Hot News: Wassily Kandinsky at 148: a colourful and cosmic Google Doodle star

<div xmlns='http://www.w3.org/1999/xhtml'><img height="300" src="http://i.guim.co.uk/static/w-620/h--/q-95/sys-images/Guardian/Pix/pictures/2014/12/16/1418732190893/afcffa7b-3dd1-4d60-a285-920019c24ce8-620x372.jpeg" width="100%"/><br/><br />The fascinating thing about Wassily Kandinsky, whose 148th birthday has got him a Google Doodle today, is how seriously and carefully he evolved from figurative painting to abstract art. Kandinsky did not become an abstract painter lightly. He reached abstraction in a strenuous, thoughtful way that gives his art huge authority.<br/><br />In his early expressionist paintings villages glow in radiant colours. These landscapes pulse with wild chromatic splendour that resembles the freedom of the fauves. In fact Kandinsky's expressive landscapes are already partly abstract, in their use of colour. This innovation, that started with the French fauves and was rapidly adopted by the German expressionists, was the first, huge step towards abstraction in 20th-century art. But the wild colours enflaming art in the early years of the century still portray a very recognisable world. Kandinsky took it a revolutionary step further by reaching a logical conclusion - what if painting were pure colour? What if it created its own imaginary world, like the world of a symphony?<br/><br />Like symphonies, Kandinsky's great abstract paintings speak directly to our senses and feelings. Their constellations of mysterious marks are like waves of sound that trigger emotions. For him, the world they pointed towards was a spiritual realm, a hidden truth.<br/><br />Kandinsky and Piet Mondrian both build cathedrals of the mind in their abstract art - silent cities of spiritual calm. That mystical impulse is connected to mathematics, and in Kandinsky this means a deep consciousness of structure. If his paintings have the expressive colour of Van Gogh's Starry Night they also have the classical clarity of Poussin.<br/><br />There is a true grandeur to his concept of painting, and a sense of truth. Whatever we think about his spiritualist beliefs, the result is an art that is at once purely abstract and plainly rooted in a deep feel for the nature of things. A profound, paradoxical and rich achievement. Kandinsky intuits the cosmic complexity of modern physics. His art can be set alongside today's images of the fabric of the universe.<br/><br />None of this makes Kandinsky an easy artist.<br/><br />It makes him a great one.<br/><br />Post By http://www.theguardian.com/artanddesign/jonathanjonesblog/2014/dec/16/wassily-kandinsky-148-google-doodle</div>

Hot News: Wassily Kandinsky at 148: a colourful and cosmic Google Doodle star

The fascinating thing about Wassily Kandinsky, whose 148th birthday has got him a Google Doodle today, is how seriously and carefully he evo...

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Hot News: Edmonton Oilers fire head coach Dallas Eakins

<div xmlns='http://www.w3.org/1999/xhtml'><img height="300" src="http://vipmedia.globalnews.ca/2014/12/cpt114236790_high.jpg?w=282&h=188&crop=1" width="100%"/><br/><br /><br/><br />;<br/><br />EDMONTON - Social media lit up Monday morning with the news that Edmonton Oilers head coach Dallas Eakins has been fired.<br/><br />The #Oilers have relieved Dallas Eakins of his head coaching duties. GM Craig MacTavish will address the media at 11:45am MT.<br/><br />- Edmonton Oilers (@EdmontonOilers) December 15, 2014<br/><br />The confirmation came after both TSN and 630 CHED sent out several tweets, citing unnamed sources.<br/><br />Dallas Eakins is the second NHL head coach to be fired this season after the Ottawa Senators dismissed Paul MacLean last week.<br/><br />The Oilers have lost four in a row and 15 of their past 16 games overall. The team, with a 7-19-5 record, sits last place in the NHL.<br/><br />More to come... With files from The Canadian Press<br/><br /><br/><br />© Shaw Media, 2014<br/><br />Post By http://globalnews.ca/news/1727375/edmonton-oilers-fire-head-coach-dallas-eakins/</div>

Hot News: Edmonton Oilers fire head coach Dallas Eakins

; EDMONTON - Social media lit up Monday morning with the news that Edmonton Oilers head coach Dallas Eakins has been fired. The #Oilers have...

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Hot News: Gossip column: Cuadrado, Torres, Adebayor, Destro, Hamsik

<div xmlns='http://www.w3.org/1999/xhtml'><img height="300" src="http://news.bbcimg.co.uk/media/images/79751000/jpg/_79751401_express.jpg" width="100%"/><br/><br />Last updated at 00:04<br/><br />For a list of all the latest deals, check out the transfers page. TRANSFER GOSSIP OTHER GOSSIP BEST OF SOCIAL MEDIA<br/><br /><strong>Manchester United's injured midfielder Daley Blind has saluted his former club Ajax's award as</strong> Netherlands sports team of the year <strong>and his own</strong> sportsman of the year of Amsterdam. AND FINALLY... More from Sport & Football<br/><br />Post By http://www.bbc.co.uk/sport/0/30485603</div>

Hot News: Gossip column: Cuadrado, Torres, Adebayor, Destro, Hamsik

Last updated at 00:04 For a list of all the latest deals, check out the transfers page. TRANSFER GOSSIP OTHER GOSSIP BEST OF SOCIAL MEDIA Ma...

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Hot News: Google Doodle Commemorates Russian Painter Wassily Kandinsky

<div xmlns='http://www.w3.org/1999/xhtml'><img height="300" src="http://timedotcom.files.wordpress.com/2014/12/83394805.jpg?w=550" width="100%"/>Known as the first truly abstract artist, he would have been 148 years old today<br/><br />Renowned Russian artist Wassily Kandinsky, the man whose 148th birthday Google is celebrating in its latest Doodle, only started painting when he was 30.<br/><br />Born in Moscow in 1866, Kandinsky grew up in Odessa and then studied Law and Economics before being offered a professorship at the University of Dorpat, Estonia. He left this position in 1896 and relocated to Munich seeking admission into the city's Academy of Fine Arts. After initially being shunned, he entered the academy a few years later, where he flourished as a painter and an art theorist.<br/><br />Kandinsky, who was inspired to take up painting by French impressionist painter Claude Monet's iconic Haystacks and composer Richard Wagner's opera Lohengrin, is known as the first truly abstract artist and often likened painting to music. 'Colour is the keyboard, the eyes are the hammers, the soul is the piano with many strings. The artist is the hand which plays, touching one key or another, to cause vibrations in the soul,' he wrote in his iconic text Concerning the Spiritual In Art.<br/><br />Kandinsky moved back to his native Russia following the outbreak of World War I in 1914, but returned to Germany in 1921 after being dissatisfied with the official theories of art under the communist regime. In 1933 he emigrated to France, where he lived out the rest of his days until his death in 1944.<br/><br />Post By http://time.com/3635356/google-doodle-kandinsky-russia-abstract-painter/</div>

Hot News: Google Doodle Commemorates Russian Painter Wassily Kandinsky

Known as the first truly abstract artist, he would have been 148 years old today Renowned Russian artist Wassily Kandinsky, the man whose 14...

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Hot News: Kobe Bryant passes Michael Jordan for third on NBA's scoring list (Video)

