly designed to prevent customers from defecting to Sky and taking their broadband and telephone accounts with them. www.yahootrend.com</div>

BT Sport signs up half a million in Sky battle

BT says it has signed up more than 500,000 subscribers to its television sports channels ahead of the new football season. BT Sport is being...

12:52 AM

News Channels Go Head To Head In Royal Birth Coverage

<div xmlns='http://www.w3.org/1999/xhtml'>The coverage of the royal birth has been extensive, with multiple channels clawing at ratings. The winner was somewhat unexpected though - ITV reeled over 7 million people into their baby broadcast, more than twice the numbers, tuning in to the BBC - 3.3 million, according to the Guardian. The early morning ITV news, which was extended from 30 to 60 minutes, to catch the Duke and Duchess of Cambridge leaving St. Mary's hospital, averaged 5.4 million viewers and a 28.6% audience share - a staggering number for the time slot. <img src="http://www.contactmusic.com/pics/ln/20130724/230713_news_william_and_kate_baby_27/prince-william-duke-of-cambridge-catherine-duchess-of-cambridge-baby_3779228.jpg"/>Footage of the royal couple continues to flood most news channels. The BBC were a bit less flexible with scheduling, resulting in a half hour royal baby news block inserted right into The One Show: Best of Britain (with an average of 2.8% million viewers.) Umfortunately, the switch did nothing to improve ratings and the broadcast averaged just 3.3 million or 16.7% over the following 15 minutes. <img src="http://www.contactmusic.com/pics/ln/20130724/230713_news_william_and_kate_baby_27/prince-william-duke-of-cambridge-catherine-duchess-of-cambridge-baby_3779237.jpg"/>ITV was the winner on the day, but the BBC is steadily gaining back the lead. Clearly, ITV's coverage of people in front of a hospital was far better than the BBC's cover of people in font of a hospital - or at least viewers seem to think so. The BBC had the better numbers when it came to the 10pm news bulletins, averaging 5 million and a 25.5% share against 2.3 million and 12.2% for ITV's News at Ten. <img src="http://www.contactmusic.com/pics/ln/20130724/230713_news_william_and_kate_baby_27/prince-william-duke-of-cambridge-catherine-duchess-of-cambridge-baby_3779228.jpg"/>People were glued to their TV sets, to catch footage of a door or, if they were lucky, the royal bundle. www.yahootrend.com</div>

News Channels Go Head To Head In Royal Birth Coverage

The coverage of the royal birth has been extensive, with multiple channels clawing at ratings. The winner was somewhat unexpected though - I...

12:48 AM