Sony chairman credited with developing CDs dies

TOKYO (AP) -- As a young man, aspiring opera singer Norio Ohga wrote to Sony to complain about the quality of its tape recorders. That move changed the course of his life, as the company promptly recruited the man whose love of music would shape the development of the compact disc and transform the Japanese electronics maker into a global software and entertainment empire.

Sony's president and chairman from 1982 to 1995, Ohga died Saturday in Tokyo of multiple organ failure, the company said. He was 81.

Ohga's connection to music steered his work. The flamboyant music connoisseur insisted the CD be designed at 12 centimeters (4.8 inches) in diameter to hold 75 minutes worth of music - in order to store Beethoven's Ninth Symphony in its entirety.

Afghan banker: 5 percent of Kabul Bank loans paid

KABUL, Afghanistan (AP) -- Afghanistan has stepped up efforts to recover hundreds of millions of dollars in fraudulent loans made by the embattled Kabul Bank, but so far just 5 percent of the $909 million being sought has been recouped, the nation's top banker said Wednesday.

Afghan officials have been under heavy international pressure to resolve the problems at Kabul Bank, the nation's largest private financial institution, which nearly collapsed last year because of mismanagement and questionable lending practices. Its shareholders once included the brother of President Hamid Karzai.

Palin: Wis. gov doing the right thing with unions

MADISON, Wis. (AP) -- Sarah Palin defended Wisconsin's governor at a tea party tax day rally Saturday, telling hundreds of supporters that his polarizing union rights law is designed to save public jobs.

Braving snow showers and a frigid wind outside the state Capitol building, the former Alaska governor and GOP vice presidential candidate told tea partyers she's glad to stand with Gov. Scott Walker. Hundreds of labor supporters surrounded the rally, trying to drown Palin out with chants of "Hey-hey, ho-ho, Scott Walker has got to go!" and "Recall Walker!"

Clinton visits Tokyo in show of support for Japan

TOKYO (AP) -- U.S. Secretary of State Hillary Rodham Clinton said Sunday that America would stand by Japan, saying she was confident the country will fully recover from its tsunami and nuclear disasters.

"We are very confident that Japan will recover and will be a very strong economic and global player for years and decades to come," Clinton told Prime Minister Naoto Kan during a brief visit to Tokyo intended as a morale boost to the crucial U.S. ally.

Kan thanked Clinton for U.S. help with the crises triggered by a magnitude-9.0 earthquake on March 11 that unleashed a massive tsunami, wrecking cooling and power systems at a nuclear plant that has been leaking radiation ever since.

A Consumer's Guide to Health Care Overhaul

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Activists Warn of Rights Abuse Upsurge in Zimbabwe

Human rights activists are warning that an upsurge of political violence in Zimbabwe is threatening reconciliation and will make it impossible to hold free and fair elections due next year. The Human Rights Watch group issued the warning Tuesday in Johannesburg.

Human Rights Watch says politically-motivated abuses in Zimbabwe and the lack of accountability for them are a serious problem, two years after the formation of a power-sharing government that was meant to end such abuses and restore the rule of law.

UN Seeks $160 Million for Migrants Caught up in Libya's Violence

The United Nations is appealing for $160 million to meet the emergency needs of an estimated 460,000 people who have fled Libya's violence or remain trapped inside the country. U.N. officials say they will revise the appeal and action plan in two weeks to reflect the changing situation.

Libya has been host to about 2.5 million migrant workers. More than 200,000 of them have fled since mid-February, mostly to Tunisia, Egypt and Niger. But many more are stranded in Libya and need help, according to the director-general of the International Organization for Migration, William Swing.

Britney Spears Strips Down For V Magazine

source : Britney Spears Strips Down For V Magazine
stifling and half-clothed on the cover of V Magazine, Britney Spears announces, "The b***h is back and mode adept than ever!" The rough pop singer, whose seventh studio album, 'Femme Fatale,' lands March 29, dialogue openly closer to her album, boys and fame, bringing that she has moved past the media scrutiny that plagued parts of her career.

"I attempt to cube it all out and not pay tending to anything they write on me in the magazines or internet. I'm done with that," Spears told V Magazine. "I've determined to ever ramain admitedly to myself and ne'er permit what others say about me switch who I am. It's a actually crucial lesson that took me a long time to learn."

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Hawaii's governor signs civil unions into law

HONOLULU (AP) -- Hawaii Gov. Neil Abercrombie signed same-sex civil unions into law Wednesday, calling it "a triumph for everyone" that gay and lesbian couples will have the same state rights as married partners.

Civil unions in the Rainbow State would start Jan. 1, 2012, making Hawaii the seventh state to permit civil unions or similar legal recognitions for gay couples. Five other states and the District of Columbia allow same-sex marriage.

"This bill represents equal rights for everyone in Hawaii, everyone who comes here. This is to me the essence of the aloha spirit," Abercrombie said at a signing ceremony. "With its signing, I want to say 'welcome' to the world, come to paradise."

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Egyptians Celebrate Mubarak Departure, Look to Futureon

Egyptians are cleaning up after celebrations that followed the resignation of Hosni Mubarak, Egypt's leader of nearly 30 years. The military, which assumed control of the country, on Saturday said Mr. Mubarak's Cabinet will remain in place for now while Egypt transitions to a democratic system. The military also vowed to "remain committed to all regional and international" accords including peace treaties, confirming Egypt's landmark 1979 peace treaty with Israel would remain intact.