<div xmlns='http://www.w3.org/1999/xhtml'><img height="300" src="http://l1.yimg.com/bt/api/res/1.2/YZhP1JFYc7eEBhAJ0msEgQ--/YXBwaWQ9eW5ld3M7cT04NQ--/http://l.yimg.com/os/publish-images/sports/2014-12-15/232fa6c0-8490-11e4-933e-2b24cf2abddf_all-time-pass-leaders.jpg" width="100%"/><br/><br />Raw pro basketball statistics, for good reason, aren't held in the same regard as the numbers many grew up memorizing as baseball fans. NBA fans have a good idea as to how many points Kareem Abdul-Jabbar scored (30,000 ... something), how many rebounds Wilt Chamberlain pulled in (a lot), or the number of assists John Stockton dished (plenty?), but the actual totals involved aren't as memorable as any of the record numbers Henry Aaron, Lou Gehrig or Lou Brock once set.<br/><br />That doesn't take away from the accomplishment that Kobe Bryant just earned. On Sunday night the Los Angeles Lakers superstar hit two free throws at the 5:24 mark of the contest to put him at 32,293 points (and counting) for his career, passing Michael Jordan to move into third place on the NBA's all-time scoring list. The Minnesota Timberwolves swingman that fouled him, rookie Zach LaVine, was born 13 months before Bryant announced he would forego college to jump directly to the NBA.<br/><br />Kobe was then presented with the game ball by Minnesota Timberwolves owner Glen Taylor before resuming action. He is currently averaging 25.4 points per game this season, second in the NBA just a tick under his career average of 25.5. Jordan still holds the NBA record with a 30.1 points per game career average.<br/><br />Jordan released a statement to the Associated Press about Bryant passing him: ''I congratulate Kobe on reaching this milestone,'' Jordan said. ''He's obviously a great player, with a strong work ethic and has an equally strong passion for the game of basketball. I've enjoyed watching his game evolve over the years, and I look forward to seeing what he accomplishes next.''<br/><br />Bryant is still some 4,000 points behind Karl Malone for second on the all-time list and 6,000 behind Kareem Abdul-Jabbar for the league's all-time mark of 38,387, but this doesn't diminish Bryant's brilliance. Malone and especially Kareem played in different eras with speedier paces and more possessions per game to score with. Kobe may have played with the benefit of the 3-point line, but he's a below-average 3-point shooter on his career, so the advantage isn't all that distinct. More impressively, as a guard Bryant had to slash and shoot his way to his points, while the bigger Malone and Abdul-Jabbar were allowed to play closer to the basket.<br/><br />Kobe's advancement is a rare bright spot in an otherwise turgid Lakers 2014-15 campaign. The team's win over the defending champion San Antonio Spurs on Friday was a season highlight, with Bryant falling short in his attempt to pass Jordan but contributing down the stretch of a close win with several assists. That contest came one day after Bryant was caught by cameras berating both his lacking teammates and Lakers general manager Mitch Kupchak, a tongue-lashing with such a blithe response that suggested his teammates weren't unfamiliar with those sorts of outbursts.<br/><br />The Lakers were 7-16 upon entering Sunday night's action, statistically on pace for just 25 wins in a Western Conference that features a seventh seed on pace to win 56 games. The team has been accused of attempting to tank the season in attempts to secure a high draft pick - if Los Angeles falls out of the top five following the NBA's draft lottery, it surrenders its pick to Phoenix in the wake of the disastrous Steve Nash sign-and-trade. A tanking maneuver, as applauded by at least one Lakers legend, would waste what could be the penultimate season of Kobe Bryant's career, as his two-year and $48.5 million contract runs out in 2016.<br/><br />None of this mattered over the course of this long weekend, of course. Kobe Bryant, in the NBA since 1996 and already a legend, just brushed past his idol.<br/><br />And he's not done yet.<br/><br /><strong>Kelly Dwyer</strong> is an editor for <strong>Ball Don't Lie</strong> on Yahoo Sports. Have a tip? Email him at KDonhoops@yahoo.com or follow him on Twitter! Follow @KDonhoops<br/><br />Post By http://sports.yahoo.com/blogs/nba-ball-dont-lie/kobe-bryant-passes-michael-jordan-for-third-on-nba-s-scoring-list-005143877.html</div>

Hot News: Kobe Bryant passes Michael Jordan for third on NBA's scoring list (Video)

Raw pro basketball statistics, for good reason, aren't held in the same regard as the numbers many grew up memorizing as baseball fans. ...

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Hot News: WWE Raw: Potential Spoilers, Rumors, News and Preview for December 15

<div xmlns='http://www.w3.org/1999/xhtml'><img height="300" src="http://img.bleacherreport.net/img/images/photos/003/197/209/a50c9456b12f0aa6cb5d2a7f190dc761_crop_north.jpg?w=630&h=420&q=75" width="100%"/><br/><br />Superstars climb out of the wreckage from TLC, beginning a new journey that begins with the Dec. 15 edition of WWE Raw.<br/><br />The aftermath of one pay-per-view bleeds into another as the hype for Royal Rumble has already begun. Detroit's Joe Louis Arena hosts as Roman Reigns, John Cena and Nikki Bella go from celebrating to prepping for new obstacles.<br/><br />Chris Jericho returns to guide the ship.<br/><br />Following a recent trend of one-off Raw general managers, Jericho will be in charge for the night. WWE announced Y2J's appearance last week:<br/><br />NEXT WEEK: #RawIsJERICHO in Detroit!!@IAmJericho is the special guest host of #RAW LIVE on @USA_Network! pic.twitter.com/baY69evwUN- WWE (@WWE) December 9, 2014<br/><br />As for what else to expect when WWE returns to the site of Night of Champions 2013 and Survivor Series 1999, backstage reports, Benigno's five-point preview on WWE.com and Twitter provide plenty of hints. <strong>News, Potential Spoilers</strong><br/><br />Detroit is set to welcome the rarely seen world champ. As ProWrestling.net notes, 'WWE is advertising Brock Lesnar for the December 15 edition of Raw.'<br/><br />That timing makes perfect sense as WWE can now begin the Cena vs. Lesnar III build. Cena retained his spot as No. 1 contender with a win over Seth Rollins at TLC. WWE quickly took to promoting the upcoming title bout, airing a promo video for it on Sunday's pay-per-view.<br/><br />On the same night that fans get a look at the WWE World Heavyweight Championship for the first time in months, there's a chance they also see a title that has been defunct since 2002.<br/><br />Lana teased at the possibility of bringing back the European Championship. As Mike Johnson noted for PWInsider, 'Lana posted a photo of a 'WWE European title belt' on social media before deleting it over the weekend.'<br/><br />Fans like Paul Jordan shared the photo after The Ravishing Russian did away with it:<br/><br />@ftwpodcast 'Apparently, Lana posted this photo then removed it. European Championship > US Championship? pic.twitter.com/DfwCnNuNTM'- paul jordan (@pauljordanjr) December 14, 2014<br/><br />Rusev had an easy night compared to his peers. He worked a short match that featured not a single collision with a ladder. Dolph Ziggler and Luke Harper, meanwhile, will enter Monday's Raw hurting thanks to what they did to themselves in their Ladder match.<br/><br />As seen on (video contains graphic images), medical staff stapled a wound in Harper's head closed after that bout.<br/><br />WWE's official website also provided updates for Ziggler and AJ Lee. The company's medical team used skin glue and bandages to treat a laceration on The Showoff's head. The company has shown in the past that it has no issue with making guys work the night after suffering injuries like that.<br/><br />In AJ's case, her injuries were of the kayfabe variety.<br/><br />The reports claims that AJ suffered a 'chemical conjunctivitis' after Nikki Bella sprayed her in the eyes on Sunday. That points to the former Divas champ being out of action for Monday's Raw.<br/><br />Credit: WWE.com<br/><br />In another PWInsider report, Johnson writes that 'We've also heard Big Show banged up his hip in the Stairs match with Erick Rowan.' His prominence in the current storylines likely means he won't get a night off to let that hip heal.<br/><br />He tried to cost Cena his match against Rollins, only to take a Superman punch from Roman Reigns. That gives the big man two high-profile enemies to look out for in Detroit. <strong>From TLC to the Royal Rumble</strong><br/><br />After WWE wrapped up its last pay-per-view of 2014, it will quickly point its compass toward next year's first big event. The Royal Rumble match already has its first official entrant in Reigns and its first title bout in Lesnar vs. Cena.<br/><br />What of the Divas Championship? Signs are pointing to a new challenger stepping up to Nikki Bella.<br/><br />Not only is AJ 'injured' thanks to whatever Nikki sprayed in her eyes, going with AJ vs. Nikki again would mark the fourth consecutive pay-per-view match between them. Benigno hints at someone else feuding with Nikki in his preview, writing, 'It's just a matter of which femme fatale will step up to meet her, head-on.'<br/><br />Reigns has a match set for January's show, but will certainly have some rivals in his way en route to that battle.<br/><br />Attacking Big Show at TLC has to lead to The World's Largest Athlete seeking some payback. Rollins is in retribution-mode as well. He tweeted that he was 'robbed' thanks to Reigns' interference:<br/><br />4 tables and a Roman Reigns later... #robbed #WWETLC- Seth Rollins (@WWERollins) December 15, 2014<br/><br />Dean Ambrose and Bray Wyatt's match followed that one, ending in odd fashion. An electric shock from a plugged-in TV put Ambrose down long enough for Wyatt to capitalize. It's unclear whether that rivalry is over or if both men will seek new targets heading into the new year.<br/><br />In his five-point preview, Benigno asks, 'What will The Eater of Worlds choose to do with his fully restored power and momentum?'<br/><br />There is no confusion as to what Paul Heyman's role will be. With Lesnar stepping back into the spotlight, Heyman is sure to follow.<br/><br />There's a lot to discuss tonight on @WWE Monday Night #RAW, including how @BrockLesnar got ripped off at the #Slammys pic.twitter.com/CKGaBYw72w- Paul Heyman (@HeymanHustle) December 15, 2014<br/><br />In the past, he has been the bridge between editions of Raw that The Beast Incarnate misses. When Lesnar is around, he is the powerhouse's mouthpiece. Not surprisingly, that looks to be what's on tap for the TLC fallout show.<br/><br />Benigno writes of Heyman, 'It's almost a given he'll begin another barrage of mind games on Raw.'<br/><br />With more than a full month until Royal Rumble arrives, WWE is likely to lean on the verbal side of the Cena and Lesnar feud. There will be ample opportunity ahead to have those two men start slugging it out.<br/><br />Whether those two brawl or not, Monday's Raw promises to be a 'welcome back' party, with Reigns and Lesnar both stepping onto stage again after extended absences.<br/><br />Post By http://bleacherreport.com/articles/2300369-wwe-raw-potential-spoilers-rumors-news-and-preview-for-december-15</div>

Hot News: WWE Raw: Potential Spoilers, Rumors, News and Preview for December 15

Superstars climb out of the wreckage from TLC, beginning a new journey that begins with the Dec. 15 edition of WWE Raw. The aftermath of one...

