‘Star Trek’ star Leonard Nimoy dead at 83 – US media

Actor Leonard Nimoy, who won fans worldwide for his generations-spanning role as the pointy-eared half-human half-Vulcan Mr Spock in the "Star Trek" television and film franchise, died Friday at age 83.


Nimoy, who suffered from chronic obstructive pulmonary disease, died at his home in Los Angeles. His wife, Susan Bay Nimoy, confirmed the death to the New York Times.

Born in Boston on March 26, 1931, Nimoy left for Hollywood at the age of 18, winning a sprinkling of small parts in 1950s television series.

With his squared jaw and serious features, Nimoy worked his way into showbiz playing cowboy characters and lawmen before he found a niche that would last a lifetime in science fiction flicks.

In 1966, he was cast in his greatest role as the ever-logical Spock, in the television show "Star Trek." Aboard the spaceship USS Enterprise, science officer Spock and its crew ventured around the galaxy exploring new worlds in death-defying odysseys.

Spock was the cool counterpoint to hot-headed Captain James T. Kirk, played by William Shatner, and the even-tempered sparring partner of ship doctor Leonard "Bones" McCoy, played by DeForest Kelley.

The trinity had ratings-boosting chemistry that sustained "Star Trek" during its initial four-year run.

The character Spock would be resurrected for several feature films after "Star Trek" snowballed into a cultural phenomenon in the 70s and 80s, making Spock's Vulcan salute and salutation "live long and prosper" -- a touchstone of the science-fiction world.

Nimoy would later reveal he based the hand gesture on a Jewish blessing.

In addition to acting, Nimoy was an accomplished director.

He directed two of the Star Trek films including one of the most well received, "Star Trek IV: The Voyage Home." Nimoy also directed 1987 box-office hit "3 Men and a Baby" starring Tom Selleck.

Role model for geeks

Nimoy, along with some of his co-stars, struggled with the type-casting he was thrown into by legions of earnest and attentive "Star Trek" fans.

In 1975, he authored the book "I am Not Spock" attempting to open up space between himself and the character that had so captured people's imaginations.

While "Star Trek" fever built, Nimoy starred alongside Donald Sutherland and Jeff Goldblum in "Invasion of the Body Snatchers" in 1978, and then alongside Ingrid Bergman in 1982's "A Woman Called Golda."

Nimoy would eventually embrace his role as an authority figure in the sci-fi world. He wrote a rebuttal to his earlier memoir in "I am Spock" in 1995.

As Spock, Nimoy became a role model for nerds and geeks: he was calm under pressure with a logical response always at the ready.

He related an "embarrassing" anecdote to The New York Times in 2009 where he toured a California university with scientists who looked to Spock for approval.

"Then they’d say to me, 'What do you think?' Expecting me to have some very sound advice. And I would nod very quietly and very sagely I would say, 'You’re on the right track,'" he said about his adulation in the science community.

Nimoy had two children with his first wife, and was married to his second wife Susan since 1989.

Nimoy built off his sci-fi and Spock fame for the rest of his career, lending his voice to documentaries, video games and television shows.

He sold "Live Long and Prosper" apparel, and waved the Vulcan salute at "Star Trek" conventions.

He returned to "Star Trek" and an older version of his Spock character in the franchise's reboot directed by J.J. Abrams in 2009 and in a 2013 sequel.

Nimoy remained active in his later years, releasing photography books and poetry.

He also took a role on "Fringe," a sci-fi TV series that ran from 2008 to 2013 and also directed by Abrams. — Agence France-Presse

source: gmanetwork.com

Ed Sheeran wins best British record at top UK music awards

LONDON - Singer-songwriter Ed Sheeran took home the coveted best album prize at Britain's top music honours on Wednesday for "X" at a star-studded Brit Awards show in London.

The singer looked genuinely surprised as he climbed on the stage to pick up the trophy, a pale pink statuette designed by British artist Tracey Emin.

"I didn't expect it... It's been a very good year for British music", he said.

Other winners of the night included Paloma Faith for British female artist and Royal Blood, who defeated popular boy band One Direction to be named the best British band.

Award for the best international female artist went to Taylor Swift, who opened the show. The pop-heavy ceremony also saw performances from Take That, Sam Smith and Madonna.

This year, the awards will be shown in over 100 territories across the world in addition to the usual live broadcast on Britain's commercial ITV network.  — Reuters

Firefox now supports HTTP/2 standard

 

Mozilla's open-source Firefox browser appears to be among the early adopters of the new HTTP/2 standard.

 

In a change log for Firefox version 36, Mozilla also said its browser has several new features such as syncing for pinned tiles on new tab pages.

 

"(Firefox has) support for the full HTTP/2 protocol. HTTP/2 enables a faster, more scalable, and more responsive web," it said.

 

Rounding up the list of new features is the addition of localization for the Uzbek language.

 

A separate report on The Next Web noted the newest version of Firefox will no longer accept certificates signed with 1024-bit RSA keys.

  

Meanwhile, the new Firefox also adds tools for developers and security fixes. — Joel Locsin/TJD, GMA News

source: gmanetwork.com

YouTube launches kid-friendly mobile app

Children can now access YouTube on mobile devices without parents worrying they might stumble into inappropriate content.

Google on Monday rolled out the YouTube Kids app to devices running Android via Google Play and to Apple devices via the App Store.

"Today, we’re introducing the YouTube Kids app, the first Google product built from the ground up with little ones in mind. The app makes it safer and easier for children to find videos on topics they want to explore, and is available for free on Google Play and the App Store in the U.S.," YouTube Kids Group product manager Shimrit Ben-Yair, a mother of two, said in a blog post.

She said the app has a bright and playful design with larger images and bold icons, making it "fast and simple for little thumbs to navigate."

A voice search feature allows a child who can’t spell or type to still find videos.

Content is narrowed to content appropriate for children, even as parental controls include a timer, sound settings and product feedback.

The app is available via Google Play and the Apple App Store. -Joel Locsin/TJD, GMA News

source: gmanetwork.com

Julianne Moore takes best actress Oscar for ‘Still Alice’

LOS ANGELES - Julianne Moore won the best actress Oscar on Sunday for her role as a university professor with Alzheimer's disease in "Still Alice."

The win marked Moore's first Academy Award after being nominated four times previously. The 54-year-old actress was favored to win this year's prize after picking up Golden Globe, Screen Actors Guild and BAFTA awards earlier this year.

"I read an article that said that winning an Oscar could lead to living five years longer," Moore said while accepting her award. "If that's true I'd really like to thank the Academy because my husband is younger than me."

In "Still Alice," the veteran actress plays a brilliant lecturer and beautiful redhead who is diagnosed with Alzheimer's disease at 50. The small budget film was picked up for distribution by Sony Pictures only in September, thanks to Moore's award-winning potential.

Last year, she said she was attracted to the role because she had never seen Alzheimer's portrayed from the point of view of the patient.

The film was adapted from the novel "Still Alice" by Lisa Genova and was directed by Richard Glatzer and Wash Westmoreland.

Moore has been among Hollywood's most celebrated actresses for the last 20 years, earning Oscar nominations for previous roles in "Boogie Nights," "The End of the Affair," "The Hours" and "Far from Heaven."

She also won an Emmy in 2012 for her acclaimed turn as politician Sarah Palin in the television movie "Game Change." —Nichola Groom/Reuters

How Pacquiao can beat Mayweather, according to Juan Manuel Marquez

 

Juan Manuel Marquez has been in four wars with Manny Pacquiao, so he knows better than anyone what the Filipino fight icon is capable of inside the ring.

 

The proud Mexican champion has also fought against Floyd Mayweather, giving Marquez a unique perspective about the upcoming mega-fight on May 2 in Las Vegas.

 

And unlike most observers, Marquez sees Mayweather struggling with Pacquiao.

 

"Floyd Mayweather isn’t really used to fighting with southpaws," Marquez said on the Mexican show Golpe Y Golpe. 

 

Marquez detailed how Pacquiao can break through Mayweather's vaunted defense.

 

"We know how Floyd Mayweather uses his shoulder roll, so with an orthodox fighter he can dodge many of those shots and wait for openings in his opponents than counter. Manny Pacquiao on his part has to use his speed, and lateral movement and in turn do not give Mayweather any space or minimal space to make him uncomfortable on that very stance," said Marquez.

 

The Mexico City native also took note what punches Pacquiao could use to bother Mayweather.

