'Family Guy' MacFarlane adds his voice to 'Simpsons' gig

  LOS ANGELES: Seth MacFarlane may already have three hit animated television shows, one hit raunchy comedy movie and the coveted Oscars hosting job for next year, but the comedian is adding another notch on his resume: guest voicing on "The Simpsons."
"Family Guy" creator MacFarlane will appear in the season premiere of the 25th season of "The Simpsons" in 2013, Fox Television, home to both shows, said on Friday.
MacFarlane will play a married man who pursues matriarch Marge Simpson after the two meet on a website and form a bond over their love of a "Downton Abbey-esque" show called "Upton Rectory," show producer Al Jean told Entertainment Weekly.
The episode, entitled "Dangers on a Train," will air in fall 2013.
MacFarlane's guest spot is a crossover for the actor, writer and director, who was inspired by "The Simpsons" when creating "Family Guy," an animated comedy following the dysfunctional Griffin family headed by dim-witted patriarch Peter, who bears similarities to Homer Simpson.
Both shows air on Fox, and the news comes after MacFarlane featured Dan Castellaneta, the voice of Homer Simpson, in a recent "Family Guy" episode.
MacFarlane, 39, also created and voices characters for animated comedies "American Dad" and "The Cleveland Show," and he had a box-office hit with R-rated comedy "Ted" this past summer.
He will be hosting the Oscars in February.
"The Simpsons" first aired in 1989 and is now the longest-running U.S. sitcom in history and is broadcast in more than 100 countries.
The show has seen a diverse range of guest stars across all spectrums of pop culture including Bill Clinton, Buzz Aldrin, Tony Blair, Julian Assange and Lady Gaga. (Reuters)
REUTERS

Childhood dreams give birth to giant robot

TOKYO: Like many Japanese, Kogoro Kurata grew up watching futuristic robots in movies and animation, wishing that he could bring them to life and pilot one himself. Unlike most other Japanese, he has actually done it. His 4-tonne, 4-meter (13 feet) tall Kuratas robot is a grey behemoth with a built-in pilot's seat and hand-held controller that allows an operator to flex its massive arms, move it up and down and drive it at a speed of up to 10 kph (6 mph). "The robots we saw in our generation were always big and always had people riding them, and I don't think they have much meaning in the real world," said Kurata, a 39-year-old artist. "But it really was my dream to ride in one of them, and I also think it's one kind of Japanese culture. I kept thinking that it's something that Japanese had to do." His prototype robot comes equipped with an operating system that also allows remote control from an iPhone as well as optional "guns" that shoot plastic bottles or BB pellets and are powered by a lock-and-load system fired by the pilot's smile. The robot, which took two years to pull together from concept to construction, also comes with a range of customized options from paint scheme to cup holders. It isn't cheap. The sticker price for the most basic model alone is around 110 million yen ($1.3 million). Kurata said while he has received thousands of inquiries about buying a robot, he's also received a large number of cancellations and declined to specify how many people have actually bought one. But that's not so important. "By my building this, I hope that it'll sort of be the trailblazer for people who can do more than myself to make different things," he said. "They might be able to make a society that uses robots in a way I can't even imagine. I expect more from the implications of building it than from the robot itself." REUTERS

Childhood dreams give birth to giant robot

 
COTONOU: Tomb raiders have dug up more than 100 graves at a cemetery in Benin since Saturday for what authorities suspect is a black-market trade in human organs and skulls for voodoo ritual fetishes.
The incident is the most serious case of grave-robbing in the West African state, the world capital of voodoo where most of the country's 9 million residents practice a benign form of the official religion.
Authorities in Dangbo, a village 10 km (6 miles) from the capital Porto-Novo, began an investigation after a mason working at the cemetery said he spotted several masked men digging up the graves, from which organs and skulls were removed.
"The desecration of graves is about money in this region," said Joseph Afaton, director of the cemetery. "It is for sacrifices, or for bewitching."
Body parts of humans and rare animals are prized by some people in central Africa for their supposed supernatural powers, and are used in occult ceremonies. Traffickers often obtain human remains from grave robbers, but a recent spate of killings has also been linked to the gruesome trade.
Authorities in Cameroon in September arrested five people suspected of trafficking human body parts after they were discovered at a checkpoint carrying a severed human head. (Reuters)

