Google's Moto X phone coming Aug. 1?

Bet you thought the summer months were supposed to be quiet for
product introductions? Not in the fast-moving mobile space where
Google plays.

Motorola has sent out invitations to a New York City launch event
scheduled on August 1 for the U.S.-made Moto X smartphone. That debut
promises to be the first major new device since Google bought the
Motorola Mobility business. Google CEO Larry Page on Thursday teased
interest for the phone's imminent arrival during the company's
earnings call.

Motorola is also expected to be at the forefront of a Verizon Wireless
media gathering on Tuesday in Gotham, where the latest Motorola Droid
handhelds are expected to be unveiled.

Meanwhile, Google executive Sundar Pinchai, who runs the Android and
Chrome businesses, is holding a press breakfast in San Francisco the
next morning, with signs pointing to the unveiling of Android version
4.3, the latest iteration of the company's operating system software
for phones and tablets.

And on August 7, LG is staging its own Manhattan event and is likely
to introduce the successor to its Optimus G flagship phone. LG can
only hope that consumers won't be tuned out by then. After all, isn't
this supposed to be vacation season?

Read More

Philippe becomes new Belgian king as Albert II abdicates

Crown Prince Philippe has been sworn in as the new Belgian king after
the emotional abdication of his father Albert II.

The Oxford- and Stanford-educated, trained air force pilot took the
oath as the country's seventh king in a ceremony in parliament.

To warm applause, King Philippe, 53, promised to uphold the constitution.

Belgium has a constitutional monarchy in which the king plays a
largely ceremonial role.

One of the duties the monarch does have is trying to resolve
constitutional crises.

In his final address before signing a legislative act to step down,
79-year-old King Albert said his country must remain a "source of
inspiration" to Europe.
His resignation on the grounds of ill-health came after nearly 20
years on the throne and was timed to coincide with Belgium's national
day.

He stressed his wish that Belgium - split between the Dutch-speaking
north and the French south - remained united.
Balcony appearance
In a colourful ceremony topped off by trumpet fanfare and cannon-fire,
Philippe took his oath in the country's three official languages -
Dutch, French and German.
This was a reminder of the delicate political task that awaits him -
trying to mediate across the divide between French-speaking Wallonia
and Dutch-speaking Flanders, where support for independence has been
rising fast, says BBC Europe correspondent Chris Morris.

Flag-waving supporters gathered in the midday sun waiting for their
new king and his wife, Mathilde, to greet them from the balcony of the
nearby royal palace.

"The new king is a bit of history," said Xavier De Graef, draped in
the red, yellow and black of the Belgian tricolour.

"That doesn't happen very often so we wanted to be here," Mr De Graef,
from French-speaking Liege, told Reuters news agency.

But not everyone was celebrating.

The far-right separatist Vlaams Belang party boycotted the swearing-in ceremony.

Meanwhile, Jan Jambon, parliamentary head of the N-VA party that wants
Dutch-speaking Flanders to break away from Belgium and favours a
republic, said the occasion "leaves me cold".

Constitutional crises
In the abdication ceremony at the royal palace in Brussels, the former
monarch told his son: "You have all the emotional and intellectual
qualities to serve our country well."

He thanked an audience of some 250 dignitaries and political leaders
"for all that you have achieved during my reign".

Ex-king Albert also thanked his wife, Paola, for the support she had
given him during his reign, and was in turn thanked by Prime Minister
Elio Di Rupo for his service to his country.

Mr Di Rupo holds the political power in the 183-year-old parliamentary
democracy.

Albert II then embraced his son and signed the official abdication
papers, ending his reign.

King Albert exercised his authority in mediating between political
leaders on the formation of a government during the 2010-2011
parliamentary stalemate, when Belgium was left without a government
for 541 days after elections failed to find a clear winner.

Tensions between the Dutch-speaking and French communities sometimes
run high, and the issue has brought down several governments, creating
frequent political instability.

Respect for the royal family, though, is one of the few factors that
crosses the communal divide.

King Albert's abdication comes only three months after Queen Beatrix
of the neighbouring Netherlands vacated the Dutch throne in favour of
her son Willem-Alexander.

Read More

Ex-Priest Seeks $450,000 From Wis. Archdiocese

MILWAUKEE July 21, 2013 (AP)
The list of creditors for the Archdiocese of Milwaukee includes
hundreds of child sexual abuse victims, along with a bank, pension
funds and others typical in bankruptcy cases. It also includes one
less usual: a priest removed from the priesthood amid allegations of
abuse.

Marvin Knighton was charged with child sexual abuse in 2002 but
acquitted by a jury the next year. The church still removed him from
the priesthood, however, saying its investigation found two
allegations against him had merit.

Knighton steadfastly fought his dismissal and has put in a claim for
$450,000 for back pay from the archdiocese in federal bankruptcy
court. A church bankruptcy expert said while the claim is not unique,
it is highly unusual. Knighton's victims called it "disturbing" and
"grossly inappropriate."

"That money should be going to survivors, not child molesters," said
Thomas C. Bersch Jr., who said he was abused by Knighton in the 1970s.
"During the bankruptcy proceedings, if he gets even a nickel of this
money, it would be the most unbelievable thing that could happen. I
wish there is something I could do to prevent that."