 

"The right hook will be key as a lefty for Manny Pacquiao.  can set it up by using a left jab to the body and following it up with a hook from the outside and repeating a double hook and he can finish it off with a straight left. The repetition will be key in landing those combinations and Pacquiao has to change it up for Floyd not to adapt," said Marquez, adding that Mayweather's boxing IQ makes the brash American formidable.

 

"He sets traps and throws nice uppercuts from long distance, and he will use that reach advantage to do so. He will follow that up with counter rights and straight lefts from range because of that advantage." —JST, GMA News

 

source: gmanetwork.com

Eating placentas? US moms swear by health benefits

WASHINGTON - Health trends come and go, but one post-birth fad is gaining a foothold in the United States among some new mothers who extol the benefits of eating their own placentas.

Convinced it helps to boost energy, produce healthy milk and ward off postpartum depression, the practice is catching on among mothers who shun modern medicine for natural care, or Hollywood celebrities eager to adopt new-age trends.

It is called "placentophagy," and entails eating the iron-rich afterbirth in any form: liquid, solid or packed into a pill.

The bloody, spongy organ provides the fetus with nutrients, oxygen and hormones via the umbilical cord during the 40-week gestation period.

Some midwives promote its nourishing virtues for mothers too.

"Placenta helps to restore your body with vitamins, minerals and hormones," midwife Claudia Booker told AFP.

"Not rejuvenate you so you can go to parties... just restore you when you feel like a used machine," she said, speaking over her kitchen sink in Washington where she prepares placenta pills.

For $270, Booker, a 65-year-old with cropped hair and tattooed ears, processes and prepares the vascular organ into a course of capsules lasting several weeks.

The process of turning placenta into pills is perhaps more familiar to cooks than scientists: she cleans it, presses the blood from it and steams it before placing it in a dehydrator overnight.

The dried placenta is then cut into strips and put in a coffee grinder to turn into a powder she puts inside small capsules, a technique she learned from a Chinese acupuncturist.

Placenta smoothie

There are no scientific studies on the number of new moms partaking in the practice and few on its effects, but that has not prevented the trend from taking hold in some circles, including among A-listers.

"Clueless" star Alicia Silverstone has tried it and swears by it. And "Mad Men" vixen January Jones tried it too, earning her the nickname "Mad Mom" in some American media.

The trend has even spawned cookbooks and a devoted army of recipe testers on mommy blogs who write about placenta lasagnas, tacos or chocolate truffles.

Mother of seven Catherine said wanted to try it after giving birth to her last child. She chopped her placenta into cubes and blended it with almond milk, honey and blueberries for an afterbirth smoothie.

She opted for a pureed version to "disguise the taste," she said, adding that she froze leftovers to be enjoyed later.

Placenta being a rare item, some mothers want to make sure none goes to waste.

For others, packing placenta nutrients into edible treats like chocolate truffles is preferable to taking vitamins.    

"It seemed to be a good idea because I tend to forget to take my vitamins but I don't forget that I'm in the mood for chocolate!" mother-of-three Melissa told AFP.

Emotional benefits

Booker maintains that the benefits of eating the placenta are also psychological, helping mothers to stave off postpartum depression that affects up to 19 percent of women in the United States, according to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention.

"It is one of the pieces of the puzzle that helps you to decrease the emotional roller coaster of the early postpartum period," Booker said, the pungent scent of cooked blood wafting through her house.

It is also believed to ease fatigue and anxiety in the tumultuous post-birth period, she added.

But researchers are only starting to conduct comprehensive studies on the practice, which first emerged in the United States in the 1970s, according to Daniel Benyshek, a medical anthropologist at the University of Nevada.

Americans are believed to be among the first to eat their own afterbirth, he said, though dried placenta has been long used in Chinese medicine, prized by healers for its curative qualities.

Others have examined the effect in mammals, most of which eat afterbirth.

Psychologist Mark Kristal from the University at Buffalo found that mice experience less pain in the post-birth period if they eat their placenta.

But most studies about human benefits do not meet acceptable scientific standards, Benyshek said. Instead, most evidence is anecdotal.

"There is a lot of positive feedback from women, including women who experienced postpartum depression," he said.

Based on a survey of 189 women in 2013 conducted by Benyshek, 98 percent reported the effects of eating their own placenta as "positive."

He is planning to release a full study this summer based on research from 30 women.

'Night-and-day difference'

Scientifically proven or not, many are embracing placentophagy as an essential post-birth ritual.

"The reason that I chose to do that it is that there is a history of depression and one of the purported benefits of course is that it helps bounce my hormones," said Melissa.

Fellow mother Laura Ransom from Las Vegas, Nevada, said she wished she had tried it earlier.

She took placenta pills after the birth of her third child and said it helped her manage a hectic schedule.

"I did not do this with my first two pregnancies and I can't express the night-and-day difference of my emotional and physical recovery," she said.

"The pills gave me energy, curbed my mood swings, actually made me really happy, and helped me to handle things in the midst of adding number three to our family after a move and my husband starting a job." — AFP


source: gmanetwork.com

Google Play Music app coming to iPad

After coming to the iPhone, Google's Play Music app has finally arrived on the slightly bigger iPad tablet.

The app contains a new Material Design interface as well as visual improvements and fixes that allow faster and reliable streaming, The Next Web reported.

However, it said iOS users may not be able to subscribe to the All Access plan through the mobile apps – and will have to use an Android device or a browser.

Still, the Google Play Music for iPad lets users listen to tracks stored on their devices along with up to 20,000 of their songs stored in the cloud and even iTunes.

An unlimited plan allows a user to stream any song from the Play Music library and create custom radio stations. — Joel Locsin/LBG, GMA News

source: gmanetwork.com

Pacquiao has chance if he could slip through Mayweather’s defense – ESPN

Veteran ESPN commentator Teddy Atlas has picked Floyd Mayweather Jr. to win over Manny Pacquiao in the much-anticipated superfight scheduled on May 2 at the MGM Grand in Las Vegas.

Atlas said in a video that Mayweather has the size advantage as the bigger fighter, standing an inch taller and having a longer reach than the smaller and lighter Pacquiao.

Pacman's knockout loss to Juan Manuel Marquez in 2012 also adds a psychological upper-hand to the unbeaten pound-for-pound king, according to the former boxing trainer.

"The edge goes to Mr. Mayweather, the Money man," he said. "He is the better defensive fighter, the guy that will take advantage of reckless aggression of Pacquiao."

Atlas, however, said that Pacman still has a chance if he could slip through the American boxer's seemingly impenetrable defense, which won him 47 fights in his professional career.

"Pacquiao needs to understand that sometimes Mayweather gets intoxicated with his defense," he said. "He starts slipping and sliding a little too much sometimes and allows you to get into him."

Still, Mayweather will be brimming with confidence as he never had a single taste of loss, according to Atlas. The eight-division champion needs to utilize his speed, his greatest weapon, in order to land some shots and steal rounds.

"Pacquiao can match Floyd just about with hand speed," he said. "He’s a little busier than Floyd. Pacquiao will have opportunities with Floyd when he is in the defensive mode a little too much." — Marisse Panaligan/LBG, GMA News

source: gmanetwork.com

London's fashion pack turns focus to business for online sales

LONDON - Britain's emerging talent kicked off the first day of London Fashion Week with designs featuring oversized coats, geometric shapes and voluminous skirts, amid hopes online demand for luxury goods is growing stronger.

Delicate embroidered dresses paired with cropped jackets highlighted Turkish designer Bora Aksu's show on Friday, in colors of gold, dusty pinks and pale blue inspired by Irish writer Oscar Wilde's The Nightingale and the Rose.

Earlier, Korean-born designer Eudon Choi sent models down the runway in boxy leather jackets decorated with colorful geometric shapes, oversized scarves and floral printed flares.

More than 5,000 buyers, journalists and bloggers have flocked to London to see emerging talent like Aksu and Choi showcase their designs alongside leading designers Paul Smith, Vivienne Westwood and Burberry's Christopher Bailey.

This season sees the British Fashion Council (BFC) focus on how designers can grow their businesses into successful brands and boost growth in Britain's 26 billion pound ($39.98 billion) fashion industry.

"It is fantastic that we are seeing these young businesses going from strength to strength," Chief Executive Caroline Rush told Reuters.

"The next stage of course is thinking about e-commerce and online businesses and again as part of our business pillar, I'm working closely with the tech sector looking at some quick wins and some really strong guys to help in e-commerce," Rush added.