REUTERS

Kim Kardashian brings out fans, protestors, cops in Bahrain

 
MANAMA: Television celebrity Kim Kardashian brought out screaming fans, angry Muslim hardliners and police throwing stun grenades when she visited Bahrain to launch a milkshake franchise, witnesses said.
About 100 Sunni Salafists demonstrated with banners outside The Walk Bahrain, an upmarket mall in the capital Manama, after some MPs tried to block the visit over what they called her "bad reputation", according to a local newspaper.
Thousands of fans, who had paid up to 500 Bahrain dinars ($1,360) a ticket, broke into hysterical screams as the 32-year-old celebrity launched the Millions of Milkshakes franchise inside the mall.
Witnesses said police dispersed the demonstrators with stun grenades as the inauguration proceeded inside. There were no reports of casualties.
Kardashian stirred controversy even before she arrived in Bahrain from Kuwait, where she opened another store last week.
Hardline Sunni Muslim MPs presented a motion to parliament calling her "an actress with an extremely bad reputation", according to Bahrain's English language Gulf Daily News.
The assembly did not vote on the motion, the newspaper said.
Many Kardashian fans tweeted their displeasure, saying the "MPs should focus their time on solving key political, economic and social issues", the newspaper reported.
Bahrain, where the U.S. Fifth Fleet is based, is trying to overcome nearly two years of unrest among its majority Shi'ite Muslims demanding political reforms and equality with the Sunni Muslims who rule the kingdom. (Reuters)

REUTERS

Aamir Khan returns with ‘Talaash’

 
MUMBAI: Bollywood superstar Aamir Khan returns to the big screen Friday in his first commercial film release for three years, taking up the role of a mustachioed police inspector in a Mumbai crime thriller.
In "Talaash" (Search), promoted as a darker tale than the industry's typical mix of glamour, action and comedy, Khan stars alongside popular actress Kareena Kapoor as a prostitute and Rani Mukerji as his wife.
Producer-actor Khan has given little away about the eagerly-anticipated film, which is set in the underbelly of India's entertainment capital and has been described by the star as an "intense suspense drama".
"I want the suspense to be there, that's part of the promotions. Sometimes being quiet also might promote it," Khan said.
"I found it fulfilling... the suspense part of it. But at its heart, it's a story about someone coming to terms with loss... it is a very emotional story at its core," Khan told the Press Trust of India ahead of the release.
The star reportedly had to learn to swim for scenes in "Talaash" -- a film that "proves once again this actor's films are not to be skipped and completely worth the wait", said a review in the DNA newspaper.
Directed by Reema Kagti and co-produced by Khan, "Talaash" marks the 47-year-old's first appearance in a movie since art film "Dhobi Ghat" (also known as "Mumbai Diaries") was released in 2010, directed by his wife Kiran Rao.
Khan's last commercial hit was "3 Idiots" in 2009, a coming-of-age comedy about three engineering students which became the highest grossing Bollywood movie of all time.
His 2001 film "Lagaan" (Land Tax) became the third Hindi-language movie to be Oscar-nominated for best foreign language film.
This year Khan launched a 13-episode Sunday morning television show that won plaudits for tackling some of India's darkest social problems, drawing comparisons between him and US chat show host Oprah Winfrey.

AFP

Cameron tips Hobbit to spark film tech revolution

WELLINGTON: Oscar-winning director James Cameron on Wednesday predicted Peter Jackson's "The Hobbit" would do for high-definition film-making what his own hit "Avatar" did for 3D movies. Jackson has filmed "The Hobbit" at a groundbreaking 48 frames a second rather than the standard 24, a move that drew mixed critical reactions when a preview was screened in Las Vegas in April. But Cameron, a surprise guest at the premiere of the first instalment of "The Hobbit" in Wellington on Wednesday, said he faced similar scepticism pioneering modern 3D techniques on "Avatar", now the highest grossing film of all time. He said Jackson's latest movie was destined to be a hit, making it easier for him (Cameron) to employ 48 frames a second which eliminated the "strobing" seen in standard films. "If there is acceptance of 48, then that will pave the way for Avatar (sequels) to take advantage of it," Cameron told reporters. "We charged out ahead on 3D with Avatar, now Peter's doing it with the Hobbit. It takes that kind of bold move to make change." Jackson this week likened the higher shooting rate to the introduction of compact discs, saying it was the way of the future for film. "I personally think it's fantastic, but it's different," he told Radio New Zealand. "I remember when CDs came in and there was a nostalgic feeling that the sound of a needle on vinyl was what music should sound like -- suddenly you've got this pristine clarity and a lot of people were nay-saying it." Cameron said Jackson was a singular film-maker who had turned the New Zealand film industry into a global force. "He's elevated the industry to a global level, where people from all over the world -- artists, film-makers, special effects technicians and so on -- come here to work, that's unique," he said. "It's really only happened a couple of times before, in Los Angeles and maybe London... it's the first time it's been done by a single film-maker." Cameron, who owns a farm in New Zealand, said he was on the property working on scripts for sequels to "Avatar", complaining: "Unfortunately it's too damn distracting because it's so beautiful". He said he hoped to have the scripts completed by February and begin filming by the end of next year. "I want to get these scripts nailed down, I don't want to be writing the movie in post production," the director said. "We kind of did that on the first picture, I ended up cutting out a lot of scenes and so on and I don't want to do that again." Cameron, originally from Canada, said he was enjoying the relaxed lifestyle in New Zealand. AFP