Attorney James Stang, who has represented sexual abuse victims on
creditors councils in nine bankruptcy cases involving Catholic
dioceses and religious orders, said a few priests have filed claims
for back pay, health care or legal costs even when they've been
credibly accused of abuse. In most cases, the claims are eventually
dismissed.

The church may argue that any money it owes the priest is offset by
the cost of the abuse, or "there have just been objections based on
the fact that these are evil men," Stang said.

The Milwaukee archdiocese is the eighth in the United States to file
for bankruptcy. Five of the other seven said no priests filed claims
during their bankruptcies. In Wilmington, Del., three priests who had
been removed from ministry following allegations of abuse filed
claims, diocese spokesman Bob Krebs said. He didn't know the details
or outcome of those claims.

The remaining diocese, in San Diego, Calif., didn't immediately
respond to inquiries.

Jerry Topczewski, chief of staff for Milwaukee Archbishop Jerome
Listecki, said the archdiocese will object to Knighton's claim.
Knighton, 63, declined to comment and hung up when reached by
telephone.

The archdiocese released Knighton's personnel file earlier this month,
along with those of dozens of other priests with verified allegations
of abuse. The documents showed that while Knighton had been dogged by
one allegation since the early 1990s, no formal complaints were made
until early 2002, when a scandal in Boston focused national attention
on clergy sexual abuse.

Brian Flynn, now 39, told archdiocese officials that Knighton had
abused him during the late 1980s, when the priest was on the faculty
at a Catholic high school in Milwaukee and both lived in the suburb of
Wauwatosa. About a month later, Bersch reported that he had been
abused in the 1970s.

The Associated Press does not usually identify victims of sexual
assault, but Flynn and Bersch gave permission for their names to be
used.

The statute of limitations had passed in Bersch's case, but Knighton
was charged with second-degree sexual assault in Flynn's case.
Knighton and Flynn both testified at the 2003 trial, with Flynn
describing Knighton kissing and touching him and Knighton insisting
the actions never happened. A jury found Knighton not guilty.

Read More

The Hunger Games: Catching Fire

Katniss Everdeen has returned home safely after winning the 74th
Annual Hunger Games along with fellow tribute Peeta Mellark. Winning
means that they must turn around and leave their family and close
friends, embarking on a "Victor's Tour" of the districts. Along the
way, Katniss senses that a rebellion is simmering, but the Capitol is
still very much in control as President Snow prepares the 75th Annual
Hunger Games (The Quarter Quell) - a competition that could change
Panem forever.
Katniss Everdeen has returned home safely after winning the 74th
Annual Hunger Games along with fellow tribute Peeta Mellark. Winning
means that they must turn around and leave their family and close
friends, …
Show Full Synopsis
In Theaters


November 22, 2013

Genres
Action/Adventure, Adaptation, Drama, Sequel
Distributors
Lionsgate
Also Known As


Catching Fire
Hunger Games: Catching Fire

Production Status
In Production / Awaiting Release
Filming Locations


Oahu, Hawaii, USA
Atlanta, Georgia, USA
Ringwood State Park, New Jersey, USA

Produced In
United States

Read More

Ghosts beat minions as 'Conjuring' horror flick leads box office

The low-budget horror flick "The Conjuring" outran the "Despicable Me"
minions and a racing snail named "Turbo" to win the weekend box office
contest at U.S. and Canadian theaters, according to studio estimates
on Sunday.

"The Conjuring" generated $41.5 million in ticket sales in its first
three days, the highest take among four new films that crowded
theaters during the weekend. "Conjuring" features Vera Farmiga and
Patrick Wilson as a couple who investigate paranormal activity at a
Rhode Island farmhouse.




Two-time champion "Despicable Me 2," an animated film featuring the
voice of Steve Carell, dropped to second place with $25.1 million,
adding to its blockbuster sales this summer.

"Turbo," an animated film about a super-speedy snail with dreams of
racing in the Indianapolis 500, took the No. 3 slot with sales of
$21.5 million. Ryan Reynolds voices the title character in the film,
which was produced by "Shrek" creator DreamWorks Animation.

"The Conjuring" was released by Warner Bros., a unit of Time Warner
Inc. Universal Pictures, a unit of Comcast Corp, released "Despicable
Me 2" while "Turbo" was distributed by 20th Century Fox, a unit of
21st Century Fox.
copyright http://www.reuters.com



http://99kadum.in/

Read More

Search widens for Ohio killer's victims

Police plan to expand their search Sunday for possibly more victims
after three bodies were found wrapped in plastic bags in a Cleveland
suburb.

The bodies, believed to be female, were found about 100 to 200 yards
apart, and a 35-year-old man was arrested and is a suspect in all
three deaths, though he has not yet been charged, East Cleveland Mayor
Gary Norton said Saturday.

The suspect is a registered sex offender and has served prison time,
the mayor said. In police interviews, the man led them to believe he
might have been influenced by convicted serial killer Anthony Sowell,
Norton told The Associated Press.