With online fashion sales expected to reach 19 billion pounds in the next four years, according to research firm Mintel, designers are turning to social media like Instagram, Facebook and Twitter to help drive more online purchases.

"We have been very focused on the past year or so, helping designers to understand how they can best use social media," Rush said.

Aksu said the networks were the perfect tool to help his label grow internationally and gain recognition.

Camille Juras, who three weeks ago launched what she called a vegan shoe company making footwear with micro fibers rather than animal leather, said she had already generated sales from using social media websites.

"Social media is key. It all starts with online presence and then you grow," said Juras. "On Instagram, it was instant. You would launch your page, people would start to like you, like your products and that started the sales process."

London Fashion Week, which generates more than 100 million pounds in orders each season from buyers around the world, will run until Feb. 24. — Reuters

No rematch clause, no problem for Arum: Pacquiao will beat Mayweather

Bob Arum is not bothered that there is no rematch clause in the deal for the megafight between Manny Pacquiao and Floyd Mayweather Jr. at the MGM Grand in Las Vegas on May 2.

The Top Rank promoter is confident that the eight-division champion will defeat the yet unbeaten Mayweather in the single-bout affair.

"I tell you, there's going to be one winner from this fight, and it's gonna be the congressman from Sarangani, Manny Pacquiao," Arum told 24 Oras in an interview.

The fight was officially announced by Mayweather on his Shots account on Saturday (PHL time), ending five years of on-and-off negotiations.

The talks to make the happen took months after Pacman called Mayweather following his demolition of Chris Algieri in Macau in November.

According to Arum, the negotiations were stalled due to the "mistrust" between the two camps and the "lies" spread by the press.

"The negotiations were very difficult," he said. "A lot of it was impeded by some elements of the Philippine press who were reporting lies that had no basis in reality but impeded the negotiations." — Marisse Panaligan/JDS, GMA News

source: gmanetwork.com

Is Google working on a food porn haven?

 

This could be heaven for food porn enthusiasts: Google is reportedly working on a new service for foodie photographers, an Android enthusiast site reported.

 

A rumor circulated on the El Androide Libre site claimed a tipster indicated the service, supposedly an extension of Google+, would be called Tablescape.

 

"(T)he tipster provided Libre with plenty of screenshots, showing a stream reminiscent of Google+, with posts, content creation, and awesome iconography for food categories," Android Police said.

 

It added Tablescape is likely a Google product experiment where posts from The Plate would be sent into the Tablescape interface.

 

Citing screenshots from El Androide Libre, Android Police said the navigation drawer lets users access "foodographs," featured posts, a "dish of the day," and other options.

 

Android Police said Tablescape could promise something fun "and gives perfect justification for snapping mobile photos of your food without shame."

 

The site added the screenshots contain real information, including "real photos and posts, posted by real people on Google+, and some of those people are Googlers." — Joel Locsin/VC, GMA News

 

source: gmanetwork.com

Google welcomes lunar new year with animated doodle

Google on Thursday welcomed the Lunar New Year with an animated doodle of a sheep/ram triggering fireworks after hitting a tree.

The animation on Google's homepage (www.google.com) showed the animal being startled after the fireworks explode and eventually form the word "GOOGLE."

Clicking on the doodle will take the visitor to a Google Search Results page for "Lunar New Year."

Filipinos on Wednesday night and Thursday morning joined the Chinese community in welcoming the New Year with fireworks and programs.



On Thursday, parades are expected in parts of the country, particularly in Manila's Chinatown, to celebrate the Chinese New Year. — Joel Locsin/ELR, GMA News

source: gmanetwork.com

Year of the Sheep won’t be baaa-d, fortune tellers say

The Year of the Horse brought catastrophic international air accidents, brutal terror attacks, global political upheaval, a resurgent Ebola virus and war—and, in Hong Kong, large-scale civil unrest.

 

But fortune tellers in the southern Chinese city are heralding a more docile Year of the Sheep—though volatility is still in the air, with warnings of more woes for the global property markets, and an "explosion of bacteria" leading to new and resurgent diseases.

 The lunar calendar is based on the cycles of the moon, and through Chinese folklore ascribes 12 animals—one for each year in the rotating cycle. 

 

The sheep, in the eighth position, is "comparatively tame, meaning that if there is any challenge everyone can come together to solve it", Hong Kong based feng shui expert Cheng Chi-tai told AFP.

 

"But because of the animal's character, it is not strong enough to suppress the instability from last year," Cheng said, adding that there is no difference between the sheep and the goat in the Chinese translation. 

 

Chinese fortune-telling, including feng shui, is based on ancient philosophy and the belief that events are dictated by balancing the five elements that make up the universe: metal, wood, water, fire and earth.

 

Feng shui—literally meaning "wind-water"—is influential in many parts of Asia, where people adjust their lives, homes and offices based on its rules to maximise their luck and wealth.

 

"This year will definitely be calmer in terms of disasters or accidents," feng shui expert Thierry Chow told AFP. The 27-year-old is a second generation master who studied the practice under her father, renowned expert Chow Hon-ming.

 

"The reason last year was so explosive was because the fire element was quite dominant," Chow said.

 

The gentle sheep

 

In its annual tongue-in-cheek "feng shui index" CLSA, one of Asia's leading brokerages, predicted there would be a slight improvement in the economy due to the sheep's docile nature. 

 

"Prayers and invocations to wealth, engagements and transactions, openings and agreements are smiled upon by the gentle sheep," it said. 

 

But Chow also warned the the animal was strongly connected to the earth element, which can represent sickness, meaning that this year could see a resurgence of existing diseases and the genesis of new ones. 

 

The previous Year of the Sheep—2003—saw the SARS epidemic that infected 8,096 worldwide and killed 744 people.

 

"Depending on what other elements are partnering with earth, it usually sparks an oubreak," she said, adding that the combination of wood and earth elements were a particularly potent mix.

 

"There is going to be a big explosion of bacteria," Chow added. 

 

Property markets around the world could also see a tough year ahead with a possibility of a downturn, both Chow and Cheng predicted. The sector is represented by the earth element but the impact of the wood element may cause problems.

 

Going green
 

But there are also positive sides to the wood element, Chow said, suggesting it could also spark a renewed interest in Earth-friendly trends—such as a rise in people becoming vegetarian, or adopting a greater interest in farming and sustainability.

 

An individual's fortune for the lunar year ahead is calculated by using the exact time and date of his birth and examining the relationship with each of the elements.

 

For example, Oscar-winning actress Jennifer Lawrence, who was born in the Year of the Horse, will continue to have a successful year with lots of work and opportunities, Chow said.

 

But the star, who hit the headlines last year after hackers posted nude pictures of her online, may continue to struggle in her personal life. Chow said: "If she's in a relationship there will be lots of conflicts and it will be very unstable." 

 

Alibaba's Jack Ma, one of Asia's richest men, will not be greatly affected by regulatory troubles despite authorities recently accusing his company of allowing "illegal" actions on its multi-billion-dollar online shopping platform.

 

"He's not going to have a rocky year, it will be quite stable overall," Chow said, adding that his wealth will go up in 2015 due to his birth sign. "He will be travelling, be occupied and busy in a positive way." — Agence France-Presse

 

source: gmanetwork.com

India PM Modi to auction controversial suit with his name all over it

NEW DELHI - Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi is to auction a controversial suit that bears his name in gold pinstripes, which he wore at a meeting with US President Barack Obama, leading to attacks he was out of touch in a nation where many live in extreme poverty.

The tailored suit, which was ridiculed by Modi's political opponents, will be auctioned in the state of Gujarat to raise money for a project he is championing to clean the Ganges river. The auction, which starts on Wednesday, will last three days.

"People are very generous in this area and we hope that it will raise a lot of money for a good cause," said Milind Torawane, the municipal commissioner of Surat, a port city home to India's diamond industry, where the auction is being held.

Modi's choice of the navy suit, which was embroidered repeatedly with his name, damaged the image of a man who in last year's election had played up his humble beginnings as a tea-seller and his personal sacrifices for India's advancement.

Political rivals, including Congress party Vice President Rahul Gandhi, who attacked the prime minister over his suit, said it had cost 1 million rupees ($16,000) and Modi should instead concentrate on delivering on his promises to India's poorest.