Second "Hobbit" movie gets new name, July 2014 release for third

 
LOS ANGELES: The third film in the upcoming "Hobbit" movie trilogy will be released worldwide in July 2014, the movie studios behind the venture said on Friday, and the second film now has a new name.
The third film -- "The Hobbit: There and Back Again" -- will open in movie theaters on July 18, 2014 - just seven months after the newly titled second film "The Hobbit: The Desolation of Smaug" arrives on December 13, 2013. The second film originally carried the "There and Back Again" title.
The first film, "The Hobbit: An Unexpected Journey" starring British actor Martin Freeman as Bilbo Baggins, has already been set for a December 14, 2012 opening.
Director Peter Jackson, Time Warner Inc's Warner Bros. and New Line Cinema, and MGM announced in July that the 3D-film adaptation of the classic novel by J.R.R. Tolkien would be split into three films rather than the two originally envisaged.
Warner Bros. executives said they believed the third movie would play well in the summer - the most lucrative period for the movie industry and the launch pad for action-packed blockbusters.
"We wanted to have a shorter gap between the second and third films of ‘The Hobbit' trilogy. Opening in July affords us not only the perfect summer tentpole, but fans will have less time to wait for the finale of this epic adventure," Dan Fellman, president of domestic distribution at Warner Bros. said in a statement.
"The Hobbit" is the prequel to Tolkien's epic fantasy "The Lord of the Rings" which Jackson made into three Oscar-winning films about 10 years ago. (Reuters)

REUTERS

US hit comedy actor slams own show

 
LOS ANGELES: An actor on "Two and a Half Men" has lashed out at his own hit US television show, urging viewers to stop "filling your head with filth," after apparently undergoing a religious revelation.
Nineteen-year-old Angus T. Jones, who reportedly earns $350,000 an episode playing the character Jake in the show starring Ashton Kutcher, made the comments in Christian testimony recorded in his production trailer.
"Jake from 'Two and a Half Men' means nothing. He is a nonexistent character ... ," Jones said, in an extended video posted by the Forerunner Christian Church on YouTube on Monday, according to the Los Angeles Times.
"If you watch 'Two and a Half Men,' please stop watching 'Two and a Half Men.' I'm on 'Two and a Half Men,' and I don't want to be on it," he added.
Jones signed up for a new one-year-contract in May for "Two and a Half Men" -- whose former central star Charlie Sheen was sacked after he underwent a public meltdown -- the LA Times said.
"Please stop watching it; stop filling your head with filth. Please. People say it's just entertainment," he said in the video, viewable at http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=KTju7uI8-1o&feature=plcp.
"Do some research on the effects of television and your brain, and I promise you you'll have a decision to make when it comes to television, and especially with what you watch."
Sheen was replaced by Kutcher last year on the top-rated TV show, after he criticized its producers in a series of increasingly colorful and apparently drug-fueled media appearances.
A spokesman for Warner Bros, which produces the show along with CBS, declined to comment. "We are not commenting on the comments made by Angus T. Jones," spokesman Paul McGuire told.
In an apparent reference to Satan, Jones said in the newly-posted video: "A lot of people don't like to think about how deceptive the enemy is. He's been doing this for a lot longer than any of us have been around.
"There's no playing around when it comes to eternity," he added.