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Hot News: A town that's lost its men

<div xmlns='http://www.w3.org/1999/xhtml'><img height="300" src="http://i2.cdn.turner.com/cnn/dam/assets/141211114807-01-cnnphotos-lichk-restricted-horizontal-gallery.jpg" width="100%"/><cite>Anoush and Ruzanna, two sisters-in-law, prepare bread in the Armenian village of Lichk. Their husbands and brothers, like almost all of the village's working-age men, work in Russia for most of the year.</cite><br/><br /><strong>(CNN)</strong> -- The moon has risen, and it's quiet around this little Armenian village.<br/><br />Past a field of tilled soil and over a stone wall in a little brick house, the children have been put to bed and there is a kettle on the stove. A woman speaks in a hushed voice on the phone. Her voice is tired but full of emotion.<br/><br />Another woman rises with the dawn and slips a scarf over her hair as she steps into the dew of a new morning. She ushers the livestock with a rough wooden stick to the point of gathering -- from there, the village shepherd will take the animals out to pasture.<br/><br />Still another woman, with aged hands and a furrowed brow, is bent low over a pile of potatoes. She peels them tirelessly as she prepares food for her family.<br/><br />In the Armenian village of Lichk, you will find many hard-working women, but you will not find many men. All these women's husbands are thousands of miles away.<br/><br />Because of the poor economic situation of this village, 90% of its working-age men have left for better-paying construction jobs in Russia.<br/><br />So for eight or nine months a year, women run the village.<br/><br />These are sturdy women. A grit and strength sustain them as they bravely take care of not only their families, but also their village as a whole.<br/><br />Photographer Julien Pebrel had been working in the Caucasus region when he heard rumors of towns without men. He and his translator did some investigating and found the stories were true. He spent two weeks in September 2013 documenting the lives of the women of Lichk.<br/><br />Pebrel stayed with Anoush and Ruzanna, two sisters-in-law who lived together with their families while their husbands worked in Russia.<br/><br />He captured painterly scenes of the village with his Rolleiflex film camera, only using his digital camera in low-lighting situations. 'That's why I love film,' he said. 'You don't need to do post-production to get some beautiful colors.' And indeed he has captured the feeling of a bygone era. The colors and lighting give the images a storybook quality.<br/><br />There is a great sense of community among the women. Everything is a team effort, from working the land, uprooting vegetables, herding the livestock across dirt roads, sheering curly-haired sheep, baking flat bread and raising wide-eyed little ones.<br/><br />Now this is not to say that there are no men whatsoever in Lichk. Look under the shade of a cool brick wall, and you can find the older generation wearing caps and denim as they tell stories and play cards on splintery wooden tables. These men serve as a source of authority over unruly schoolboys and provide support for their daughters-in-law. But even Pebrel says it is still 'the women who do everything.'<br/><br />In the beginning, Anoush and Ruzanna didn't discuss the emotional toll this separation takes on them. But by the end, they acknowledged that while most of the women in the town do trust their husbands, there is still an underlying fear that the men may lead a secret life in Russia. Worse yet is that some of the men never return. 'We try not to think too much about that,' the women told him.<br/><br />While there is a great deal of determined patience required for both the husbands and wives, the winter months are a time of pure celebration. When the men return at the end of the year, the village is filled with weddings, parties and births. It's a time of joyful reuniting. (Although Pebrel said he overheard stories of children who did not recognize their fathers when they returned.)<br/><br />Those three months together are savored before the husbands, sons and fathers will pack their suitcases and leave for the majority of another year.<br/><br />Again, the women will unwaveringly take the helm of this village. Despite the fiscal hardships, the exhausting manual labor and the lonely pangs they face, they remain strong and full of love. <i>Julien Pebrel is a photographer based in Paris. You can follow him on</i> <i>.</i><br/><br />Post By http://www.cnn.com/2014/12/14/world/cnnphotos-lichk-lost-men/</div>

Hot News: A town that's lost its men

Anoush and Ruzanna, two sisters-in-law, prepare bread in the Armenian village of Lichk. Their husbands and brothers, like almost all of the ...

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Hot News: Toronto Raptors' Amir Johnson-Patrick Patterson frontcourt pairing pays off

<div xmlns='http://www.w3.org/1999/xhtml'><img height="300" src="http://wpmedia.sports.nationalpost.com/2014/12/raptors-12.jpg?w=620&h=476" width="100%"/><br/><br />When his team came to visit Toronto late in November, Rick Carlisle paid the Raptors a compliment that a coach would be prone to appreciate.<br/><br />'The key thing is they have all two-way players, guys who are good on offence and defence,' Carlisle, the Dallas Mavericks coach, said. 'And that's how you build a team that's meant to win in the playoffs.'<br/><br />Although there are enough timeouts in the NBA to occasionally substitute offensive-minded players for defensive-minded players down the stretch of a close game, that is not the preference of a coach. Sticking with a consistent lineup is always the best option, if that option is available. To do that, you need players who draw attention on offence and follow the game plan on defence.<br/><br />Up front, there becomes a third consideration: Can the player finish a possession by grabbing a rebound? Raptors coach Dwane Casey, at this point in time, has three options in which two out of three will have to do. Jonas Valanciunas is the team's best post-up threat and the Raptors' best rebounder, but Casey does not fully trust him defensively. Patrick Patterson is on fire from three-point range and is a quick and savvy defender, but has never been a good rebounder. Similarly, Amir Johnson, who is clearly playing at less than full health, remains effective in the pick-and-roll and the team's best help defender, but he is rebounding at the worst rate of his career.<br/><br />In the Raptors' 95-90 overtime win, an ugly game that is best forgotten, Casey used Patterson and Johnson together in the extra five minutes. Of the three possible two-man pairings, the Raptors have had the best average point differential when Patterson and Johnson share the court. There were two instances in which Casey's thinking paid off.<br/><br />* The Raptors scored the first basket of the overtime, a three-pointer from Patrick Patterson. Amir Johnson was at the elbow, trying to hand off the ball to Terrence Ross, a play usually run for DeMar DeRozan. The Knicks sniffed out the play, perhaps too well, as Carmelo Anthony left Patterson to try to trap Johnson and Ross. Johnson made a quick pass to Patterson in the corner, the type of instinctive play that Valanciunas would just not make at this stage of his development. Valanciunas is a major plus offensively, even though the Raptors do not always leverage his skills, but he still struggles to make anything beyond the most obvious of passes.<br/><br />* However, Patterson and Johnson were playing primarily for defensive purposes, with Valanciunas's failed defence of an Amar'e Stoudemire bucket off of the pick-and-roll late in the fourth quarter undoubtedly stuck in Casey's memory. Patterson had the toughest assignment, having to guard Anthony out on the perimeter. Johnson was inside on Stoudemire. Inside the final two minutes of overtime, the two Knicks ran a pick-and-roll, causing a switch. If it had been Valanciunas stuck on Anthony, there might have been trouble. However, Johnson is capable of switching with Patterson thanks to their similar quickness, and he was able to force Anthony into a contested three-pointer that he missed. The Raptors were giving up rebounding, and Stoudemire was able to out-maneuver Patterson for the rebound, but Anthony missed another three-pointer.<br/><br />In general, Patterson's defence, despite playing ostensibly different positions, was excellent down the stretch.<br/><br />'His length and energy, his quickness and speed and his tenacity to deny [the ball] and forcing [Anthony] way out to catch the ball and his overall defensive focus and understanding of where he is on the floor,' Casey told reporters of what he admired about Patterson's effort. 'He did a magnificent job.'<br/><br />It is easy to say that Valanciunas should be getting the majority of the Raptors' crunch-time minutes, as him hitting his ceiling would be the best thing for the team's ultimate potential. At times this year, Casey has given Valanciunas more playing time in close games, although usually only when the matchup is favourable.<br/><br />The coach, though, has a bunch of considerations to make, and they go beyond getting his team more help on offence. With the way that Casey is wired, he will almost certainly continue to do what is best on the other end of the floor.<br/><br />Post By http://sports.nationalpost.com/2014/12/15/toronto-raptors-amir-johnson-patrick-patterson-frontcourt-pairing-pays-off/</div>

Hot News: Toronto Raptors' Amir Johnson-Patrick Patterson frontcourt pairing pays off

When his team came to visit Toronto late in November, Rick Carlisle paid the Raptors a compliment that a coach would be prone to appreciate....