About a third of the world's extreme poor live in India, up from a fifth in 1981, the World Bank says. The country lags on other social indicators such as child malnutrition.

Torawane said the government would like to raise at least 3 million rupees from the suit sale.

For the auction, Modi donated about 450 objects given since being appointed prime minister in May after winning the biggest parliamentary majority in three decades.

The gifts he has received include silver cufflinks, a ceramic vase, a carpet and a silver box with precious stones, according to the Ministry of External Affairs. — Reuters

Google goes #Steampunk for Alessandro Volta's birthday

 

Google on Wednesday, February 18 (PHL time), feted physicist Alessandro Volta with an awesome steampunk-ish animated doodle depicting his electrifying invention.

 

Visitors to Google's homepage will see an animation of Volta's "electric column"—the forerunner of today's batteries—to light up the "Google" logo. 

 

As with past doodles, clicking on it will send the visitor to a Google Search Results page for Alessandro Volta.

Here's a whimsical overview of Volta's discovery:

 

 

FamousScientists.org said Volta, who was born 270 years ago, was credited for inventing the first electrical battery in 1800.

 

The battery or “voltaic pile” produced steady flows of electric current, "unleashing a wave of new discoveries and technologies."

 

Volta was also the first person to isolate methane, and discovered methane mixed with air could be exploded using an electric spark.

 

He also discovered “contact electricity” from contact between different metals.

 

 The site also pointed out the unit of electric potential called - you guessed it - the volt is in recognition of Volta’s contributions to electrical science. — Joel Locsin/TJD, GMA News

 

source: gmanetwork.com

Apple meeting developers to polish Watch apps

 With less than two months to go before it launches its Apple Watch, Apple has invited developers to its offices in Cupertino to finish apps for the wearable device.

A report on enthusiast site 9to5mac.com also said Apple is working with third-party App Store developers to help developers polish the apps for Apple Watch.

"The developers invited by Apple to Cupertino range from those behind titles for sports applications and productivity software. Apple has also been meeting with banks to work on WatchKit applications that assist with the Apple Watch’s Apple Pay functionality," the report said.

Developers indicated they liked Apple Watch’s Digital Crown and called it “really nice,” but one said Force Touch may take time to get used to.

Some developers also had differing opinions about the Taptic Engine vibrating feature.

Citing a source, the 9to5mac.com report said Apple is holding workshops for more than 100 developers across February.

Apple also met early January with a smaller number of developers to help in WatchKit development and discuss future plans, the report added.  — Joel Locsin/ELR, GMA News

source: gmanetwork.com

Singer Lady Gaga says she’s engaged to actor Taylor Kinney

Lady Gaga and her longtime boyfriend, actor Taylor Kinney, have become engaged, the singer said on social media on Monday.

"He gave me his heart on Valentine's Day, and I said YES!" Lady Gaga, 28, said on Instagram, displaying a photo of a heart-shaped ring.

She and Kinney, 33, have been dating for about four years, according to People magazine.

Lady Gaga, whose hits include "Poker Face" and "Bad Romance," recently won a Grammy Award for her album "Cheek to Cheek" with veteran singer Tony Bennett.

Kinney stars in the NBC series "Chicago Fire." —Reuters

‘Fifty Shades of Grey’ rakes in $81.7M on opening weekend

"Fifty Shades of Grey," the widely anticipated adaptation of the best-selling novel about a kinky relationship between a businessman and a college student, took in $81.7 million in ticket sales to soar to the top of US and Canadian weekend box office charts.

The film, which stars James Dornan and Dakota Johnson as the libidinous couple, far outpaced the No. 2 release, "Kingsman: The Secret Service," which took in $35.6 million from Friday through Sunday, according to studio estimates.

Third place on the US Presidents' Day holiday weekend went to the family-friendly "The SpongeBob Movie: Sponge Out of Water," based on the popular television show about a talking animated sponge, which sold $30.5 million in tickets at US and Canadian theaters.

"Fifty Shades" got a boost from a Valentine's Day opening after it was released earlier in the week in 57 foreign markets. It took in an additional $158 million overseas, for a global total of $240 million.

Early US screenings on Thursday night brought in $8.6 million, setting the scene for a record-breaking opening for any Presidents' Day weekend.

Nick Carpou, president of domestic distribution for Universal Pictures, the Comcast Corp. Unit that released the film, said a combination of Valentine's Day, a long holiday weekend and intense interest from smaller and mid-sized markets all helped drive the record numbers.

Pre-sale figures in southern states such as Mississippi and Kentucky reflected especially high interest. Sales in the northeast, being pummeled by another big winter storm, as well as in the south-central regions of the country, exceeded what might have been expected, Carpou said.

"Kingsman," an adaptation of a popular comic series starring Samuel L. Jackson and Colin Firth about a spy agency's training program and a global threat by a tech genius, received solid reviews and exceeded industry forecasts.

Rounding out the top five, the box office hit "American Sniper" took in $16.4 million, bringing its domestic haul to just over $304 million and making it one of the biggest hits of 2014-15. The Clint Eastwood-directed film is nominated for six Oscars, including one for Bradley Cooper as best actor.

The sci-fi film "Jupiter Ascending" was fifth with $9.4 million.

"Kingsman: The Secret Service" was released by 20th Century Fox, a unit of 21st Century Fox. "The SpongeBob Movie" was distributed by Paramount Pictures, a unit of Viacom Inc . "American Sniper" and "Jupiter Ascending" were released by Warner Brothers, a unit of Time Warner Inc. —Reuters

Victoria Beckham to expand fashion line to Asia

NEW YORK, United States - Watched by her adoring family, Victoria Beckham brought a sexy vision of fall/winter to an intimate New York runway Show Sunday and confided that she plans to open a second store in Asia.

The one-time pop star, mother of four and wife of retired English football superstar David Beckham, has won plaudits in the fashion industry for designing beautiful collections that flatter women's bodies.

David sat front row holding three-year-old daughter Harper on his lap, and chatted to Vogue editor-in-chief Anna Wintour after arriving with sons Brooklyn, Romeo and Cruz all dressed in sharp black outfits.

Harper, dressed in a black frock with white cuffs and peter-pan collar, tried to capture the catwalk show with her own camera, perhaps inspired by the phalanx of photographers and delighting her doting father and Wintour.

Brooklyn, 15, chewing gum and dressed in black leather trousers looked effortlessly cool as he and his brother Romeo, who had modeled for Burberry, appeared to film the show discreetly from their cell phones.

Beckham summed up her collection backstage as sexy, liberating and full of bounce, after showcasing dresses with full skirts, textured knits with high necks, oversized coats with swinging bodies.

She said that 2015 would see her spend a lot of time in Asia, where "as things currently stand" she plans to open a second store after the success of her Dover Street boutique in London.

She told AFP bashfully that she "can't say" where the shop would be, but that she was planning a trip to Hong Kong and Beijing within weeks.

"I'm coming very, very, very soon," she told reporters. "I'm really looking forward to it. The women really understand fashion."

A more intimate catwalk show than many at Fashion Week, Beckham treated guests to steaming glasses of Earl Grey tea, handed as they came in from minus 9 Celsius (16 Fahrenheit) temperatures outside.

Held in the imposing surrounds of Cipriani restaurant on Broadway, the 65-foot (20 meter) high ceilings of the 1921 building, soaring marble columns, inlaid floors and murals handed a neo-Renaissance elegance to proceedings.

Ankle platform boots

Beckham broke fashion rules by pairing navy and black, and there were splashes of orange but otherwise she stuck to her timeless classic palate of white, gray, cream, black.

Woolen coats and dresses embellished with large buttons down the front, at the hip, on the back. Long, tight skirts were paired with chunky knits with sleeves puffed at the elbow and dresses were sleeveless.

The models wore black ankle boots with towering platform heels.

She made a fleeting appearance at the end of the show, her trademark pout accompanied by a bashful wave, but was chatty, charming and polite to her family and reporters backstage.

"I love having them here. They're so supportive of what I do. We all support each other," she said.

"I stand on a football pitch, freezing cold, for hours on end watching the boys and I've always supported David doing the same thing."

On Saturday, ready-to-wear brand Altuzarra took inspiration from the female friends of American novelist Truman Capote, who were known as "the swans" and 18th century dandies for a feminine, flirty runway show.

"I am slightly trying to challenge the notion of the silhouette and to take it somewhere else that's why you see skirts that were longer, which have movement and you see things higher on the neck," designer Joseph Altuzarra told AFP.