AFP

Rock star reception for Jackson and Hobbit cast

 
WELLINGTON: Director Peter Jackson and the cast of "The Hobbit" received a rock star reception at the Tolkien epic's world premiere in Wellington on Wednesday, cheered on by 100,000 screaming fans.
Crowds wearing crooked wizard hats and pointed elf ears packed the New Zealand capital's entertainment strip, jostling for position on balconies and rooftops for a glimpse of stars such as Cate Blanchett and Hugo Weaving.
After a flyover by an Air New Zealand Boeing 777 decked out in Hobbit-themed livery, a huge roar erupted as the cast slowly made their way down the red carpet.
Carrying signs such as "I bags Bilbo" and "Team Smeagol", spectators chanted the names of characters from the movie, a three-part prequel to the hugely successful "The Lord of the Rings" trilogy.
Statues of cave trolls and dwarves specially erected for the occasion added to the Middle Earth flavour, combining with the costumed hordes to create an atmosphere which actor Elijah Wood described as "surreal".
The loudest cheers were for hometown favourite Jackson, who has been credited with single-handedly turning the New Zealand film industry into a multi-billion dollar success.
The normally reclusive director, sporting his trademark tousled hair and beard, appeared more than a little Hobbit-like even in his premiere-night suit, admitting he felt slightly overwhelmed as he signed autographs and shook hands.
Jackson said it was a relief finally to present the first instalment of his latest saga to fans after a troubled shoot marred by lengthy delays.
"It's emotional and very humbling to see all these people in my hometown who've turned out," he told reporters.
"It's been two years with this narrow focus on the film where we're trying to keep everybody out. You have security, you don't want people to know what you're doing.
"Then you get to that moment where filming's over and 100,000 people come along to the premiere, it's kind of like the whole world has turned upside down."
Mia Ramsden, who travelled from Melbourne in Australia for the premiere, camped overnight dressed as the elf queen Arwen to claim a prime position to view the stars.

AFP

Gold Christmas tree for a mere $4.2 million in Tokyo

 
TOKYO: For those seeking a glow to their Christmas this year, a jewelry store in downtown Tokyo has just the answer: a pure gold revolving "tree" covered in Disney characters such as Mickey Mouse, Tinker Bell and Cinderella.
The tree-like ornament is made of 40 kg (88 pounds) of pure gold, standing about 2.4 meters (7.9 ft) high and 1.2 meters in diameter. It is decorated with pure gold plate silhouette cutouts of 50 popular Disney characters and draped with ribbons made of gold leaf.
The price tag? A mere 350 million yen ($4.2 million).
But the ornament is actually a deal, said Tomoko Ishibashi, in the marketing department of Tanaka Kikinzoku Jewelry, which runs the Ginza Tanaka jewelry store.
"Right now gold is over 4,400 yen per gram. We used pure gold and had an expert craftsman form each Disney character by hand," she said of the decoration, which took 10 craftsmen two months to complete.
The combination of gold and Disney characters had spectators mesmerized.
"It is very vivid and the gold is very pretty," said Takashi Miura, a 36-year-old jeweler. "The characters on it are also really cute and it really looks like a Christmas tree."
For those with less ready cash, the store offers a scaled-down version that features 20 Disney characters and stands 25 cm high for a mere 2 million yen ($243,000).
While nobody has yet made a down payment on the larger tree, the miniature has already found buyers, Ishibashi said. (Reuters)

4D scans show fetuses yawn in the womb

 
LONDON: Growing into a fully formed human being is a long process, and scientists have found that unborn babies not only hiccup, swallow and stretch in the womb, they yawn too.
Researchers who studied 4D scans of 15 healthy fetuses also said they think yawning is a developmental process which could potentially give doctors a new way to check on a baby's health.
While some scientists have previously suggested that fetuses yawn, others disagree and say it is nothing more than a developing baby opening and stretching its mouth.
But writing in the journal PLOS ONE on Wednesday, British researchers said their study was able to clearly distinguish yawning from "non-yawn mouth opening" based on how long the mouth was open.
The researchers did this by using 4D video footage to examine all the times when fetuses opened their mouths.
Nadja Reissland of Durham University's department of Psychology, who led the study, said the function and importance of yawning in fetuses is still unknown, but the findings suggest it may be linked to fetal development and could provide a further indication of the health of the unborn baby.
"Unlike us, fetuses do not yawn contagiously, nor do they yawn because they are sleepy," she said. "Instead, the frequency of yawning in the womb may be linked to the maturing of the brain early in gestation."
The study was carried out on eight female and seven male fetuses from 24 to 36 weeks gestation. The researchers found that yawning declined from 28 weeks and that there was no significant difference in how often boys and girls yawned. (Reuters)