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Hot News: Oreillons: le CH prend des précautions pour éviter l'éclosion

<div xmlns='http://www.w3.org/1999/xhtml'><img height="300" src="http://images.lpcdn.ca/641x427/201412/15/947102-michel-therrien-affirme-organisation-grandement.jpg" width="100%"/><br/><br /><br/><br />Michel Therrien a affirmé que l'organisation est grandement préoccupée par la situation.<br/><br />PHOTO ROBERT SKINNER, ARCHIVES LA PRESSE<br/><br />Les joueurs du Canadien se lavent les mains sans doute comme ils ne l'ont jamais fait. L'entraîneur Michel Therrien a réitéré, lundi, que l'équipe ne lésine pas sur les précautions afin d'éviter l'éclosion des oreillons.<br/><br />La maladie virale infantile continue de se répandre au sein de la LNH, avec une quinzaine de cas répertoriés.<br/><br />'L'organisation est grandement préoccupée par la situation, a affirmé Therrien. Nous sommes contents de n'avoir aucun cas. Le personnel médical est très proactif. Nous ne courons aucun risque. Nous avons fait vacciner tous les joueurs. Nous avons retiré le défenseur Bryan Allen de l'entourage de l'équipe quand nous avons eu des craintes. Nous suivons la situation de près.'<br/><br />La semaine dernière, le défenseur P.K. Subban a montré des symptômes grippaux, mais il s'est avéré que ce n'était rien de sérieux.<br/><br />'C'est la période de l'année où nous devons prendre des précautions additionnelles, comme celle de se laver souvent les mains', a dit Subban.<br/><br />La propagation des oreillons ne doit pas être prise à la légère, selon lui.<br/><br />'Je n'ai jamais vu rien de semblable. Nous devons composer avec la situation et rester vigilants.'<br/><br />Le dernier cas en lice serait celui de l'attaquant Beau Bennett, que les Penguins de Pittsburgh ont placé en quarantaine. On a rappelé lundi que Bennett avait fait la visite d'hôpitaux pour enfants de Pittsburgh avec des coéquipiers, la semaine dernière. Or lundi justement, c'était la traditionnelle journée de visite des hôpitaux de Montréal du Canadien.<br/><br />'Nous ne craignons pas d'aller voir les enfants à cause de ça [les oreillons]. Moi, je crois qu'il [Bennett] a attrapé le virus de Sidney Crosby', a lancé à la blague Brendan Gallagher.<br/><br /><strong>Visite d'hôpitaux</strong><br/><br />Les joueurs du CH ne se font jamais prier pour aller égayer le quotidien d'enfants malades dans les hôpitaux, à l'approche des Fêtes. On rappelait dans l'entourage de l'équipe, lundi, que la tradition est née d'une initiative de Jean Béliveau, il y a une cinquantaine d'années.<br/><br />'De voir le sourire qui illumine le visage des enfants et l'énergie qu'ils ont malgré les épreuves qu'ils doivent surmonter, ça place les choses dans leur juste perspective, a relevé Gallagher. Nous vivons comme dans un vase clos. Quand ça ne va pas bien, nous nous apitoyons sur notre sort. C'est quand nous faisons des sorties comme celle-là que nous réalisons combien nos problèmes ne sont rien.<br/><br />'Ce sont toujours des rencontres agréables, a-t-il continué. Nous avons beaucoup de plaisir ensemble. Tant mieux si nous pouvons rendre ces enfants heureux avant Noël. Ils nous le remettent bien parce qu'ils nous rendent heureux. C'est positif pour tout le monde.' Michel Therrien honoré par la LHJMQ<br/><br />Michel Therrien a accueilli comme 'un bel honneur', lundi, l'annonce de son admission prochaine au Temple de la renommée de la LHJMQ.<br/><br />L'entraîneur du Canadien a fait ses débuts comme entraîneur dans la LHJMQ, dans les années 1990, d'abord à la barre du Titan de Laval et ensuite des Bisons de Granby. Il a contribué à redorer le blason de la LHJMQ, en menant les Bisons jusqu'à la conquête de la Coupe Memorial en 1996. La conquête des Bisons avait mis fin à une séquence honteuse de 25 ans du circuit junior québécois.<br/><br />Outre Therrien, admis dans la catégorie des bâtisseurs, le Temple de la renommée de la LHJMQ s'enrichira de quatre autres nouveaux membres, le 8 avril prochain.<br/><br />Les exploits du gardien Martin Brodeur, du défenseur Billy Campbell et de l'attaquant Martin Gélinas seront célébrés, tandis qu'on soulignera pour la première fois à titre posthume, à l'occasion du 20e anniversaire d'existence du Temple, la contribution du bâtisseur Jean Rougeau. Beau Bennett a subi des tests pour les oreillons<br/><br />PITTSBURGH - Les Penguins de Pittsburgh ont fait passer des tests pour les oreillons à leur attaquant Beau Bennett.<br/><br />Le directeur général Jim Rutherford a fait savoir que Bennett montrait des symptômes et que l'équipe attendait le résultat des tests.<br/><br />Bennett était déjà à l'écart à cause d'une blessure dans le bas du corps, subie contre Boston le mois dernier.<br/><br />Le capitaine Sidney Crosby sera absent en soirée contre Tampa Bay, justement en raison des oreillons.<br/><br />Crosby est le 13e joueur de la LNH à être incommodé par les oreillons, après Corey Perry, François Beauchemin, Clayton Stoner et Emerson Etem, des Ducks, Ryan Suter, Keith Ballard, Marco Scandella, Jonas Brodin et Christian Folin, du Wild, Tanner Glass, des Rangers, ainsi que Travis Zajac et Adam Larsson, des Devils.<br/><br />Le virus des oreillons se répand par la salive ou le mucus, habituellement en éternuant, en reniflant ou même en parlant. Partager des boissons et des ustensiles peut aussi contribuer à étendre l'infection.<br/><br />- THE ASSOCIATED PRESS<br/><br />publicité<br/><br />Post By http://www.lapresse.ca/sports/hockey/201412/15/01-4828489-oreillons-le-ch-prend-des-precautions-pour-eviter-leclosion.php</div>

Hot News: Oreillons: le CH prend des précautions pour éviter l'éclosion

Michel Therrien a affirmé que l'organisation est grandement préoccupée par la situation. PHOTO ROBERT SKINNER, ARCHIVES LA PRESSE Les jo...

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Hot News: Mason Disick Turns 5 — Happy Birthday

<div xmlns='http://www.w3.org/1999/xhtml'><img height="300" src="http://pmchollywoodlife.files.wordpress.com/2014/12/mason-disick-happy-5th-birthday-tsr.jpg?w=591" width="100%"/>Happy birthday, Mason! Kourtney Kardashian's first child with Scott Disick is now officially 5 years old.<br/><br />Wow, time sure flies! Can you believe that <strong>Mason Disick</strong> is now 5? Just days before his mom, <strong>Kourtney Kardashian</strong>, 35, is set to give birth, her son is celebrating a milestone birthday. So exciting! Mason Disick's Birthday - Turns 5 Years Old<br/><br />It's here!<br/><br />Even though Mason had his Nightmare Before Christmas themed birthday party in Nov. 2014, his actual birthday is Dec. 14.<br/><br />We're sure that Kourtney and her partner, Scott Disick, have found an exciting way for him to celebrate his special day once again. Maybe this time it's a bit more low-key though since Kourtney could go into labor with her third child at any minute now!<br/><br />Take Our Poll<br/><br />In order to celebrate Mason's big day, <strong>HollywoodLife.com</strong> has put together a collection of his cutest moments in the gallery above. Mason Is Growing Up Before Our Eyes<br/><br />Five years worth of adorable pictures, and now he's turning into a little man!<br/><br />Now that Mason is 5 years old, he's got long hair and beautiful eyes - just like his dad, Scott. We can't wait to see more of him on upcoming season of Keeping Up With The Kardashians!<br/><br />Plus, we know Mason is going to absolutely love having a little brother once Kourtney gives birth!<br/><br />What do YOU think, <strong>HollywoodLifers</strong> - Does Mason look more like Kourtney or Scott the older he gets? Do you like his long hair? Comment below, and be sure to wish him a happy birthday, too! More Mason Disick News:<br/><br />Kourtney Kardashian Still Carrying Penelope, 2, Weeks Before Due Date North West Has Adorable Pajama Party With Penelope & Mason Disick Mason & Penelope Disick Support Kanye West By Rocking 'Yeezus' Tees<br/><br />Post By http://hollywoodlife.com/2014/12/14/mason-disick-birthday-5-kourtney-kardashian/</div>

Hot News: Mason Disick Turns 5 — Happy Birthday

Happy birthday, Mason! Kourtney Kardashian's first child with Scott Disick is now officially 5 years old. Wow, time sure flies! Can you ...

