Correction: Obit-James Garner story
NEW YORK (AP) — In a story July 20 about the death of TV legend James Garner, The Associated Press reported erroneously that the actor was “found dead.” In fact, he died in the presence of family and others.
Month: August 2014
Obama says that after 9/11, ‘we tortured some folks’
By Roberta Rampton and Steve Holland WASHINGTON (Reuters) – President Barack Obama said on Friday the CIA “tortured some folks” after the Sept. 11, 2001, attacks, and that the White House had handed over to Congress a report about an investigation into “enhanced interrogation techniques.” “We did a whole lot of things that were right, but we tortured some folks. We did some things that were contrary to our values,” Obama told a White House news conference. Obama’s comment was a reaffirmation of his decision to ban the use of interrogation techniques such as waterboarding shortly after he took office in January 2009. The administration of President George W. Bush, Obama’s predecessor, authorized the use of harsh questioning techniques of militant detainees in the wake of the 9/11 attacks after deciding they did not amount to torture.
Stars willing to risk opinions on Gaza clash
When director Jonathan Demme was approached to show support for all victims of the conflict in Gaza, he didn’t hesitate to sign on. Actor Wallace Shawn is willing to put up with jeers on the street for his opinions about the violence. And Mark Ruffalo is determined to air his views about the fighting on Twitter, no matter the cost to his social media numbers.
Concerts on Yahoo make best of industry struggles
Sometimes the struggles of an industry can bring music to your ears. And your screens. Live Nation’s partnership with Yahoo to stream one live concert every day is a rare win for music fans. The series, …
‘Guardians’ rallies summer box office with $11.2 mln opening night
The “Guardians of the Galaxy” stormed into the box office with a $11.2 million opening night, Walt Disney Co said on Friday, and could outperform expectations if it keeps drawing viewers with a new leading man, strong reviews and social media buzz. As the Guardians try to save the galaxy from a planet-destroying orb coveted by evil warlords, they may also “save the summer” for a slumping movie industry if the film exceeds expectations, said Paul Dergarabedian, senior media analyst at Rentrak. Hollywood’s summer box office has been in a funk, producing fewer blockbusters than usual and putting ticket sales 20 percent behind last year at $2.93 billion. Early projections for the “Guardians” opening weekend at the U.S. and Canadian box office were estimated to reach between $65 million to $80 million.
Dems, GOP looking for black, minority turnout
BOSTON (AP) — With control of the House and Senate up for grabs, Democrats are looking to minority voters — especially black voters who heavily supported President Barack Obama — to turn out and help them forestall a Republican takeover of Congress this November.
Growing number of stars risk opinions on conflict
When director Jonathan Demme was approached to show support for all victims of the conflict in Gaza, he didn’t hesitate to sign on. Actor Wallace Shawn is willing to put up with jeers on the street for his opinions about the violence. And Mark Ruffalo is determined to air his views about the fighting on Twitter, no matter the cost to his social media numbers.
Obama to speak from White House Friday afternoon
WASHINGTON (AP) — President Barack Obama will deliver a statement from the White House Friday afternoon as Congress finishes its last votes before a five-week recess.
PM Modi to visit Nepal from Sunday: MEA
New Delhi, Aug. 1 (ANI): Ministry of External Affairs (MEA) spokesperson Syed Akbaruddin said that Prime Minister Narendra Modi will be visiting Kathmandu from Sunday and added that the visit indicates the high priority that India places on relations with its neighborhood. “Prime Minister Narendra Modi will be traveling to Kathmandu on the 3rd and 4th August. “On 3rd of August, the prime minister will have delegation level talks with the Prime Minister of Nepal, Sushil Koirala. Earlier, External Affairs Minister Sushma Swaraj had met Nepal’s Deputy Prime Minister, and Home Minister Bamdev Gautam while on a visit to that country.
Doubts surface about Modi after trade deal scuppered
By Sanjeev Miglani and Rajesh Kumar Singh NEW DELHI (Reuters) – Prime Minister Narendra Modi came to office with a reputation as a business-friendly leader ready to open up one of the world’s biggest markets and sweep away the remnants of the country’s socialist past. Now potential investors, some of them foreign firms hoping to exploit new opportunities in India’s vast consumer market, are scratching their heads after Modi’s party walked away from a major deal to reform customs rules and make global trade easier. India shocked trade officials by rejecting the agreement at the 160-member World Trade Organization, one of the group’s biggest initiatives since it was set up 19 years ago. New Delhi has since said it did not believe the pact was dead, but insisted that, alongside the so-called trade facilitation agreement, the WTO must find a deal allowing India to subsidise and stockpile food in order to protect the poor.