Twitter unveils email sharing

 
SAN FRANCISCO: Twitter on Thursday introduced a new feature to the globally popular one-to-many text messaging service -- the ability to email "Tweets" directly from the message stream.
The new feature made its debut as the San Francisco-based firm rolled out improved applications for using the service on iPhones or smartphones powered by Google-backed Android software.
"You can retweet any (Twitter messages) to your Twitter followers, but sometimes you want to share with another group, like your college roommates or your parents or a friend who isn't yet on Twitter," engineer Stefan Filip said in a blog post.
"That's why we're introducing the ability to email a Tweet directly from twitter.com."
The feature will be rolled out to all users of Twitter -- which allows its members to post brief comments, links or pictures -- in the coming weeks, according to Filip.
Updates to Twitter applications for iPhone and Android were designed to improve search results and highlight photos, videos and news shared at the service. (AFP)

Elton John dedicates Beijing show to Ai Weiwei

 
BEIJING: Pop-rock balladeer Elton John dedicated his Beijing show to Chinese dissident Ai Weiwei -- a controversial move the artist said Monday was unlikely to make the nation's cultural minders happy.
After the Icelandic singer Bjork chanted "Tibet, Tibet" at a 2008 concert in Shanghai, authorities refused numerous Western acts permits to perform in China for years.
Concert-goers said John told his audience of more than 12,000 people on Sunday at the Wukesong arena, built to host the basketball tournament at the Beijing Olympics, that the show was dedicated to Ai.
"I met him before the show, he didn't say anything about it," Ai told.
"When he did it, it was a big surprise."
The Ministry of Culture, he added, "are probably not too happy about this, but there is not much that they can do about it. He is a very popular singer who has a lot of influence".
Ai, 55, is a world-renowned conceptual artist and outspoken critic of China's communist government.
He disappeared into police custody for 81 days last year, drawing worldwide headlines and casting a spotlight on the government's growing concern over social unrest, especially as "Arab spring" street protests rocked the Middle East.
After being released he was convicted of tax evasion, fined $2.4 million by the Beijing tax bureau and barred from leaving the country for one year.
He has described such treatment as the government's way of quelling his social activism and efforts to protest a wide range of alleged official abuse.
It was unclear whether John's public support for Ai would have consequences for other Western acts hoping to perform in China.
At a 2008 concert in Shanghai, Bjork chanted "Tibet, Tibet" at the end of her song "Declare Independence", in a public protest against China's rule of the Himalayan region and open support for the Tibet independence movement.
A number of Western acts were subsequently refused permits to perform in the country by China's cultural minders.

AFP

US actor Larry Hagman dies at 81: family

LOS ANGELES: US actor Larry Hagman, who became famous for his role of J.R. Ewing in the US television show "Dallas," has died at the age of 81 after losing a battle with cancer, his family said. "When he passed, he was surrounded by loved ones," the family said in a statement. "It was a peaceful passing, just as he had wished for." According to the statement, Hagman died late Friday afternoon at Medical City Dallas Hospital from complications from cancer. No other details were given. (AFP)

Rolling Stones turn back clock with hit-filled comeback

LONDON: The Rolling Stones rocked London on Sunday as they thrilled a 20,000 crowd in the first of five concerts to mark their 50th anniversary.
Mick Jagger, Keith Richards, Charlie Watts and Ronnie Wood were joined by their original bass player Bill Wyman at the O2 Arena as the ageing rockers performed their first major concert for five years.
Lead singer Jagger made light of criticism of the ticket prices for the sold-out gig, with fans paying up to £406 ($650, 500 euros) for a standard seat, and thousands of pounds more on ticket re-selling sites.
"How're you doing in the cheap seats? They're not that cheap though, that's the problem," Jagger joked as the concert began.
The band opened with "I Want to be Your Man", with 69-year-old Jagger strutting around the giant stage dressed in a silver jacket and trilby, before launching into "Get Off of My Cloud".
US soul diva Mary J Blige joined Jagger to sing the female lines of "Gimme Shelter" and legendary rock guitarist Jeff Beck joined the four-piece to play "I'm Going Down".
The Stones welcomed another former member, guitarist Mick Taylor, on to the stage to play on several songs.
Tickets for Sunday's gig and the second London concert on Thursday were snapped up in seven minutes last month.
They are the first part of the "50 And Counting" performances to mark the Stones' half century in the music business, with a concert in New York and two in Newark, New Jersey to follow next month.
Diehard fans seemed undeterred by the cost of the tickets, with some believing it might be their last chance to the see their heroes in action.
Jill Roberts, a 52-year-old housewife from England who was making her way into the O2 for the concert, said: "It's hard to justify that kind of money but a lot of people were prepared to pay it.
"It's an awful lot of money but I guess it's just a one-time thing. I don't think I'll be coming again anyway."
She first saw the Stones play eight years ago. "I want to experience it again, because they are such good musicians," she said.
The band have been rehearsing in Paris, where they played a concert for just 350 people at a small club on October 26, although tickets for that surprise gig were priced at just 15 euros (£20).
US music magazine Billboard reported in August that the Stones would earn a total of $25 million for the four shows -- and that was before the extra date in New York's Barclays Center on December 8 was added to the itinerary. (AFP)