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Hot News: Sports stadium architecture: Welcome to the new temples of pleasure

<div xmlns='http://www.w3.org/1999/xhtml'><img height="300" src="http://i2.cdn.turner.com/cnn/dam/assets/141118174716-borsisov-arena-horizontal-gallery.jpg" width="100%"/><br/><br /><strong>(CNN)</strong> -- It's a vision of biblical proportions -- tens of thousands of people weeping, whooping, and chanting in unison.<br/><br />If sport were a religion, then the stadium would surely be its place of worship.<br/><br />Inside these temples to physical feats, language evokes the divine -- fearful fans 'pray for a miracle,' while losing prompts serious 'soul-searching.'<br/><br />So much so that architects these days must create more than a stage for human endurance.<br/><br />It's as if they have been asked to perform the architectural equivalent of feeding the 5,000 with five loaves and two fish -- constructing an arena to elevate the senses, capture the spirit of a community, and become an icon for a city long after the last fan has passed through the turnstiles.<br/><br />'It's like creating a contemporary cathedral in some ways,' said Spela Videcnik, architect behind the sci-fi 'spotty' Borisov Arena, home to the Belarus national football team.<br/><br />'Often the stadium is meant to become the pride of a city, a landmark object, and as such, a monument representing the latest achievements in architecture.'<br/><br />Since ancient Greeks built the first Olympic stadium in fine white marble, the arena has been as much about inspiring awe, as staging competition.<br/><br />Today's architects must go even further. <strong>Return to Roman times?</strong><br/><br />In an age where sporting events are captured on television in brilliant detail, designers must lure us from the comfort of living rooms with multipurpose entertainment centers.<br/><br />No longer relegated to the outskirts of town, these modern-day social hubs are creeping inside our metropolises once more -- and they have more in common with historic cathedrals than you might think.<br/><br />'Look at the ancient Greek and Roman stadiums -- they're very much in the middle of the city,' said Hubert Nienhoff, veteran German architect behind the redeveloped Berlin Olympic Stadium, and Amazon Arena at this year's World Cup in Brazil.<br/><br />'But in the last 50 years, the stadium became something that was not really integrated, they were built outside the cities. They were for people who went there perhaps once a week for an event.'<br/><br />While arenas like the Colosseum in the heart of Rome occupy real estate today's architects could only dream of, we may soon see a return to centralized social spaces of old, says Nienhoff.<br/><br />'Now we're bringing in multiple uses for stadiums again, like shops and conference halls,' he said.<br/><br />'In the future they will not be outside the city but, something like the cathedrals of the Middle Ages, they will be a vital part of city life.'<br/><br />A key part of this vision, however, will depend on improved transport infrastructure.<br/><br />'There was a trend back in the 1980s of treating stadiums a bit like shopping centers. So you'd try and put them on the edges of cities,' said architect Clive Lewis, designer behind the Singapore National Stadium and Sports Hub, and winner at this year's World Architecture Festival award.<br/><br />'But more and more it's important to make a stadium that's part of the city. They need to be integrated into the transport infrastructure, so they're a naturally connected part of the city -- the event should start as soon as you leave your house.'<br/><br />He goes one step further with a vision of one roof to house all of humanity.<br/><br />'For me, stadiums have taken over the function of a cathedral. It's a building that brings together people of all ages, all cultures, all religions.<br/><br />'And the only other thing that comes close to that is an airport.' <strong>Lasting legacy</strong><br/><br />At the heart of an arena, both physically and spiritually, is its playing area.<br/><br />And with the outcome of multimillion dollar matches riding on everything from grass quality, to the position of the sun, designers must get it pitch perfect.<br/><br />Does that mean architects need to be sports fans themselves?<br/><br />'Do we need to be religious to build a church? We don't think so,' comes the reply from Berger Architects, the company behind the brilliantly illuminated Luanda Multisports Pavilion in Angola.<br/><br />'Architects must be able to project themselves, and think as if they were the final users of the space they're designing.'<br/><br />And long after the grand final trophies have been handed out, an arena must serve its people for decades to come.<br/><br />'Whether we're designing for the Olympics or the World Cup, we're always actually thinking ahead to what we're going to do with the venue after that event,' said Lewis, whose Singapore Sports Hub hopes to hold 200 events every year.<br/><br />'And I think there's a history in recent years of relatively few examples that have done that very well.'<br/><br />Perhaps the most striking example of this failure is Athens.<br/><br />The Greek capital may be the home of the modern Olympics, but over a century later, its 2004 stadia has become a modern ruin of its own, with venues overgrown with weeds, walls covered in graffiti, and seating rotted away.<br/><br />It's an eye-watering death for an event which cost the country around $11 billion to host.<br/><br />Step inside today's stadiums, and you'll find an entertainment juggernaut where fans are encouraged to dig deep into their pockets long before the first kick-off.<br/><br />'Over the last 50 years corporate interests have changed stadiums more than anything else. Years ago, stadiums were just bare concrete and no seats, just bleachers,' said Lewis.<br/><br />'Today, it's a lot more about the corporate experience -- the internal lounge, corporate boxes, restaurants. Which means that people are coming to the venue an hour or two before the event and not leaving for an hour or two afterwards.'<br/><br />The goal for stadium owners is to create an icon for the city -- one worthy of their name stamped across it in bright lights.<br/><br />'The mayor asked us for something that would 'put Durban on the map,'' says Nienhoff of the Moses Mabhiba Stadium, in Durban, built for the 2010 South African World Cup.<br/><br />'If you looked at Durban from the waterside, there was nothing you could remember specifically from the skyline.'<br/><br />That was before Neinhoff's stark white arena was built on the coastline, its swooping 350 meter arched entrance and ruffled roof a sight to behold. <strong>Natural instinct</strong><br/><br />But before Nienhoff even puts pen to paper, one of the first places he looks for inspiration is nature.<br/><br />With its reptilian façade, the Amazon Arena, built in Manaus for the World up in Brazil this year, borrows much from the surrounding jungle.<br/><br />'If you look into the structures of nature like a leaf, or the skin of a snake, there's always a logical system behind it,' explained Nienhoff.<br/><br />'Manaus is in the middle of a rainforest, so that's where we turned for inspiration. We're really trying to design something that's only meant for this one place.'<br/><br />Like nature itself, these modern day temples of pleasure will also need to regenerate themselves, in order to survive. Read: Zaha Hadid -- 'Would they call me a diva if I was a man?' See: The $500m stadium wrapped in a glowing 'skin' Insight: Superyachts of the future -- in your dreams?<br/><br />Post By http://edition.cnn.com/2014/12/15/sport/sport-stadium-architecture/</div>

Hot News: Sports stadium architecture: Welcome to the new temples of pleasure

(CNN) -- It's a vision of biblical proportions -- tens of thousands of people weeping, whooping, and chanting in unison. If sport were ...

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Hot News: Kobe Bryant seems unimpressed with the little party the Lakers threw him

<div xmlns='http://www.w3.org/1999/xhtml'><img height="300" src="http://l.yimg.com/os/388/2013/05/31/KellyDwyer100-jpg_163527.jpg" width="100%"/><br/><br /><br/><br /><br/><br /><br/><br />Kobe Bryant and his teammates have an odd relationship. That makes sense: Kobe Bryant is an odd guy, and the Los Angeles Lakers are an odd team.<br/><br />They're also, for the first time this season, the proud owners of a three-game winning streak. On top of that, you may have heard, Kobe Bryant passed Michael Jordan on Sunday evening to move into third place on the NBA's all-time scoring list. The Kobester struggled from the field in that contest against the Minnesota Timberwolves, missing 13 of 20 shots, but he routinely earned trips to the free throw line and finished with a stellar 26 points.<br/><br />In celebration, the Lakers decided to outfit the team plane with accessories one might buy for, say, Sheila the bank teller's 47th birthday. Watch:<br/><br />Kobe's reaction is ... um, Kobe-ish.<br/><br />In terms of celebrations, only Kirk Cameron's seems sadder.<br/><br />We josh, of course. The Lakers have a game in Indiana on Monday evening, the team loses an hour as it crosses over into the Eastern Time zone, and 36-year old Kobe Bryant is likely aching - he'll admit as much. On top of that, it's going to take a whole hell of a lot to impress Kobe Bryant at this stage of his career. The man has lifted five championship trophies and just passed the greatest basketball player of all time on the NBA's scoring list. He can't be bothered by your little cake.<br/><br />What might impress the Kobester is this:<br/><br /><br/><br />The full Michael Jordan statement released to AP: pic.twitter.com/BqyO3DIjLn- Jon Krawczynski (@APkrawczynski) December 15, 2014<br/><br />We're impressed. Bryant might be shooting 38 percent and he's probably hurting his team, but it takes a special level of cat to be able to launch this many shots at this age. We're enjoying your weird party, even if you aren't, Kobe Bryant.<br/><br /><strong>Kelly Dwyer</strong> is an editor for <strong>Ball Don't Lie</strong> on Yahoo Sports. Have a tip? Email him at KDonhoops@yahoo.com or follow him on Twitter! Follow @KDonhoops<br/><br />Post By http://sports.yahoo.com/blogs/nba-ball-dont-lie/kobe-bryant-seems-unimpressed-at-the-little-party-the-lakers-threw-him-155627115.html</div>

Hot News: Kobe Bryant seems unimpressed with the little party the Lakers threw him

Kobe Bryant and his teammates have an odd relationship. That makes sense: Kobe Bryant is an odd guy, and the Los Angeles Lakers are an odd t...

