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Amazon Echo skills: 10 gadgets and services that still need Alexa support

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NewsHub“Alexa, do this.” “Alexa, do that.” “Alexa, fulfil my every whim.”
The Amazon Echo is a relatively new gadget — a little over a year old in the US — but it’s already crept its way into every corner of our home lives.
From playing our every musical fancy to turning up our heating, and from checking our train times to ordering us a pizza, Alexa has quickly become our best electric mate and one that rarely lets us down.
When you ask Alexa to do something she’s not capable of though it’s jarring. Why can’t she work with that device or service? This just isn’t good enough. Our belief that we’re really living in the sci-fi inspired future is broken.
Although the Echo has impressed, there’s still much that it needs to learn. Yes, Alexa is getting smarter by the day, but the sooner she adds support for this lot, the better.
Picture the scene: you walk through the door, kick off your shoes and bellow ‘Alexa, turn on my TV’. Hey presto, sorted. The telly is on while you get a beer from the fridge, no fuss, no fanfare just a single, simple command.
Most TVs are connected to the internet now anyway, so there’s no reason why they can’t use those smart skills to play nice with Alexa and adhere to your every vocal command.
From webOS to Android TV, all the individual Smart TV platforms would need an Alexa-friendly patch, but once set-up you’d be able to quit your nightly remote hunts and just talk to your TV instead.
VR’s still in its infancy, and unless its user interfaces improve, it could stay there longer than it should. Holding your gaze on menu options to make selections is effective, but seriously slow and repetitive.
Stating “Alexa, ask Vive to launch Office Simulator” or “Alexa, ask Oculus to open my 360 Photos” as soon as you don your VR headset would speed up the whole process no end. It would also save the problem of mistaken button presses that come with controllers you cant see.
It would have another benefit too. VR can be a solitary, isolating experience, but talking to Alexa while in the virtual world could help make the whole thing more of a two-way experience. Slightly.
How has this not already happened? Skype seems an obvious way to communicate through Alexa, with the service’s VoIP calls capable of being triggered just by asking: “Alexa, ask Skype to call Olivia.”
Not only would Alexa be able to place the calls for you, the Echo’s 360-degree speakers would pipe the conversation out into your home.
It would be just like having your call on speaker mode, except you can carry on pottering around your room, with the Echo’s seven beam-forming directional microphones picking up everything you utter.
“Alexa, ask Sky to record Arsenal vs Liverpool for me.”
Boom, sorted. How much easier would that be? That’s four minutes and about 18 button presses you’ve just saved yourself there as you scroll through the weekend’s fixture list, cussing under your breath as you realise the big match is actually BT Sport’s Monday night fixture.
The dream situation would be that Alexa has access to the week’s full TV listings and has been synced up to your own Sky Q box. Now when you want to set something to record later in the week, you’ll be able to ask rather than do the manual work and kick off time hunting yourself.
Thanks to Alexa, your Echo can look after your calendar and relay upcoming appointments to you to ensure you never miss a meeting. But what about those Facebook-hosted event invites and reminders?
Play time is just as important as work efforts, and hooking Facebook up to the Echo could be a way to find this balance.
Although you don’t need every motivational quote and humble bragbook post that pops up on your News Feed verbally relaying to you, being able to ask “Alexa, ask Facebook when Saturday’s party starts” or “Alexa, ask Facebook how old Harry will be on Tuesday” could have genuine benefits.
Amazon Music Unlimited is supported, obviously, But so too are TuneIn and even Spotify, so where is the Apple Music Alexa love?
If you pay for the streaming service, you’re going to want to listen to it where and however you want. With the rise of digital assistants and smart speakers, that now includes through devices like the Amazon Echo.
The foundations are already there — Alexa knows how to play music and Apple Music supports Siri — but the bit in the middle is currently missing. Given we’re still waiting for an Amazon Prime Apple TV app to drop, and Apple’s notorious need for independence, we can’t see this happening anytime soon, but we can dream can’t we?
OK, so those must have ’90s machines with the little blinking red light might not be commonplace anymore, but for those that have them, or those who still get voicemails on their smartphone, asking “Alexa, play my new messages” could be a welcome addition.
Like with Skype calls, these would then be piped out through the Echo’s circular speaker, letting you listen back to what you missed.
As you quickly work out whether the call is PPI junk or something actually important, follow up requests like “Alexa, delete” or “Alexa, return call” could be addressed too, doing away with all those traditional, fiddly button presses.
Netflix’s picture-led interface is pretty and the foundation for everything that’s followed (we’re looking at you Sky Q, Apple TV and Amazon Prime), but it’s also a bit on the busy side.
It’s all too easy to spend as much time scrolling through trying to pick a film as it does to watch the damn thing. That’s where Alexa could come in, using Netflix’s strong sub categories and search system to find you a film in double quick time.
Siri can dictate WhatsApp messages, so why can’t Alexa?
Perfect for when you’re phone’s charging on the other side of the room to where you’re sat, WhatsApp integration for Echo would give you the freedom to hold conversations without the endless and often error-strewn touchscreen typing.
As well as letting you read out the messages you want sent, WhatsApp support could also get Alexa reading your incoming messages to you, leaving your phone free for other tasks, such as browsing Facebook, sending Snapchats or a solid game of Hill Climb Racing 2.
Microsoft has already trialed voice-based Xbox commands, but being able to ask for your disc to be ejected isn’t exactly the biggest win. Syncing your internet-connected PS4 to your Echo, however, opens up a new world of possibilities.
It could get you gaming quicker too. Asking “Alexa, check my PS4 for updates” could do away with the disheartening disappointment that comes every time you sit down for a session and are forced to wait 30 minutes for six updates and game patches to download and install.
Once you’re finally gaming, you could speak out social chats to be written out and sent to rival gamers and even get feedback on high scores and handy hints — “Alexa, act as my wingman and alert me to sniper sightings.”