'Jab Tak Hai Jaan' earns Rs120 crore in six days

MUMBAI: 'Jab Tak Hai Jaan' (JTHJ), legendary filmmaker Yash Chopra's last directorial venture, is raking in the moolah at the box-office -- the romantic saga has collected over Rs.120 crore worldwide in just six days of its release. The film, which came out on Diwali alongside Ajay Devgn-starrer 'Son of Sardaar', has earned Rs.80.73 crore at the domestic box office. In India, it earned Rs.15.23 crore (Tuesday), Rs.19.54 crore (Wednesday), Rs.14.45 crore (Thursday), Rs.11.17 crore (Friday), Rs.10.38 crore (Saturday) and Rs.9.96 crore (Sunday). The Shah Rukh Khan, Katrina Kaif and Anushka Sharma-starrer is also minting money in the overseas market where it has collected Rs.41.7 crore. AFP

Bieber sweeps American Music Awards with big wins

 
LOS ANGELES: Canadian pop star Justin Bieber swept the American Music Awards on Sunday, topping strong competition from Rihanna and Nicki Minaj, and sending newcomers British boybands One Direction and The Wanted home empty-handed. Bieber, 18, won all three categories in which he was nominated, including the night's biggest award, artist of the year, over Rihanna, Katy Perry, Maroon 5 and Drake.
"This is for all the haters who thought that maybe I was just here for one or two years, but I feel like I am going to be here for a very long time," Bieber said on stage, dedicating his first win of the night to his mother, Pattie Mallette, who accompanied him after his widely reported split from girlfriend Selena Gomez.
"It's hard growing up with everything going on, with everyone watching me. I wanted to say that as long as you guys keep believing in me, I want to always make you proud," Bieber said at the end of the night.
Bieber, who also won favorite pop/rock male artist and favorite pop/rock album for "Believe," took to a bare stage to sing an acoustic stripped-down version of his latest single "As Long As You Love Me" before livening up the show with Nicki Minaj for "Beauty and a Beat."
The American Music Award nominees and winners are voted online by fans, and the awards are handed out during a live three-hour broadcast featuring performances by artists.
R&B singer Rihanna, 24, and rapper Minaj, 29, led the nominees going into Sunday's awards with four apiece.
Minaj won favorite rap/hip hop artist and rap/hip hop album of the year for "Pink Friday: Roman Reloaded." The singer, known for her extravagant on-stage performances, sang her latest hit "Freedom" in a winter wonderland-themed set.
Rihanna came away with one win. She couldn't make the show because she is in Berlin, midway through a seven-day tour across seven cities around the world promoting her upcoming "Unapologetic" album.
Canadian pop singer Carly Rae Jepsen, 26, picked up the coveted new artist-of-the-year award over One Direction, Australian artist Gotye, indie-pop band fun. and rapper J. Cole. She performed her hit "Call Me Maybe."
"I am floored," the singer said, thanking Bieber along with her fans in her acceptance speech.

REUTERS

McCartney, Houston, Dylan lead Grammy Hall of Fame inductees

LOS ANGELES: Music by Paul McCartney, Bob Dylan, Elton John and late singers Whitney Houston and James Brown will be inducted into the 2013 Grammy Hall of Fame, The Recording Academy said on Wednesday. Paul McCartney & Wings' 1973 album "Band on the Run," long credited with reigniting McCartney's career following the Beatles' split in 1970, was one of the 27 new inductees into the Grammy Hall of Fame, on display at the Grammy Museum in downtown Los Angeles. Houston's self-titled 1985 debut album was also named an inductee, following the singer's sudden death aged 48 in February this year. Australian hard-rock band AC/DC's top-selling 1980 "Back in Black" album was also named a new entry. The Recording Academy, which also runs the Grammy awards, picks songs and albums from all genres that are at least 25 years old, with either "qualitative or historical significance" to be considered annually for the Grammy Hall of Fame by a committee. "Memorable for being both culturally and historically significant, we are proud to add (the 2013 inductees) to our growing catalog of outstanding recordings that have become part of our musical, social and cultural history," The Recording Academy President and CEO Neil Portnow said in a statement. As well as albums, the Grammy Hall of Fame also includes songs of historic and cultural significance and the inductees for 2013 see a range of classic American songs. Iconic Dylan song "The Times They Are A-Changing" from 1964, R&B singer Ray Charles' 1961 tune "Hit the Road Jack," Rat Pack star Frank Sinatra's 1980 "Theme from 'New York, New York'", and 'Godfather of soul' James Brown's 1965 classic "I Got You (I Feel Good)" were all honored. Other 2013 inductees include Elton John's 1970 self-titled second album and American debut, Billy Joel's 1973 hit "The Piano Man" and Willie Mae "Big Mama" Thornton's 1953 R&B classic "Hound Dog," later covered by Elvis Presley. (Reuters)