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Hot News: Sidney Crosby the latest NHLer to have the mumps

<div xmlns='http://www.w3.org/1999/xhtml'><img height="300" src="http://www.news1130.com/files/2014/12/crosby_face-1040x572-250x137.jpg" width="100%"/><br/><br /><br/><br />Sportsnet and The Associated Press<br/><br />PITTSBURGH - Add Pittsburgh Penguins star Sidney Crosby to the growing list of NHL players dealing with the mumps.<br/><br />The Penguins announced the diagnosis Sunday after holding the two-time MVP out of games over the weekend as a precaution when swelling developed on the right side of Crosby's face _ swelling the team believed was related to a salivary gland injury Crosby sustained in a game against Carolina on Nov. 29.<br/><br />Crosby was able to skate with the team on Friday morning but was pulled from the lineup for Friday night's game against Calgary after his condition worsened. He underwent further tests that revealed the presence of the disease. He is currently in isolation but should be through the infectious stage by Monday, though the team has already ruled him out on Monday night when Pittsburgh hosts the Tampa Bay Lightning.<br/><br />Crosby received a booster shot against the virus before travelling to Russia for the Winter Olympics in February and initial tests done a couple of weeks ago indicated Crosby was not in any danger.<br/><br />'It came as a bit of a surprise,' team doctor Dharmesh Vyas said. 'Every indication was that he was well protected against the disease.'<br/><br />The NHL is dealing with a widespread outbreak of the virus, with players from Anaheim, Minnesota, the New York Rangers and the New Jersey Devils among those affected.<br/><br />The Penguins have aggressively tried to prevent the disease from spreading, having players and staff undergo testing earlier in the month. Vyas said Crosby had no major symptoms, pointing out the swelling that usually accompanies mumps is present on both sides of the face. Crosby only had swelling on one side.<br/><br />'He did not have a classic presentation of mumps,' Vyas said.<br/><br />The setback for the team's second-leading scorer is the latest unusual medical development for the Metropolitan Division-leading Penguins. Forward Pascal Dupuis is out for the regular season due to blood clots. Defenceman Olli Maatta missed two weeks in November after a cancerous tumour was removed from his thyroid. Maatta is currently dealing with an unspecified injury the team said is not related to the thyroid surgery or the mumps.<br/><br />'In our case we're going through a period here that's pretty rough,' general manager Jim Rutherford said. 'It's a period that builds character and if you can get through it it's going to help you in the long run.'<br/><br />Post By http://www.news1130.com/2014/12/15/sidney-crosby-the-latest-nhler-to-have-the-mumps/</div>

Hot News: Sidney Crosby the latest NHLer to have the mumps

Sportsnet and The Associated Press PITTSBURGH - Add Pittsburgh Penguins star Sidney Crosby to the growing list of NHL players dealing with t...

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Hot News: A surprisingly recent Buckingham Palace tradition

<div xmlns='http://www.w3.org/1999/xhtml'><img height="300" src="http://news.bbcimg.co.uk/media/images/67899000/gif/_67899670_pc.gif" width="100%"/><br/><br /><br/><br />Each December a Christmas tree appears beneath the famous royal balcony in the forecourt of Buckingham Palace. But unlike the famous Trafalgar Square tree it's a fairly modern tradition, writes Joe Kent, of Radio 4's Saturday Live programme.<br/><br />It may all have begun with a letter to the Queen from an unhappy commuter in 1996. Graphic designer Robin Ollington, now 85, was walking to Victoria station on his way home. 'I passed through Trafalgar Square where the spirit of Christmas was very much in evidence where people sang carols around the beautifully lit tree.'<br/><br />The festive mood continued down the Mall until he reached Buckingham Palace. 'A gloomy mass. What a contrast. Gas lamps, silent sentries, and the odd window dimly lit. Not a sign of Christmas.' So he wrote to the Queen and her private secretary suggesting that perhaps a well-lit tree in the forecourt would add a little Christmas cheer.<br/><br />Three days later a reply arrived thanking him for his letter. 'I have shown your letter to the Queen, and your suggestion has been most carefully noted,' it informed him.<br/><br />Expecting to hear nothing more, and slightly sceptical of the letter's claims, Robin thought nothing more. 'I write lots of letters and rarely get the courtesy of a reply. I was just so pleased to have got such a friendly response.'<br/><br />But then another letter from the Palace arrived. 'I just thought I would let you know that, were you to drive past Buckingham Palace after dark, or indeed in the daytime, you would see the front decorated with a welcoming Christmas Tree - all due to your very sensible suggestion,' the letter read, according to Robin.<br/><br />'It's incredible to think about it now. It was a complete surprise. People think I'm making it up but I've still got the letters to prove it.'<br/><br />It's not Robin's only brush with royalty. His graphic design work included stamp designs for both Guernsey and Gibraltar - which require royal approval before they can go into production. In 1998 he worked on a series of stamps celebrating the history of the Christmas tree and its introduction to Britain by Prince Albert.<br/><br />Robin is yet to see this year's Christmas tree but hopes to do so soon. Subscribe to the BBC News Magazine's email newsletter to get articles sent to your inbox<br/><br />Post By http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/blogs-magazine-monitor-30481508</div>

Hot News: A surprisingly recent Buckingham Palace tradition

Each December a Christmas tree appears beneath the famous royal balcony in the forecourt of Buckingham Palace. But unlike the famous Trafalg...

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Hot News: Sydney siege over after police storm cafe

<div xmlns='http://www.w3.org/1999/xhtml'><img height="300" src="http://vipmedia.globalnews.ca/2014/12/sydney-siege.jpg?w=282&h=188&crop=1" width="100%"/><br/><br /><br/><br />;<br/><br />TORONTO - Police stormed a Sydney cafe where a gunman had been holding an unknown number of people hostage, ending a more than 16 hour standoff.<br/><br />Several hostages were seen fleeing the cafe before a police tactical unit deployed flash bangs and entered the building.<br/><br />Television footage showed at least one person being rushed to an awaiting ambulance on a stretcher. Officers were also seen carrying a woman from the building. <strong>WATCH: Gunfire erupts as swat moves in on hostage situation in Australia</strong><br/><br /><br/><br />Local media reported at least two people were killed during the standoff. It is unclear whether the gunman is among the dead.<br/><br />Sydney siege is over. More details to follow.<br/><br />- NSW Police (@nswpolice) December 15, 2014<br/><br />The suspect has been identified as a 50-year-old Iranian resident of Sydney by several media outlets. Reports suggest the man has a criminal past, including having been charged with accessory to the murder of his ex-wife and a separate sexual assault conviction. He also reportedly has a record of sending hate letters to families of Australian soldiers killed overseas.<br/><br /><strong>WATCH: Hostage removed after gunfire in Australia</strong> <strong>READ MORE: Who is suspected Sydney siege gunman Man Haron Monis?</strong><br/><br />More to come...<br/><br />© Shaw Media, 2014<br/><br />Post By http://globalnews.ca/news/1727132/sydney-siege-over-after-police-storm-cafe/</div>

Hot News: Sydney siege over after police storm cafe

; TORONTO - Police stormed a Sydney cafe where a gunman had been holding an unknown number of people hostage, ending a more than 16 hour sta...

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Hot News: Kourtney Kardashian Gives Birth to a Baby Boy, 3rd Child With Scott Disick, on ...