There were lean fluted skirts, soft high-necked blouses, coats with small shoulders and exaggerated fur collars, and jackets nipped in at the waist with ruffled hems.

Altuzarra unveiled its first handbag collection with braided tasseled straps and bold hardware inspired by heirloom lighters.

Jenna Lyons, the creative director for womenswear at high-street American label JCrew, told AFP backstage that she was a "huge fan."

"What I love about Joseph is that there is a sexiness, but it never feels over the top," she said. "Can't wait to go and place an order!" — Agence France-Presse

source: gmanetwork.com

YouTube turns 10

While much of the world remembered Saturday as Valentine's Day, Internet addicts marked it as the 10th birthday of video-sharing giant YouTube.

That's right – YouTube was registered as a domain name on Feb. 14, 2005, though not by Internet giant and present owner Google.

"YouTube was registered as a domain name 10 years ago today, and yes, it's gone viral," said National Public Radio.

YouTube started out as a creation of PayPal employees Chad Hurley, Steve Chen and Jawed Karim.

The first video featuring Karim at the Zoo was uploaded to YouTube on April 23, 2005.


A separate article on The Next Web described YouTube as the "internet in its purest form," and the "audio-visual mirror of humanity’s digital experience."

"YouTube proved to be the answer to the emerging digital video conundrum. Phones and cheap point-and-shoot cameras were shooting lots of video, but what were you supposed to do with it? You could transfer it to DVD and send it to friends through the mail, but the Internet was supposed to make things like this easy," it said.

However, TNW also noted YouTube has not quite gotten out of the "mess of copyright violations."  — Joel Locsin/LBG, GMA News

source: gmanetwork.com

Is Apple working on its own car?

After computers, phones and wearables, is a car next on Apple's list of items to build? Reports from at least two news sites point to this possibility.

The tech darling has started hiring automotive experts to work on a secret project, according to a report on Financial Times.

FT quoted people familiar with the company indicating Apple is recruiting experts in automotive technology and vehicle design to a new secret research lab.

Heading the automotive research lab is Steve Zadesky, a 16-year Apple veteran whose teams developed the original iPod and iPhone, the report said.

Also, it said the researchers include "dozens" of Apple employees led by experienced managers from its iPhone unit.

It also said that while a team of Apple designers led by Jonathan Ive had been meeting with automotive executives and engineers recently, recent recruits to Apple’s team include the head of Mercedes-Benz’s Silicon Valley research and development unit.

A separate report on The Wall Street Journal, as quoted by tech site Mashable, said the research team is working on a project codenamed "Titan."

Mashable added the WSJ cited anonymous sources who said the initial design "resembles a minivan."

Years away?

But the FT report suggested the prospective Apple car might still be years away from actual production, as the lab was set up only in late 2014.

"Apple often investigates a wide range of new product areas, some of which never get released," it added.

 But such a car project could also suggest a rivalry with Google, which is developing a self-driving vehicle. — Joel Locsin/LBG, GMA News

source: gmanetwork.com

Wall St. ends sharply higher on tech, Ukraine deal

NEW YORK - US stocks ended sharply higher on Thursday, with a rally in technology stocks leading the Nasdaq to a 15-year high, while a ceasefire agreement between Russia and Ukraine also eased tensions.

The day's gains were broad, with eight of the 10 primary S&P 500 sectors rising, and the S&P information technology sector .SPLRCT rose 1.6 percent in its third straight daily advance. Cisco Systems (CSCO.O) climbed 9.4 percent to $29.46 in the network equipment maker's biggest one-day jump since May 2013 after earnings and revenue beat expectations.

TripAdvisor Inc (TRIP.O) soared 22.5 percent to $82.40 a day after revenue topped forecasts. Fellow online travel company Expedia (EXPE.O) jumped 14.5 percent to $89.57. Earlier, Expedia agreed to buy Orbitz Worldwide (OWW.N) for about $1.33 billion.

With 76 percent of the S&P 500 having reported, about 71.4 percent of companies have topped earnings expectations, according to Thomson Reuters data, while 56.8 percent have topped on revenue. That compares to the long-term average of 63 percent for earnings and 61 percent for revenue.

Overseas, leaders of Germany, France, Russia and Ukraine agreed on a deal to end fighting in eastern Ukraine, potentially removing a concern for global investors, although the pact remained fragile. The news contributed to oil prices CLc1 advancing 4.9 percent, which in turn lifted the S&P energy index .SPNY 1.3 percent.

"There’s definitely a feel-good situation leading from the reduction in geopolitical risk, while the rise we're seeing in the energy sector is really helping the overall benchmark," said Michael Mullaney, chief investment officer at Fiduciary Trust Co in Boston.

U.S. economic data was tepid, as initial jobless claims rose more than expected in the latest week, while retail sales barely rebounded in January. In addition, business inventories rose less than expected in December.

The Dow Jones industrial average .DJI rose 110.24 points, or 0.62 percent, to 17,972.38, the S&P 500 .SPX gained 19.95 points, or 0.96 percent, to 2,088.48, and the Nasdaq Composite .IXIC added 56.43 points, or 1.18 percent, to 4,857.61.

The Nasdaq ended at its peak of the session, the highest level for the index since March 2000, while the S&P 500 ended about 0.1 percent below closing record, set on Dec. 29.

Tesla Motors (TSLA.O) dropped 4.7 percent to $202.88 after it missed fourth-quarter sales targets and analysts' profit expectations.

American Express (AXP.N) shares dropped 6.4 percent to $80.48 as the biggest drag on the Dow after it said Costco Wholesale (COST.O) would stop accepting its cards in the United States from next April, after a renewal agreement could not be reached.

NYSE advancers outnumbered decliners 2,403 to 685, for a 3.51-to-1 ratio; on the Nasdaq, 1,931 issues rose and 806 fell, a 2.40-to-1 ratio.

The S&P 500 posted 69 new 52-week highs and no new lows; the Nasdaq Composite recorded 123 new highs and 20 new lows.

About 6.72 billion shares traded on all U.S. platforms, according to BATS exchange data, below the month-to-date average of 7.31 billion.  — Reuters

Unique Valentine’s gift ideas for romantics, sweet tooths

Red roses and chocolates may be all-time favorite Valentine's Day gifts, but you can get more creative than that. Here are some not-so-common V-Day gifts to surprise your loved one with.



Ice cream bouquet. She wants flowers. Period. But why not get something more interesting than the usual floral arrangement? A flower shop in San Juan City offers flowers wrapped in "waffle cones" made of felt paper.

To order a bouquet, you even have to choose among flavors like blueberry, chocolate, strawberry, vanilla, and bubblegum. Just be ready to pay P2,500 for your order. 

Edible roses. Double the sweetness of your Valentine's Day gesture with edible roses. At Sweet Blooms, flowers can be made of pastillas! An edible rose from this shop cost P25 per stem. A dozen will cost you P475. 

Not your average gift

You know your lover best, so why not give something that they will actually like and keep for days and weeks to come? 

Is she a fashionista? Give her a scarf to add oomph to her daily outfit. Plus, it will keep her warm on those breezy nights. 

Is he a techie? Buy him earphones or cords for his phone and other gadgetry.


But whatever you decide to give your significant other, it's the thought that counts. — Trisha Macas/VC, GMA News


source: gmanetwork.com

Shooting deaths of young Muslims leave North Carolina community reeling

CHAPEL HILL, North Carolina - In post-9/11 America, Aya Zouhri and her fellow Muslim female friends who cover their heads with scarves say they are used to getting occasional dirty looks or ugly comments from strangers.

But when Zouhri, 22, left home for school on Wednesday, a day after three of her Muslim friends were gunned down near the University of North Carolina in a shooting authorities are investigating as a hate crime, her father's warning for her to be careful took on a sobering new reality, she said.

"The way he said it was very much like, 'I'm actually worried something could happen to you,'" the senior global studies major recalled outside a room at the university where Muslim students gathered for afternoon prayers.

Several Muslim students who attend the university said they have always felt safe and accepted in Chapel Hill, a college town about 30 miles (48 km) from Raleigh that is known for basketball and affordable higher education.

But the triple slaying at a condominium complex about two miles (3 km) from campus Tuesday evening fractured their sense of security, Zouhri said, describing it as "a punch in the gut when you didn't step into a boxing ring."

The three victims, a newlywed couple and an undergraduate student with close ties to two universities in the vicinity, came from two of the most prominent Muslim families in the Raleigh area, friends said.