Frankfurt gears up for Gangnam Style at MTV awards

 
FRANKFURT: The MTV Europe Music Awards will rock Frankfurt's Festhalle concert venue on Sunday, with Barbadian R&B singer Rihanna leading the nominations and all eyes on Korean dance sensation Psy.
Psy's hit "Gangnam Style", which is up for the Best Video award, has been viewed more than 670 million times and received a record-breaking 4.9 million "likes" on Facebook since being released in mid-July.
The satirical video featuring Psy's horse riding-inspired dance has sparked a wave of copycat versions from Eton schoolboys to Californian lifeguards and has even caught the attention of United Nations chief Ban Ki-moon.
Psy will become the first South Korean artist to perform at the annual awards, one of the pop industry's biggest nights outside the United States, when he takes the stage on Sunday.
German model and presenter Heidi Klum, who this year filed for divorce from singer husband Seal, will host the awards and said she had been practicing her Gangnam moves in case she gets called on to dance.
"My kids are obsessed with the song, even though it's Korean and they have no idea what he's talking about," she told reporters ahead of the event.
Klum, who comes from the town of Bergisch Gladbach just two hours away from the 2012 host city, is also looking forward to some home comforts.
"I'll be eating a lot of German food," she said, adding jokingly that she would probably eat too much schnitzel and "gain a few pounds."
Despite being billed as the Europe Music Awards, the vast majority of nominees are traditionally North American, and 2012 is no exception.
Alongside Psy, acts due to take the stage at the show include country singer Taylor Swift, 14-time Grammy winner Alicia Keys, the Killers and Carly Rae Jepsen.
"OLD WAYS" STILL COUNT
In a world where careers are so often launched by social media websites like YouTube, some young artists said there was still a role for more established platforms such as MTV and mainstream television.
American indie-pop band fun., who are up for three awards, hit the big time after the song "We Are Young" was featured in an advert for Chevrolet during the U.S. Superbowl.
"I don't think that you can ever replace the impact that music videos have," the band's guitarist Jack Antonoff told Reuters when asked about the importance of MTV against social media channels.
"I think the more that social media takes over, the more importance you put upon the old ways."
MTV said this week that it had become the first company to reach one million followers on Instagram, the fast-growing photo-sharing application developer.
Heading the nominations is party-loving Rihanna, with nods in six categories, including Best Song and Best Video for "We Found Love".
Following close behind with five nominations is country star Swift, and other top nominees include Justin Bieber and Katy Perry, with four each, while Lady Gaga, who cleaned up last year with four prizes, is in the running for three awards.
Rihanna is favorite for Best Song and Best Female, according to odds offered by British bookmakers William Hill, while Gangnam Style is tipped to win Best Video.
The EMA awards were last held in Frankfurt in 2001. Last year's awards in Belfast attracted 23 million viewers on all platforms and 158 million votes worldwide.
Following are the main nominations in 2012:
BEST SONG: Carly Rae Jepsen/Call Me Maybe; Rihanna feat. Calvin Harris/We Found Love; Gotye/Somebody That I Used To Know; Pitbull feat. Chris Brown/International Love; fun. feat. Janelle Monáe/We Are Young
BEST NEW: Rita Ora; fun.; One Direction; Lana Del Rey; Carly Rae Jepsen
BEST FEMALE: Rihanna; Katy Perry; P!nk; Taylor Swift; Nicki Minaj
BEST MALE: Justin Bieber; Kanye West; Flo Rida; Pitbull; Jay-Z
BEST POP: Justin Bieber; No Doubt; Katy Perry; Taylor Swift; Rihanna
BEST LIVE: Taylor Swift; Lady Gaga; Jay-Z & Kanye West; Green Day; Muse
BEST HIP HOP: Jay-Z & Kanye West; Nas; Rick Ross; Drake; Nicki Minaj
BEST ROCK: Linkin Park; Green Day; Muse; The Killers; Coldplay
BEST ELECTRONIC: David Guetta; Swedish House Mafia; Avicii; Skrillex; Calvin Harris
BEST ALTERNATIVE: Jack White; The Black Keys; Arctic Monkeys; Florence + The Machine; Lana Del Rey
BEST VIDEO: M.I.A./Bad Girls; Lady Gaga/Marry The Night; Katy Perry/Wide Awake; Rihanna feat. Calvin Harris/We Found Love; PSY/Gangnam Style. (Reuters)