<div xmlns='http://www.w3.org/1999/xhtml'><img height="300" src="http://www.eonline.com/eol_images/Entire_Site/2014114/rs_634x1024-141204135339-634-scott-disck-kourtney-kardashian.jw.12414.jpg" width="100%"/><br/><br />Congratulations to <strong>Kourtney Kardashian</strong> and <strong>Scott Disick</strong>!<br/><br />Kourtney has given birth to a baby boy, their third child together, E! News has confirmed.<br/><br />The couple's new son was born on Sunday, which is also his big brother <strong>Mason</strong> 's fifth birthday! The proud parents also have a daughter, <strong>Penelope</strong>, 2.<br/><br />'The family is freaking out with joy,' a source told E! News. 'What an amazing coincidence.'<br/><br /><strong>Kim</strong> and <strong>Khloé Kardashian</strong> threw a swanky Breakfast at Tiffany's-themed baby shower for their big sis last month at the Montage hotel in Beverly Hills and Kourtney celebrated again a few days later an early-Sunday-morning trip to IHOP with her best pals. Dress code? PJs! <strong>PHOTOS: See more of Kourtney's chic pregnancy style</strong><br/><br />IXOLA/AKM-GSI<br/><br />Kourtney recycled the cozy-looking red onesie she wore to breakfast just yesterday at a ladies'-night Christmas party thrown by longtime family friend <strong>Shelli Azoff</strong>. She accessorized the look with a Santa hat the second time around, of course.<br/><br />The 35-year-old E! star's third pregnancy was, like her first and second pregnanices, chronicled on camera-even the big, dramatic moment where she told Scott that he was going to be a daddy again was included on the most recent season of Keeping Up With the Kardashians. This Sunday's episode of Kourtney & Khloé Take the Hamptons will feature the big gender reveal, but...<br/><br />Mother nature wins every time!<br/><br />Brian Bowen Smith/DuJour<br/><br />Just as comfortable in her own skin as her sisters (and mom!) are, Kourtney-in the bloom of pregnancy-recently posed completely nude in what turned out to be a stunning photo shoot for DuJour magazine, the pics showing up online earlier this week. She also scored the December/January cover of Fit Pregnancy, in which she revealed that her third child was due this month.<br/><br />'I'm not getting a baby nurse,' she told the mag. 'I take two months off and no one is allowed to bother me or talk to me about anything work-related-or maybe three months this time.'<br/><br />And though Kourtney admitted that none of her pregnancies have been what you might call easy, and that morning sickness for her is a misnomer-'for me, it was even worse at night'-she overall just loves being pregnant.<br/><br />Fit Pregnancy<br/><br />'I love being pregnant in general,' she said. 'This time I'm more tired than I was the other times. I think it's because I'm always running around and working on different things. But I feel comfortable with how I look and feel. I find a pregnant body to be beautiful and an incredible reminder of what a woman's body is made to do.'<br/><br />As for the new baby's name, Kourtney told E! News at the end of October that she was 'stuck' and wanted to wait until the child before making a decision. <strong>Don't miss Kourtney & Khloé Take the Hamptons, Sunday at 9 p.m. on E!</strong> <strong>-Reporting by Ken Baker</strong> <strong>PHOTOS: Check out Kourtney and Scott's adorable family</strong> RELATED VIDEOS:<br/><br />Post By http://www.eonline.com/news/603603/kourtney-kardashian-gives-birth-to-a-baby-boy-3rd-child-with-scott-disick-on-son-mason-s-birthday</div>

Hot News: Kourtney Kardashian Gives Birth to a Baby Boy, 3rd Child With Scott Disick, on ...

Congratulations to Kourtney Kardashian and Scott Disick ! Kourtney has given birth to a baby boy, their third child together, E! News has c...

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Hot News: Les oreillons frappent Crosby

<div xmlns='http://www.w3.org/1999/xhtml'><img height="300" src="http://img.src.ca/2014/12/12/635x357/141212_op6xv_sidney-crosby_sn635.jpg" width="100%"/><br/><br />Sidney Crosby<br/><br />Les Penguins de Pittsburgh ont confirmé dimanche que leur capitaine Sidney Crosby souffre des oreillons. Son cas sera réévalué au jour le jour.<br/><br />Sa convalescence devrait être de courte durée puisque les spécialistes de l'équipe croient qu'il ne sera plus contagieux à compter de lundi. Il est toutefois certain qu'il ne sera pas en uniforme contre le Lightning de Tampa Bay, lundi.<br/><br />Crosby avait pourtant été vacciné avant les Jeux olympiques de Sotchi, qui se sont déroulés du 7 au 23 février 2014.<br/><br />Le numéro 87 a inscrit 9 buts et 26 mentions d'assistance en 27 rencontres cette saison. Il a également maintenu un différentiel positif de 9.<br/><br />La troupe de Mike Johnston trône actuellement au sommet de l'Association de l'Est, avec une récolte de 42 points en 29 matchs. Elle affiche un rendement de 19-6-4.<br/><br />Un fléau qui sévit<br/><br />La Ligue nationale de hockey (LNH) a désormais recensé 13 cas d'oreillons depuis l'amorce de la campagne 2014-2015.<br/><br />Corey Perry, François Beauchemin, Clayton Stoner, Emerson Etem, Ryan Suter, Keith Ballard, Marco Scandella, Jonas Brodin, Christian Folin, Tanner Glass, Travis Zajac et Adam Larsson ont aussi été incommodés par cette maladie.<br/><br />Les Penguins sont ainsi la sixième organisation du circuit Betmann à devoir composer avec cet étrange virus, après les Ducks d'Anaheim, les Jets de Winnipeg, le Wild du Minnesota, les Rangers de New York et les Devils du New Jersey.<br/><br />Post By http://ici.radio-canada.ca/sports/hockey/2014/12/14/001-sidney-crosby-oreillons-penguins-pittsburgh.shtml</div>

Hot News: Les oreillons frappent Crosby

Sidney Crosby Les Penguins de Pittsburgh ont confirmé dimanche que leur capitaine Sidney Crosby souffre des oreillons. Son cas sera réévalué...

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Hot News: Sydney siege: Australia PM urges calm in hostage-taking incident

<div xmlns='http://www.w3.org/1999/xhtml'><img height="300" src="http://i.cbc.ca/1.2873095.1418607096!/fileImage/httpImage/image.jpg_gen/derivatives/original_300/sydney-siege.jpg" width="100%"/><br/><br />More than two dozen hostages are being held inside a central Sydney, Australia cafe where a black flag with white Arabic writing could be seen in the window, local television showed on Monday, raising fears of an attack linked to Islamist militants.<br/><br />Live television footage showed patrons inside the Lindt Chocolate Café in Martin Place standing with their hands pressed against the windows. A black-and-white flag similar to those used by Islamic State of Iraq and Syria (ISIS) militants was also visible. <strong>Watch Australian Broadcasting Corporation's live coverage:</strong><br/><br />Australian police said on Monday they had not had direct contact with any armed offender.<br/><br />'We have not yet confirmed this is a terrorism related event, we are dealing with a hostage situation with an armed offender, and we're dealing with it accordingly,' New South Wales Police Commissioner Andrew Scipione told reporters.<br/><br />Part of Martin Place, home to the Reserve Bank of Australia, commercial banks and close to the New South Wales (NSW) state parliament, was closed off by armed police.<br/><br />Scipione said the siege was contained to a single event in Sydney's central business district.<br/><br />Flag in Sydney cafe where hostages are being held 'is not linked with IS' http://t.co/kBSIaYKHtt pic.twitter.com/KuneM4q1km- ITV News (@itvnews) December 15, 2014<br/><br />Prime Minister Tony Abbott urged calm, and said Australians not in the affected area should go about their daily business.<br/><br />'We don't know if this is politically motivated, although there are some indications it could be,' said Abbott. 'The point of politically motivated violence is to scare people out of being themselves ...'<br/><br />Canadian Prime Minister Stephen Harper tweeted that the country's thoughts and prayers are with those in Australia.<br/><br />Foreign Affairs Minister John Baird tweeted late Sunday that he was in touch with his Australian counterpart Julie Bishop. The Foreign Affairs office also told Canadians in Sydney 'to be extremely vigilant.'<br/><br />'We continue to monitor the situation in Sydney closely,' Baird tweeted.<br/><br />Sky Business quoted Lindt Australia CEO Steve Loane as saying there were 'probably 30 customers' in the cafe.<br/><br />​Zain Ali, the head of the Islamic Studies Research Unit at the University of Auckland, said it was difficult to read the message on the banner because media images showed only the lower part of the flag. But he believed it was the Shahada, or declaration of faith, largely because a black flag with white writing in a contemporary context often contains that message. He said he could make out the word 'Muhammad.'<br/><br />Ali said the Shahada translates as 'There is no deity of worship except God [Allah], and Muhammad is the messenger of God.' It is considered the first pillar of Islam's five pillars of faith, and has been used by groups like al-Qaeda and ISIS jihadists but wasn't invented by them, Ali said.<br/><br />Canada's thoughts and prayers are with our Australian friends. #MartinPlace #SydneySiege- Stephen Harper (@pmharper) December 15, 2014 <strong>On mobile? See the prime minister's tweet here.</strong> SWAT team on site<br/><br />Dozens of police including a SWAT team were setting up and a couple of hundred people were being held back by cordons.<br/><br />Trains and buses were stopped and roads were blocked in the area, with train operators saying there had been a bomb threat at Martin Place. Airspace over the area has also been closed.<br/><br />Staff at the Reserve Bank of Australia (RBA) are safe and accounted for, a spokeswoman said. The RBA headquarters in Martin Place was locked down with everyone safe inside.<br/><br />Commonwealth Bank of Australia, Westpac Banking Corp and Australia and New Zealand Banking Group said they had shut their Sydney CBD branches.<br/><br />'Due to the police operation in Martin Place Sydney, 12 Westpac branches in Sydney CBD will be closed for the rest of today,' Westpac said in a tweet. CBA and ANZ posted similar messages.<br/><br />An Australian Broadcasting Corporation reporter said gunfire had been heard at the scene, the BBC reported, but this has not been confirmed. Major landmarks in the city such as the Sydney Opera House have been evacuated.<br/><br />Daily Mail Australia reported that just moments before the hostage situation at Martin Place began, police announced the arrest of a 25-year-old man from north-western Sydney as part of a major counter-terrorism investigation.<br/><br />The Australian Federal Police apprehended the terror suspect at a home in Beecroft in Sydney's leafy north-western suburbs this morning. Seven News identified the arrested man as Ali Al Talibi, but police would not confirm this information to Daily Mail Australia.<br/><br />Scipione said there was nothing to indicate a link between the two events.<br/><br />Australia, which is backing the United States and its escalating action against ISIS, is on high alert for attacks by radicalized Muslims or by home-grown fighters returning from fighting in the Middle East. <strong>On mobile? See a map of Martin Place here.</strong><br/><br /><cite>With files from CBC News</cite><br/><br />Post By http://www.cbc.ca/news/world/sydney-siege-australia-pm-urges-calm-in-hostage-taking-incident-1.2873068</div>

Hot News: Sydney siege: Australia PM urges calm in hostage-taking incident

More than two dozen hostages are being held inside a central Sydney, Australia cafe where a black flag with white Arabic writing could be se...