Deah Shaddy Barakat, 23, was a University of North Carolina dental student, his wife Yusor Mohammad, 21, was preparing to start at the dentistry school in the fall, and her sister, Razan Mohammad Abu-Salha, 19, was a sophomore at nearby North Carolina State University, where the couple were both alumni.

Friends grappled not only with the loss of three people known for their kindness, vigor and charity work, but with how their deaths might affect everyday life for local Muslims in the future.

"It's not actually as safe and progressive a community as we thought it was," said Sofia Dard, a 21-year-old senior majoring in psychology. "It's just that extra edge of caution that we're going to have to incorporate in our lives now."

Craig Stephen Hicks, 46, a full-time paralegal student who posted anti-religious messages on Facebook, has been charged with three counts of murder. Authorities said the killing, sparked perhaps by a parking dispute, did not appear to be part of a targeted campaign against Muslims in North Carolina.

Manzoor Cheema, co-founder of the Raleigh-based Muslims for Social Justice, linked the shootings to what he called a "rising tide of Islamophobia" in the state and region.

Last month, Duke University in Durham scrapped a plan to have the Muslim call to prayer emanate from its chapel after fierce opposition from Christian critics, including evangelist Franklin Graham, who said on Facebook that "followers of Islam are raping, butchering, and beheading Christians, Jews, and anyone who doesn't submit to their Sharia Islamic law."

"We are seeing multiple cases of attacks against Muslims in North Carolina that are very troubling," Cheema said. "I hope this terrible tragedy will be a turning point that brings the reality home that if we keep demonizing Muslims and equating their religion to terrorism, it will lead to more attacks." —Reuters

Certain diabetics more likely to benefit from blood pressure meds

People with type 2 diabetes who get treatment for high blood pressure live longer and have a lower risk of heart disease, according to a new review.

But to the researchers’ surprise, diabetics with only slightly high blood pressure - higher than the healthy range but not quite in the hypertension range - didn’t get as much benefit from treatment.

“Everything else being equal,” the patients with type 2 diabetes most likely to benefit from blood pressure lowering are those whose blood pressure is higher, said coauthor Professor Kazem Rahimi of The George Institute United Kingdom and The University of Oxford, in email to Reuters Health.

The review included 40 trials from 1966 to 2014 on blood pressure lowering treatments in more than 100,000 people with type 2 diabetes. The treatments included diuretics (sometimes called “water pills”), ACE inhibitors, and other drugs.

A healthy blood pressure reading is 120/80 millimeters (mm) of Mercury (Hg).

Readings above 120/80 but below 140/90 indicate “pre-hypertension.” Blood pressure above 140/90 mm Hg can be diagnosed as hypertension.

According to the new review, with every decrease of 10 mm Hg in the first number – the systolic blood pressure - the risk of dying during the study decreased by about 10 percent, and the risk of an acute heart problem, heart disease, stroke and diabetic retinopathy also went down.

Lowering blood pressure appeared to carry the most benefit for people whose initial systolic readings were higher than 140 mm Hg, the authors write in JAMA.

“The study calls for more individualized treatment decisions when it comes to controlling blood pressure in people with type 2 diabetes, in particular for diabetics with lower baseline blood pressure levels,” Rahimi said.

Blood pressure medications did decrease the risk of other problems like stroke, diabetic eye disease and excess protein in the urine, even for people with relatively lower blood pressures, he said.

But diuretics can cause an increase in blood sugar for people with diabetes. Other side effects of blood pressure medications include impotence, potassium deficiency, skin rash or kidney damage.

One in 10 Americans has diabetes today, most often type 2, the adult-onset kind, according to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. Two out of three people with diabetes have high blood pressure or take medication to lower it, according to the American Diabetes Association.

“People with a blood pressure of 140 or higher are likely to enjoy the greatest benefit from blood pressure lowering, and for most, the benefits of taking blood pressure medication are likely to outweigh the potential side effects,” Rahimi said. “In people with systolic blood pressure below 140 mm Hg, treatment recommendation requires more careful assessment of the patient’s likely absolute net benefit.”

Based on one U.S. trial in 2010, blood pressure goals have been relaxed for people with diabetes, which may have been an overreaction, according to Dr. Bryan Williams of University College London, who wrote an accompanying editorial in the journal.

Before that trial, most guidelines recommended that people with diabetes keep their blood pressure below 130/80 mm Hg. Afterward, some guidelines were relaxed to 140/90 mm Hg.

Rahimi’s study “shows that the current BP goals are not low enough to optimally reduce the risk of stroke, for example,” Williams told Reuters Health by email.

“Certainly BP should be lowered to below 140/90 mm Hg and I would suggest it would be appropriate to go lower than 130/80 if the patient will tolerate it and this is more likely to be tolerated better in younger people,” he said.

“There is no magical threshold above which blood pressure suddenly becomes harmful and below which it becomes benign,” Williams said. “The thresholds are designed to simplify trials and guidance but in reality the risk relationship is continuous with no obvious threshold.” — Reuters

Jon Stewart leaving Comedy Central's 'The Daily Show'

Comedian Jon Stewart, famed for his biting television satire of politicians and the media, will leave his job as host of Comedy Central's parody newscast "The Daily Show" later this year, he told his studio audience at the end of Tuesday night's episode.

Stewart, 52, who has starred on the show since 1999, said he had no specific plans for his next career move, but was thankful for the opportunity to host the program.

"It's been an absolute privilege," said an emotional Stewart. "It's been the honor of my professional life, and I thank you for watching it, for hate-watching it, whatever reason you are tuning in for."

The announcement came after Comedy Central's other big name, former "Daily Show" contributor Stephen Colbert, ended his tenure as star of companion show "The Colbert Report" and left the network in December to succeed the retiring David Letterman as host of the "Late Show" on CBS.

The New York-based "The Daily Show," which airs weeknights at 11 p.m. on the Viacom Inc-owned Comedy Central, is expected to continue, the network said, but a replacement for Stewart has yet to be named.

"Through his unique voice and vision, 'The Daily Show' has become a cultural touchstone for millions of fans and an unparalleled platform for political comedy that will endure for years to come," Comedy Central President Michele Ganeless said in a statement.

Stewart replaced Craig Kilborn roughly 15 years ago as host of the late-night cable program, which has won Peabody and Emmy awards.

"17 years is the longest I have ever in my life held a job, by 16 years and five months," Stewart said on Tuesday's broadcast.

"The upshot there being I am a terrible employee. But in my heart, I know it is time for someone else to have that opportunity," he added, prompting boos from the audience.

"The Daily Show" averages slightly more than 1 million viewers a night, a far smaller audience than his late-night competition on broadcast networks, but Stewart became disproportionately influential in U.S. politics and culture.

His lampooning of elected and would-be office-holders, broadcast journalists and other public figures, especially on the conservative end of the spectrum, has made him a darling of the political left.

Young adult viewers form the core of his fan base. In a 2004 poll by the Pew Research Center for the People and the Press, 21 percent of respondents aged 18 to 29 cited "The Daily Show" as a regular source of political news.

A two-time Oscar host who has branched out into the movie industry, Stewart made his directorial debut with the film "Rosewater" last year.

Beginning his show business career in stand-up comedy in New York, Stewart took his satirical humor to MTV in 1993, where he hosted "The Jon Stewart Show."

"The Daily Show" has been a launchpad for several comedians besides Colbert, among them Steve Carell and John Oliver. -- Reuters

Oil falls as IEA warns stocks may approach all-time high

LONDON - Brent crude fell below $58 a barrel on Tuesday after the International Energy Agency (IEA) warned that oil prices may decline as stocks continue to increase this year.

Oil stocks held by countries in the Organisation for Economic Cooperation and Development may come close to the all-time high of 2.83 billion barrels in the middle of 2015, said the IEA, which advises the West on energy policy.

"Despite expectations of tightening balances by end-2015, downward market pressures may not have run their course just yet," the IEA said in a monthly report.

Brent crude LCOc1 slipped 44 cents to $57.90 by 1123 GMT (06:23 am. EST), ending a three-day rally. The benchmark gained more than 9 percent last week, its biggest weekly rise since February 2011.

U.S. crude futures CLc1 dropped to $52.02, down 84 cents.

Vitol chief Ian Taylor, speaking at the International Petroleum Week industry conference, said he expected a "dramatic" build in oil stocks over the next few months but that supply and demand in the oil market would move into balance in the second half of this year.