"He said some things that led us to believe that in some way, shape,
or form, Sowell might be an influence," the mayor said.

Sowell was found guilty in 2011 of killing 11 women and hiding their
remains around his Cleveland home from June 2007 to July 2009. Police
found their mostly nude bodies throughout the house after a woman
escaped and said she had been raped in there.

Sowell's victims ranged in age from 24 to 52, all were recovering or
current drug addicts and most died of strangulation; some had been
decapitated, and others were so badly decomposed that coroners
couldn't say with certainty how they died.

Prosecutors described him in court papers as "the worst offender in
the history of Cuyahoga County and arguably the State of Ohio." He was
sentenced to death.

On Saturday, Police Commander Mike Cardilli announced that a woman's
body had been found Friday in a garage and two other bodies were found
a day later — one in a backyard and the other in the basement of a
vacant house.

All three people are believed to have been killed in the last six to 10 days.

Police did not know the identities of the three victims. Norton said
police believe the three were female, although the bodies had not yet
been examined by the medical examiner.

Norton said the bodies were each in the fetal position, wrapped in
several layers of trash bags. He said detectives continue to interview
the suspect, who used his mother's address in Cleveland in registering
as a sex offender, the mayor said.

Cardilli said the man was arrested after a standoff with police
Friday. Police did not immediately release the suspect's name. He was
jailed in East Cleveland, the mayor said.

"The person in custody, some of the things he said to investigators
made us go back today," the mayor said.

Police searched vacant houses over about three blocks in the
neighborhood Saturday and planned to expand their search Sunday,
Norton said.

The police, FBI, the Ohio Bureau of Criminal Investigation and the
Cuyahoga County Sheriff's Department went through yards and abandoned
houses and used dogs trained to find cadavers.

The neighborhood in East Cleveland, which has some 17,000 residents,
has many abandoned houses and authorities want to be thorough, the
mayor said.

"Hopefully, we pray to God, this is it," he said.

The Cleveland area has had its share of gruesome news in recent years.
In May, three women who separately vanished a decade ago were found
captive in a run-down house. Ariel Castro, a former school bus driver,
has been charged with nearly 1,000 counts of kidnap, rape and other
crimes.

Castro is accused of repeatedly restraining the women, sometimes
chaining them to a pole in a basement, to a bedroom heater or inside a
van. The charges say one of the women tried to escape and he assaulted
her with a vacuum cord around her neck. He also fathered a daughter
with one captive, authorities said.

He has pleaded not guilty to all the charges.
Copyright http://www.usatoday.com

Read More

Stellar cast gives 'Red 2' all its color

xSequel retains some vitality thanks to pros such as Helen Mirren and
Anthony Hopkins.
Red 2 is one of those sequels that's easier to follow if you've seen
the original but more entertaining if you haven't.

Derivative and more bombastic than its 2010 predecessor, which was a
minor hit at $90 million, the follow-up (* * ½ out of four; rated
PG-13; opens Friday nationwide) lacks the novelty of the first, and
the visual punch line of geezers with guns can get old fast.

Still, when polished action is mixed with a cast that includes Oscar
winners such as Helen Mirren and Anthony Hopkins, the result is
passable summer entertainment — an Expendables with people who can
act.

Red 2 wastes little time rushing audiences back to the characters who
either survived or just appeared to die in the first film, which
informed us that RED stands for "Retired, Extremely Dangerous."
Things don't look so perilous this time around for Frank Moses (Bruce
Willis), a former black-ops CIA agent who retired for the quiet life
with civilian and assassin wannabe Sarah Ross (Mary-Louise Parker).
The two are spending a dull day at Costco when they bump into ex-agent
Marvin Boggs (John Malkovich), who is fond of feigning his demise.

The first half-hour is less a reintroduction than a setup for a flimsy
premise: Our graying agents must beat villains, hit men and government
agents to "Nightshade," a Cold War weapon of unimaginable destruction.
Directed by Dean Parisot (Galaxy Quest, Fun With Dick and Jane), Red 2
is in such a rush to get the characters into a globe-trotting chase
that it doesn't take the time, even by sequel standards, to flesh out
its heroes.

Instead, they're thrust into madcap vignettes. Want to break into the
Kremlin? Just throw on some collar patches and crack a hole in the
wall of a pizzeria bathroom next door. Need inside an insane asylum?
Put Mirren in a crown and have her pretend to be the queen of England.

That last scene, though, is what makes Red 2 palatable popcorn fare.
It could have been wince-inducing, but Mirren clearly is having fun
parodying her more serious characters.

Similarly, the cast seems to genuinely enjoy the age-busting material,
as well as working with each other. Parker and Catherine Zeta-Jones,
in particular, are terrific as competing women who know how to break a
heart as well as a nose.

It all nearly comes undone in the third act as our heroes and
antagonists engage in increasingly ludicrous combat scenes.

But credit Willis and Malkovich for keeping a grinning game face
throughout. The two have the good-natured chemistry of buddy cops who
have seen their share of doughnut shops. They may qualify for the
senior discount movie ticket, but when it comes to action films, they
still have one in the chamber.

Read More