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Hot News: Sydney, Australia hostage standoff has PM urging for calm

<div xmlns='http://www.w3.org/1999/xhtml'><img height="300" src="http://i.cbc.ca/1.2873087.1418605078!/fileImage/httpImage/image.jpg_gen/derivatives/original_300/sydney-standoff.jpg" width="100%"/><br/><br />More than two dozen hostages are reportedly being held inside a central Sydney, Australia cafe where a black flag with white Arabic writing could be seen in the window, local television showed on Monday, raising fears of an attack linked to Islamist militants.<br/><br />Live television footage showed patrons inside the Lindt Chocolate Café in Martin Place standing with their hands pressed against the windows. A black-and-white flag similar to those used by Islamic State militants in Iraq and Syria was also visible.<br/><br />A police spokeswoman said no injuries had been reported from the incident. Heavily armed officers were lined up outside the cafe, and a man with a backpack inside the cafe could be seen walking back and forth in front of the glass doors.<br/><br />'We don't know if this is politically motivated, although there are some indications it could be,' Australian Prime Minister Tony Abbott told reporters at a news conference. 'The point of politically motivated violence is to scare people out of being themselves ... I would urge all Australians today to go about their business.'<br/><br />Flag in Sydney cafe where hostages are being held 'is not linked with IS' http://t.co/kBSIaYKHtt pic.twitter.com/KuneM4q1km- ITV News (@itvnews) December 15, 2014<br/><br />Part of Martin Place, home to the Reserve Bank of Australia, commercial banks and close to the New South Wales (NSW) state parliament, was closed off by armed police.<br/><br />'Specialist officers are attempting to make contact with those inside,' New South Wales Police said in a statement on the force's official Facebook page.<br/><br />Prime Minister Stephen Harper tweeted that Canadians' thoughts and prayers are with those in Australia.<br/><br />Foreign Affairs Minister John Baird tweeted late Sunday that he was in touch with his Australian counterpart Julie Bishop. The Foreign Affairs office also told Canadians in Sydney 'to be extremely vigilant.'<br/><br />'We continue to monitor the situation in Sydney closely,' Baird tweeted.<br/><br />We continue to monitor the situation in #Sydney closely. I've been in touch with @JulieBishopMP and expressed our thoughts and prayers.- John Baird (@HonJohnBaird) December 15, 2014<br/><br />Sky Business quoted Lindt Australia CEO Steve Loane as saying there were 'probably 30 customers' in the cafe.<br/><br />Abbott said he was being briefed by New South Wales Police and Australian Federal Police, and would leave it to them to provide operational details as they become available.<br/><br />'The normal operation of business must go on,' Abbott said. 'Our thoughts and prayers must above all go out to the individuals who are caught up in this.'<br/><br />​Zain Ali, the head of the Islamic Studies Research Unit at the University of Auckland, said it was difficult to read the message on the banner because media images showed only the lower part of the flag. But he believed it was the Shahada, or declaration of faith, largely because a black flag with white writing in a contemporary context often contains that message. He said he could make out the word 'Muhammad.'<br/><br />Ali said the Shahada translates as 'There is no deity of worship except God [Allah], and Muhammad is the messenger of God.' It is considered the first pillar of Islam's five pillars of faith, and has been used by groups like al-Qaeda and ISIS jihadists but wasn't invented by them, Ali said.<br/><br />Canada's thoughts and prayers are with our Australian friends. #MartinPlace #SydneySiege- Stephen Harper (@pmharper) December 15, 2014 <strong>On mobile? See the prime minister's tweet here.</strong> SWAT team on site<br/><br />Dozens of police including a SWAT team were setting up and a couple of hundred people were being held back by cordons.<br/><br />Trains and buses were stopped and roads were blocked in the area, with train operators saying there had been a bomb threat at Martin Place. Airspace over the area has also been closed.<br/><br />Staff at the Reserve Bank of Australia (RBA) are safe and accounted for, a spokeswoman said. The RBA headquarters in Martin Place was locked down with everyone safe inside.<br/><br />An Australian Broadcasting Corporation reporter said gunfire had been heard at the scene, the BBC reported, but this has not been confirmed. Major landmarks in the city such as the Sydney Opera House have been evacuated. U.S. consulate issues warning<br/><br />The U.S. consulate issued a statement warning its citizens 'of a security incident involving at least one armed person at Lindt Chocolate Café in Martin Place in Sydney. New South Wales and Australian Federal police are addressing the threat. Please avoid the area around Martin Place until further notice.'<br/><br />Daily Mail Australia reported that just moments before the hostage situation at Martin Place began, police announced the arrest of a 25-year-old man from north-western Sydney as part of a major counter-terrorism investigation.<br/><br />The Australian Federal Police apprehended the terror suspect at a home in Beecroft in Sydney's leafy north-western suburbs this morning. Seven News identified the arrested man as Ali Al Talibi, but police would not confirm this information to Daily Mail Australia.<br/><br />A NSW police spokeswoman said at the moment there was nothing to indicate a link between the two events.<br/><br />Australia, which is backing the United States and its escalating action against Islamic State in Syria and Iraq, is on high alert for attacks by radicalized Muslims or by home-grown fighters returning from fighting in the Middle East.<br/><br />Watch Australian Broadcasting Corporation's live coverage: <strong>On mobile? See a map of Martin Place here.</strong><br/><br /><cite>With files from CBC News</cite><br/><br />Post By http://www.cbc.ca/news/world/sydney-australia-hostage-standoff-has-pm-urging-for-calm-1.2873068</div>

Hot News: Sydney, Australia hostage standoff has PM urging for calm

More than two dozen hostages are reportedly being held inside a central Sydney, Australia cafe where a black flag with white Arabic writing ...

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Hot News: South African woman named Miss World 2014

<div xmlns='http://www.w3.org/1999/xhtml'><img height="300" src="http://media.utsandiego.com/img/photos/2014/12/14/9d4a1f6804ec3a31680f6a7067001775_r620x349.JPEG?75d51d0aea2efce5189afce216053cbc530c46a8" width="100%"/>Miss South Africa Rolene Strauss gestures, after being crowned Miss World 2014 during the finale of the competition at the ExCel centre in London, Sunday, Dec. 14, 2014. Miss Hungary Edina Kulcsar came second with Miss United States, Elizabeth Safrit finishing third. (AP Photo/Alastair Grant) <em>The Associated Press</em><br /><p>LONDON (AP) - South Africa's Rolene Strauss has been named the winner of the Miss World 2014 competition in a London finale televised in many parts of the world.</p><br /><p>Edina Kulcsar of Hungary was the runner-up and Elizabeth Safrit of the United States took third place.</p><br /><p>The winners were announced Sunday after a lengthy competition involving contestants from more than 120 countries.</p><br /><p>Each had won the right to represent their country in a series of local and regional competitions.</p><br /><p>This year's contest was marred by the murder last month of Miss Honduras and her sister in that country.</p><br /><p>The first Miss World contest was held 63 years ago in Britain.</p><br />Miss South Africa Rolene Strauss gestures, after being crowned Miss World 2014 during the finale of the competition at the ExCel centre in London, Sunday, Dec. 14, 2014. Miss Hungary Edina Kulcsar came second with Miss United States, Elizabeth Safrit finishing third. (AP Photo/Alastair Grant) The Associated Press<br/><br />LONDON (AP) - South Africa's Rolene Strauss has been named the winner of the Miss World 2014 competition in a London finale televised in many parts of the world.<br/><br />Edina Kulcsar of Hungary was the runner-up and Elizabeth Safrit of the United States took third place.<br/><br />The winners were announced Sunday after a lengthy competition involving contestants from more than 120 countries.<br/><br />Each had won the right to represent their country in a series of local and regional competitions.<br/><br />This year's contest was marred by the murder last month of Miss Honduras and her sister in that country.<br/><br />The first Miss World contest was held 63 years ago in Britain.<br/><br />Post By http://www.utsandiego.com/news/2014/dec/14/south-african-woman-named-miss-world-2014/</div>

Hot News: South African woman named Miss World 2014

Miss South Africa Rolene Strauss gestures, after being crowned Miss World 2014 during the finale of the competition at the ExCel centre in L...

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