'Life of Pi' movie lifeboat for sale at $40,000

LOS ANGELES: Life of Pi" is yet to hit movie theaters, but fans can already buy the film's trusty lifeboat that becomes home to a young Indian boy shipwrecked with a tiger. U.S. online retailer Gilt Groupe said on Friday that the lifeboat, replicated from real rafts used between the 1920s and 1950s, is among props from the movie up for sale next week. The lifeboat is priced at $40,000 in the sale starting on November 19. Proceeds will go towards the Orangutan Foundation International, in recognition of one of the other animals who initially survives with title character Pi in the film. "Life of Pi" is based on the best-selling novel by Yann Martel, directed by Ang Lee and stars newcomer Suraj Sharma. It opens in U.S. movie theaters on November 21. Other items up for sale include movie posters signed by Lee, a collection of vibrant saris, and other props valued between $140 and more than $6,000.

New Bond film 'Skyfall' tops N. America box office

LOS ANGELES: The new James Bond movie "Skyfall" swept North American box offices this weekend, crushing second-place animated feature "Wreck-It Ralph", industry estimates showed Sunday. The 23rd episode of the spy thriller series -- and the third starring Daniel Craig in the lead role -- took in $87.8 million in its first weekend of release, according to box office tracker Exhibitor Relations. "Wreck-It Ralph," the animated Disney film about a video game villain with dreams of becoming a hero, garnered $33.1 million, dropping from the top spot it held last week. "Flight", starring Denzel Washington as a troubled pilot who crash-lands a plane and becomes a national hero, only to have his alcohol and drug problems made public, was third at $15.1 million. In fourth place was "Argo," based on a true story about six Americans spirited out of Iran during the 1979-80 hostage crisis; the film directed by and starring Ben Affleck earned $6.7 million. Next in the rankings was "Taken 2" -- Liam Neeson's return as ex-CIA agent Bryan Mills -- which stayed in fifth place with earnings of $4 million this weekend and $131.3 million since its release. "Here Comes the Boom," a comedy starring Kevin James as a high school teacher intent on becoming a mixed martial arts fighter to raise money for his school, moved up to sixth place with $2.55 million. The number seven spot went to the genre-busting, time-traveling "Cloud Atlas," in which Tom Hanks and Halle Berry each play six different roles set across a 500-year span. It took in $2.52 million. "Pitch Perfect," a musical-comedy about a cappella singing groups, earned $2.5 million to move back into the top 10 in eighth place. In ninth place was action film "The Man with the Iron Fists," starring Russell Crowe and set in feudal China, which took in $2.5 million. Rounding out the top 10 was "Hotel Transylvania" about an overprotective vampire dad intent on guarding his adolescent daughter against a budding romance with a human boy. It earned $2.35 million. Final figures are due out Monday.

Justin Bieber and Selena Gomez have broken up

 
LOS ANGELES: Pop star Justin Bieber and his girlfriend, Selena Gomez, a Disney actress and singer, have broken up, ending a relationship that made them one of Hollywood's most high-profile young couples, media reports said.
Bieber, 18, and Gomez, 20, disclosed their relationship in February 2011 when they appeared together at an Oscar night party after months of rumors of their dating.
E! Online late on Friday was the first to report the split, with other media outlets including US Weekly and People also saying the relationship was over. The reports cited unnamed sources close to the couple.
Representatives for Bieber and Gomez did not returns calls or emails on Saturday.
Bieber has released two No. 1 albums in just over a year - the holiday-themed "Under the Mistletoe" and his latest, "Believe." In September, he topped Billboard's "21 Under 21" list of top young musical acts. It was his second year in a row with the title.
Gomez rose to fame as a teenager in the Walt Disney Co television series "Wizards of Waverly Place" and has enjoyed success as a pop singer.