Saturday was a day of cleaning at Tahrir Square and throughout Central Cairo even as celebrations were going on. Groups of people went to the streets and to the square with brooms and dustpans in hand to help clear up the filth and debris that built up during the 18 days of demonstrations.

Dumb Phones Still Dominate Smartphones ... For Now

Androids are awesome, iPhones impressive ... but dumbphones still dominate.

In the last few years, mobile phones have become status symbols. Use a fancy one and people will think you're cool. Use a more traditional one and folks stare as though you just pulled up to the party in a Buick.

That explains Susan Andersen's sheepishness when asked what kind of phone she uses. "I'm still in the dark ages of cell phones," the Los Angeles mother of three admits. "Of all my friends and family -- even my own mother -- I'm the only one that uses a dumbphone."

Conservatives Congregate at CPAC

The Conservative Political Action Conference, the annual confab of 10,000 conservatives held at one of Washington, D.C.'s top mega-hotels, kicked off Thursday for a three-day festival that is already full of surprises.

On the eve of CPAC, the American Conservative Union, the conference organizer, surprised many by announcing longtime chief David Keene had stepped down and would be replaced with Al Cardenas, former Florida Republican Party chairman.

The move is unlikely to stem the internecine conflict behind the scenes resulting from a boycott by social conservative groups protesting the inclusion of a gay Republican organization. Cardenas has said he's going to continue with the "big tent" approach that led to the boycott from groups like the Family Research Council.

Surprise Rulings Cast Doubt Over Kenyan Judiciary Nominations

The future of Kenya's Judiciary remains uncertain after surprise decisions from Kenya's parliament and high court.

Tension has been building in Nairobi since Sunday, when the coalition government was thrown into another crisis over controversial nominations for Kenya's Chief Justice and Attorney General. Appeals Court Judge Alnashir Vikram was nominated for Chief Justice while lawyer Githu Muigai was pegged as Kenya's next Attorney General. Prime Minister Raila Odinga dismissed the appointments made by President Mwai Kibaki as illegal, arguing he was not consulted as required by Kenya's constitution.

Senate Report Warns of Volatile Iraq After U.S. Military Pullout

American diplomats and other mission employees may not be safe in Iraq if the U.S. military leaves the volatile country at the end of the year as planned, according to a new report released Tuesday.

The report by the U.S. Senate Foreign Relations Committee puts new pressure on a delicate diplomacy between Washington and Baghdad to decide what future role American troops will have in Iraq -- if one at all -- before they start withdrawing this summer.

At least 159 Iraqi citizens and 100 police and soldiers were killed in insurgent attacks in January -- the deadliest month for Iraq since September, according to data released Tuesday by security and health ministry officials in Baghdad.

Sam Gilliam: An ever-changing force

Artist Sam Gilliam's signature strokes on draped cloths, towering panels and traditional canvases are part of our everyday lives, on display in museums as well as at libraries, banks and Reagan National Airport. For almost 50 years, Gilliam has been an ever-changing force in Washington's arts circles, even as his work and recognition have grown far beyond the city.

In 1967, Gilliam received his first solo show at the Phillips Collection, where he was saluted as an innovator in Washington's Color School, a movement in the '60s and '70s that produced bursts of color in geometric forms and fanciful shapes.

Glee: Justin Bieber Episode

An episode of Glee entirely focused on about Justin Bieber is in the acts, concording to TVLine.

Although not alot particulars of the episode have been {revealed|, the casting will binding many of Justin's songs and he will figure into the plot of Glee Justin Bieber episode.

The episode is presently scheduled to air on February 15th, but perhaps exchanged around.

No discussion yet on whether Justin will come out in the episode or not. Lea Michele lately told that she believed Justin would be "amazing" for the show.

Glee returns on February 6th following the Super Bowl and then will air a Valentine's Day episode two days later.

Petra Nemcova Engaged to Jamie Belman

Czech model Petra Nemcova is set to wed British actor Jamie Belman after just eight months of dating. The couple met last year after being introduced by mutual friends and the stars spent the holidays together with both of their families.

British Vogue magazine now reports Petra Nemcova Engaged to Jamie Belman after Belman recently proposed. In the past, Nemcova, 31, has been romantically associated to Oscar winner Sean Penn and singer James Blunt. She lost her previous fiance, Simon Atlee, in December 2004 when he was killed in the catastrophic Asian tsunami. The model was a survivor of the disaster.

Since the tragic event, Nemcova has dedicated herself to helping others affected by the tsunami, and is now President and Chairwoman of the euphoric Hearts Foundation which works with the children who survived the disaster. "When the tsunami happened, I wanted to help in any possible way," she said.

Miley Cyrus and Nick Jonas Reunite for New Duet Track

Miley Cyrus is reportedly going to hook up with Nick Jonas again for a studio project (Miley Cyrus and Nick Jonas Reunite). The "Hannah Montana" actress previously collaborated with him and his Jonas Brothers bandmate in 2009 song "Before the Storm" which appears among "Lines, Vines and Trying Times" materials.

"Returning to the studio w/ Miley Cyrus & Nick Jonas on 1/14," tweeted Shakur Green who once worked with Miley in her "The Time of Our Lives [Walmart EP]". He additionally wrote, "Can't release any additional information about the project other then it's going to be one of the top albums of 2011."

"We're only recording 7-10 records. She has other producers she working with besides myself!" the music producer went on spilling more beans on the joint record. "I will share this info: It's going to be a double disk duet album!"