China's consumer inflation hit a five-year low for January, raising worries about oil demand in the world's second-largest economy.

"Economic activity is slowing, especially in heavy industry and that inevitably weighs on commodities," Michal Meidan, director of independent consultancy China Matters, said in the Reuters Global Oil Forum.

Oil prices received a boost on Monday after a monthly report by the Organization of the Petroleum Exporting Countries (OPEC) raised the forecast for 2015 demand for its oil to 29.2 million barrels per day (bpd), up 430,000 bpd from an earlier forecast.

The IEA's medium-term report released on Tuesday predicted demand for OPEC oil would hold at 29.4 million bpd this year, and said U.S. shale oil output growth would pause before regaining momentum.

U.S. crude snapped three days of gains after a preliminary survey showed that U.S. commercial crude stockpiles likely hit a record high last week.

"Another report of strong builds in inventories in this week's EIA market report could halt oil's rally," ANZ bank said, referring to the U.S. Energy Information Administration's stockpile data due on Wednesday.

Elsewhere, Libya's Hariga port has reopened after guards ended a strike over salary payments, and the terminal will start loading tankers once better weather allows, a facility spokesman said.  — Reuters

Google Translate helps paramedics deliver baby

 

Asante!

 

The Swahili word for "thanks" might be appropriate to Google Translate, after it helped two paramedics deliver a Congolese woman's baby in Ireland this week.

 

Men's lifestyle website Joe.ie cited a report by The Corkman news site that the incident occurred this week between Macroom and Lissarda, when the paramedics were bringing the woman to a hospital to deliver her child.

 

"It’s something that I think I won’t ever forget as I was translating Swahili into English somewhere on the side of the road between Macroom and Lissarda," paramedic Gerry McCann said.

 

McCann and Shane Mulcahy, were taking the woman to the Cork University Maternity Hospital when the baby was due. The problem, however, was that the woman spoke limited English.

 

Thinking quickly, McCann opened Google Translate on his phone to communicate with the woman.

 

As a result, a “beautiful baby girl" was born, the report said. — Joel Locsin/TJD, GMA News

 

source: gmanetwork.com

Sexy cupcakes, romantic dinners, a pet party and more during the month of love

The day of love is just around the corner once again. If you're running out of ideas regarding where to take your special someone or your friends or simply how to add spice to a potentially sweet date, here are some options around the metro.

Wicked sweet

 

 

 Looking for a sweet Valentine's gift? Wicked has a few desserts for the occasion: Chocolate-covered Strawberries, or else the Chocolate Fire, a moist chocolate cake soaked in rum. 

 

Wicked is located at the 5th Level, East Wing of Shangri-la Plaza Mall, Mandaluyong City. To order in advance, call 654-0614. Like and follow Wicked on Facebook. For more details, log on to the website.

 

Dinner and movie tickets

 

Dinner or a movie date? Why not both? Cravings is offering such an option with its “Cravings of the Heart” promo. From Feb. 12 to 15, diners will be in for “a four-course menu, a cake selection, and freebies that include a chance to win movie tickets,” according to the press release.

 

Reserve tables by calling at the following outlets: 287 Katipunan Ave., QC (587-9634), 31st Floor Fraser Place Manila in Makati City (815-4271), 5/L Shangri-La Plaza Mall (635-6087) and 14 Cluster 2 Molito Lifestyle Bldg., Alabang (556-0927).

Personalized message in ice cream

 

Got something to say, and no method of the digital age will cut it? Why not say it with something sweet? Fog City Creamery is offering an ice cream delivery, complete with your personal message hidden under the lid. According to the press release, a minimum order worth P500 is required for deliveries. Extra charges may apply based on distance from pick up point. 

 

Call +63917 883 3344 and drop by Foccacia Italian Restaurant at A.Venue in Makati. Visit their website, and following them on Facebook, Twitter, and Instagram (@FogCityCreamery).
 

Lovers Special menu, Italian style

 

 

 

 Four courses for P1,199 for the entire month of February, containing the following gourmet entrees:

- Crema Di Funghi Tartufata (cream of mushroom with black truffle),
- Calzone or Linguine Alla Botarga e Gambaretti (stuffed pizza or dried Italian caviar with tiger prawns in linguine pasta),
- Ossobuco Con Gremolata Due Profumi (Oven braised beef shank served on a hot cast iron) and
- Crema Della Amore (Red and White Wine colored panna cotta) for luscious dessert.

 

Book your reservations by calling (02) 631-9762 or drop by at Lombardi’s at 4/L East Wing, Shangri-La Plaza Mall. Like its Facebook page for more information.

 

#ShareTheBlush

 

Using the hashtag #ShareTheBlush and tagging @makatishangrila, couples may share ways on how they make their loved ones blush until 1 p.m. of February 13.

 

Winners will be announced on Feb. 13 by 5 p.m.. The first prize is an overnight stay with breakfast buffet for two any time in February, and the second prize is a romantic dinner for two at Sage Bespoke Grill.

 

Call (632) 813-8888 loc. 71088 or visit the website for more details.

 

Dinner for two

 

Marco Polo Ortigas Manila offers lovers a wondrous view of the city with the Superior Room, inclusive of a morning-after breakfast, at P5,800 per night.

 

At P9,800, couples can enjoy either a special dinner buffet for two at Cucina or a three-course dinner inside their rooms with a complimentary glass of Strawberry Bellini and a breakfast buffet the next day.

 

Cucina, the sky hotel's special buffet, offers couples a spare of red-themed feast for P2,700 on the evenings of Feb. 13 and 14 and brunch on Feb. 15.

 

For more information, contact (632) 720-7777, book online or email manila@marcopolohotels.com. Visit their Facebook page or the website.

 

Love in 50 shades

 

 

 

Marriott Manila offers a more controversial fare with "Fifty Shades"-inspired food at all of their restaurants.

 

Marriott Café offers sensual foods and a chance to win a Pandora charm bracelet at the "Red Room" from the 13th to 15th at P2,650 for dinner buffets and P2,600 for Sunday brunch.

 

Meanwhile, Cru Steakhouse offers "The Dom", a chocolate dome covering a hazlenut cake, truffle gianduja and chocolate sorbet  unveiled by a mouthwatering chocolate sauce.

 

A cupcake collection named "My Sweet 50" offers connoisseurs sweets paired with "Oh My, Vanilla", an English Breakfast tea blended with vanilla.

 

The Greatroom offers its own special English Breakfast blend called "Steal Steele's Cup", complemented with sweets, scones, and savory pastries for P550 everyday from two to five p.m.

 

It also offers handcrafted cocktails named after lines from the sensationalist series along with piano renditions of songs featured in the books.

 

For inquiries and reservations, call (02)9889999 or visit manilamarriott.com. To join ongoing conversations, like the Facebook page or follow @marriottmanila on Twitter and @manilamarriott on Instagram.

Orchestra of love

 

Are you and your love of a cultural inclination? Then at 8 p.m. on Valentine's Day, look out for the Manila Philharmonic Orchestra performing timeless love songs at the River Park Ampitheater at Festival Supermall.

 

For details, call Alexis Araneta (09276257438) or Joyce Reaño (09178726924).

Dreamy Valentine's at the City of Dreams

 

 

 

City of Dreams Manila may have just opened, but it is not behind on the Valentine's gimmicks. Diners will have their pick of Valentine's dinners from Feb. 13 to 15 from the following restaurants:

- The Cafe at Hyatt City of Dreams (24-hour buffet)
- Crystal Dragon (Chinese cuisine)
- Crystal Lounge (High tea)Wave (Al fresco dining)
- The Tasting Room (Modern European five-course menu)

 

And if you should happen to be there on Feb. 14, the Chaos nightclub will have its grand opening, featuring the electrifying vocals of the Pussycat Dolls' lead singer, Nicole Scherzinger. 

 

VIP table reservations can be made through chaostablereservations@cod-manila.com or 0917 3813398, while tickets are available at SM Tickets. SM Tickets can be contacted at 470 2222.

Movies under the stars

 

Sprinkle a little romance into your Valentine's date with Nuvali Night Sky Cinema's Romantic Reels outdoor screening. 

 

Beginning 4 p.m. on February 14 in Nuvali, Laguna, the screening will include “Sleepless in Seattle,” “50 First Dates,” and “The Fault in Our Stars.” Transportation will be provided.