© Source: http://feedproxy.google.com/~r/techradar/allnews/~3/0Ssm2qOHA1E/amazon-echo-skills-10-gadgets-and-services-that-still-need-alexa-support
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Serena Williams wins Australian Open for 23rd grand slam crown

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NewsHubTortured by nerves in a tense family affair, Serena had to produce some of her best tennis to overcome Venus who won the crowd at Rod Laver Arena by scrapping hard to the end.
The American’s seventh title at Melbourne Park was won with an aggressive charge to the net and a desperate defensive backhand from Venus that floated into the tramlines.
Williams slumped to the ground, with hands in the air and eyes wide with joyous disbelief, before congratulating her sister for inspiring her run in Melbourne.
«She’s an amazing person, there’s no way I would be at 23 without her,» the second seed Serena said, cradling the Daphne Akhurst Memorial Cup at the trophy ceremony.
«There’s no way I would have anything without her.
«She’s the only reason the Williams sisters exist, so thank you for inspiring me to be the best that I can be. »
The win moved her past Steffi Graf on the list of all-time slam winners and she now sits just one shy of Margaret Court’s long-standing record of 24.
The victory also wrested back the world number one ranking from Angelique Kerber who swiped it away during her winning run to the U. S. Open championship.
Kerber, like a number before her, may yet be remembered as another caretaker for the ranking before its return to its rightful owner.
Venus was oldest finalist in Melbourne in the professional era and won huge admiration for her unlikely run to the final.
«Serena Williams, that’s my little sister, guys,» she said beaming.
«Congratulations Serena on number 23, I’ve been right there with you, some of them I’ve lost with you.
«Your win has always been my win, you know that.
«I’m enormously proud of you, you mean the world to me. »
At 35, an age at which most former champions have enjoyed life after tennis for several years, Serena’s powers appear undiminished and she will now train her sights on Margaret Court’s all-time record of 24 major titles.
Rightly or wrongly, many will feel Serena’s top ranking in history is already assured, with Court’s haul split between the amateur and professional eras and the American’s silverware amassed despite numerous physical setbacks.
In the ultimate throwback tournament, Serena met her sister on the same Rod Laver Arena court where 14 years before she had edged her in three sets to claim her first Melbourne Park crown.
Eight years had passed since their last grand slam decider at Wimbledon in 2009, and their combined ages in Melbourne added up to the ‘oldest’ major final ever contested.
They walked down the corridor silently prior to the match, with Serena tuned into headphones and Venus focusing only ahead.
It was a tense start and neither player was able to hold serve until Venus took the fifth game.
Serena was the worst afflicted by the nerves, and she smashed her racket in a rage in just the third game after she slipped behind the baseline when chasing down a ball.
She double-faulted three times to be broken a second time, causing a gasp from the crowd.
But galvanised by her serve, Serena soon settled and the blistering groundstrokes from the baseline began to find their mark as she surged to a 5-3 lead before sealing the set by thumping a pair of aces.
With Serena renowned as one of the best front-runners in the game, Venus showed her readiness to scrap, and she saved three break points to hold in the third game.
But she was never on safe ground, with Serena feasting on her second serve.
Serena pounced in the seventh game, firing a searing backhand return to break and served out to love to come within a game of the title.
Having dragged Serena to 15-30 at 5-4 on her serve, Venus dropped her racket in despair as she hammered a forehand into the net to give up match point.
Serena needed no further reason and after a furious exchange of shots, she charged in to the net swinging to claim yet another major title. (Additional reporting by Nick Mulvenney, editing by Ed Osmond/Amlan Chakraborty)