 

To RSVP, call Angel Tudtud (09177050357) or Mikey de Quiros (09178140929).

Pet soiree

 

 

Who says love is only for humans? Compassion and Responsibility for the Animals (CARA) is holding another “Must Love Pets: A Valentine Pet Soiree” at Eastwood Mall Open Park on Feb. 15 at 4 p.m. Pet owners are encouraged to dress their pets in costume for the chance to win prizes.

 

Pet owners can pre-register as early as Feb. 9 at the Eastwood Mall Concierge. Pet owners must present their pet pass or secure one by presenting their pets’ latest vaccination papers. Regular registration starts on Feb. 15, starting 1 p.m. 

 

And who knows? Maybe humans can find love there, too.

 

For more information on Must Love Pets: A Valentine Pet Soiree, call the Megaworld Lifestyle Malls Concierge at 709-9888, 709-0888, 0917-8380111 or visit their website.— Vida Cruz/BM, GMA

 

source: gmanetwork.com

Apple's upcoming iOS 9 to focus on stability, optimization

 

Unlike the more recent iOS updates, Apple will be focusing on stability and optimization in the next major update to its mobile operating system iOS.

 

Apple's iOS 9 will focus more on stability and optimization than new features, enthusiast site 9to5mac.com reported.

 

"While stability is normally an expected component in Apple software rather than a marquee feature, the rapid pace of iOS releases and feature introductions has taken a toll on the operating system’s overall performance, recently leading to numerous complaints from long-time Apple users and regular customers alike," it said.

 

Codenamed "Monarch," iOS 9 is due later this year, and will feature "under-the-hood improvements," the site said.

 

Quoting its sources, it said engineers are "putting a 'huge' focus on fixing bugs, maintaining stability, and boosting performance for the new operating system, rather than solely focusing on delivering major new feature additions."

 

Apple will also try to keep the size of the OS and updates manageable, especially for owners of iPhones, iPads and iPhone touches with 16GB storage.

 

THe site noted Apple had featured a major new release of the iPhone, iPad, and iPod touch operating system each year since 2007, with major iOS changes as a reason to buy the new devices.

 

Meanwhile, 9to5mac said it is not immediately clear if iOS 9 would be limited to relatively recent devices.

 

"If the iPhone 5c, original iPad mini, and fifth-generation iPod touch are discontinued by the end of 2015, all of Apple’s 'currently available' iOS devices would be using 64-bit A7, A8, and A9 processors. This could simplify iOS development for both Apple and third-party app developers," it said. — Joel Locsin/TJD, GMA News

 

source: gmanetwork.com

Oil steadies near $58 as US rig count offsets Chinese data

LONDON - Brent crude prices steadied near $58 a barrel on Monday as falling U.S. oil rig counts and signs of healthy U.S. growth offset concerns over the strength of the Chinese economy.

China's trade performance slumped in January, pointing to lower fuel demand in the world's biggest energy consumer. Exports fell 3.3 percent from a year earlier while imports tumbled 19.9 percent, highlighting a deepening slowdown.

But the falling number of U.S. oil rigs, at its lowest since December 2011, reduced the impact of the Chinese data on oil prices, which have dropped more than 50 percent since June.

Stronger-than-expected growth in U.S. jobs in January also helped support oil, as non-farm payrolls increased 257,000, outstripping Wall Street forecasts.

Global benchmark Brent crude oil LCOc1 for March was up 10 cents at $57.90 a barrel by 1118 GMT (06:18 a.m. EST) after rising as high as $59.06 earlier in the session. U.S. crude CLc1 was up 56 cents at $52.25 a barrel, having hit a session high of $53.40.

While signs of an economic slowdown in China depressed the market, analysts said crude import figures remained high and the disappointing data was unlikely to derail a rally in oil prices.

"I think we'll get a bit of a pullback. But will it send prices back to the lows? I'm not convinced about that," said Michael Hewson, chief market analyst at CMC Markets.

"We've had such a strong decline that some sort of bounce back is inevitable."

Brent rose more than 9 percent last week, its biggest weekly rise since February 2011. The North Sea oil futures contract has climbed more than 18 percent in the past two weeks, its strongest showing since 1998.

"It's still the same pattern," said Carsten Fritsch, senior oil and commodities analyst at Commerzbank in Frankfurt. "Markets are ignoring the bearish news and rather trade on the bullish news."

Preliminary Chinese January customs data came in at 27.22 million tonnes of crude imports, though estimates from Thomson Reuters Research and Forecasts put the final figure at about 30 million tonnes.

Reuters technical analyst Wang Tao said crude charts suggested the increase in prices may have ended for a while.

"I prefer a bearish bias," Wang Tao told Reuters Global Oil Forum. "Both WTI and Brent may correct in this week before seeking their next direction."  — Reuters

Google Drive for Linux may be coming soon

 

Good news for users of computers running Linux: Google may soon make its Drive app available for the platform. That is if a reported leak proves accurate.

 

PC World said this could also finally fulfill Google's promise three years ago when it promised support for Linux for Drive, its free cloud-based storage service.

 

A PC World report cited screenshots showing Drive running on Ubuntu - "leaked straight from Google itself."

 

It cited Linux blog Web Upd8 as discovering the screenshots "buried in a recent Google Drive for Mac installer."

 

 

"This suggests that development is actually proceeding on Google Drive for Linux, and that Google has an internal build of the software that they’re working on. As Google themselves use Linux internally—in fact, they have their own Ubuntu-based Linux distribution known as 'Goobuntu' —it’s unsurprising they’d want their own software to run on their own computers," it said. — Joel Locsin/TJD, GMA News

 

source: gmanetwork.com

Top Grammy moments: Matador Madonna, Dancing Sir Paul and Kanye

 

LOS ANGELES - Step aside winners. The Grammy Awards have long belonged to performers and unexpected moments—and Sunday's show was no different with Kanye West rushing the stage, Pharrell Williams' orchestral bash and a poignant plea to end domestic violence.

 

Kanye, Again

 

West, in perhaps a tongue-in-cheek gag on his infamous outburst rushing the stage in protest at the 2009 MTV Video Music Awards, approached album of the year winner Beck on stage before flashing a quick grin, waving his hand and retreating.

 

"That's what's great about live television," said Neil Portnow, the president of the Recording Academy.

 

"Whatever happens is part of the culture of the people in the room," he added.

 

Fifty Shades of Madonna

 

In the night when the music industry crowned British soul singer Sam Smith with a leading four Grammys, including song and record of the year, viewers at home were treated early on to Madonna's burlesque homage to bullfighting.

 

Pop music's 56-year-old grand dame of scandalizing spectacle, performed her new song "Living for Love" in red and black lingerie with 20 dancers wearing bulls' horns and rhinestone-covered faces twirling the singer about. She was later joined by a choir of more than two dozen singers.

 

Dancing #SirPaul

 

Paul McCartney—who later performed "FourFiveSeconds" with West and Rihanna—gave the audience a light moment on a mostly somber night by dancing alone in the audience to ELO's Jeff Lynne playing the 1975 hit "Evil Woman."

 

With the camera up close, the former Beatle stopped, looked around and sat down with a sheepish smile, drawing laughter and sending "Sir Paul" trending on Twitter.

 

It’s on us

 

The show took a serious turn half-way through with President Barack Obama delivering a taped address urging the audience and TV viewers to help stop domestic violence, through the ItsOnUs.org campaign.

 

Then Brooke Axtell, a survivor of domestic abuse, took the stage urging victims of abuse to seek help and telling her own story about how her ex-boyfriend had threatened to kill her. Katy Perry finished the segment with the inspirational anthem "By the Grace of God."

 

Civil Rights

 

Williams, dressed as a hotel bellboy in shorts, found a way to recast his uptempo international smash "Happy" as a soaring orchestral song with Chinese concert pianist Lang Lang, film composer Hans Zimmer on guitar and a choir of 20.

 

But the singer-producer's allusions to the protest chant "hands up, don't shoot" and hooded sweatshirts about the killings of unarmed black teens cast the shadow of civil rights, the predominant theme at the show's close.

 

Prince introduced the album of the year award saying "black lives matter."

 

The evening ended with Beyonce singing the Civil Rights-era spiritual, "Precious Lord, Take My Hand," and John Legend and rapper Common sang their Oscar-nominated song "Glory" from the soundtrack to the Martin Luther King Jr. biopic "Selma."—Reuters