Similarity rank: 15
Sentiment rank: 1.6

© Source: http://www.timeslive.co.za/sundaytimes/sport/2017/01/28/Serena-Williams-wins-Australian-Open-for-23rd-grand-slam-crown1
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Vorpommern: Merkel erneut CDU-Direktkandidatin

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NewsHubAngela Merkel tritt erneut als CDU-Direktkandidatin im Wahlkreis 15 für die Bundestagswahl im Herbst an. Die Partei-Basis in Vorpommern nominierte sie am Sonnabend in Grimmen mit 95,9 Prozent der Stimmen. 165 von 173 anwesenden CDU-Mitgliedern sprachen sich in einer geheimen Abstimmung für sie aus. Ein noch deutlicheres Ergebnis hatte es bei Merkels Nominierung zur Bundestagswahl vor vier Jahren gegeben: Damals stimmten 100 Prozent der Anwesenden für die CDU-Bundesvorsitzende.
Vor der Nominierung hatte der CDU-Kreisvorsitzende Harry Glawe die Basis in Grimmen zu Geschlossenheit aufgerufen: «Wenn wir alle gemeinsam zusammen stehen und für unsere Politik in unserem Wahlkreis kämpfen, dann sind wir nicht zu schlagen», sagte Glawe zum Auftakt. Mit Merkel habe die Partei eine feste Größe. Sie bringe die Region voran und sei ein Garant für die Zukunft Deutschlands.
Im Wahlkreis der Kanzlerin treten außerdem Kerstin Kassner (Linke) und Sonja Steffen (SPD) an. Die Bundestagsabgeordneten sind bereits nominiert. Für die AfD fordert Landeschef Leif-Erik Holm die Kanzlerin heraus. Die FDP hat im Wahlkreis 15 Patrick Meinhardt nominiert. Er saß bereits über die Landesliste von Baden-Württemberg im Bundestag und ist seit einem Jahr im Landesverband seiner Partei in Mecklenburg-Vorpommern. Die Grünen nominieren ihren Kandidaten erst Anfang März.
Angela Merkel hat seit ihrer ersten Bundestagsnominierung 1990 immer das Direktmandat im Wahlkreis mit der Insel Rügen, Stralsund und seit 2013 auch Greifswald geholt. Bei der Bundestagswahl vor vier Jahren gewann sie mit 56,2 Prozent der Erststimmen.

Similarity rank: 2.1

© Source: http://www.ndr.de/nachrichten/mecklenburg-vorpommern/Vorpommern-Merkel-erneut-CDU-Direktkandidatin,cdu750.html
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"Федерер привітав мене з перемогою" — 14-річна українська чемпіонка Australian Open

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NewsHub14-річна українська тенісистка Марта Костюк прокоментувала свою перемогу на юніорському Australian Open.
У фіналі турніру українка здолала перший номер світового юніорського рейтингу швейцарку Ребекку Масарову — 7:5, 1:6, 6:4.
«Я була більше рада, коли вчора виграла у півфіналі. Може, якби у мене не було з собою телефону, і я не бачила привітань з усього світу, можливо, була б рада більше.
Я виграла перший сет, але він був дуже наполегливий. Іноді таке трапляється, коли ти нервуєш. Я вела 5:2, у мене було чотири сетбола, і я змогла виграти лише після 6:5. У другому сеті, напевно, у неї було більше концентрації, ніж у мене. Вона вела гру.
Коли ми почали другий сет, я почала думати, що я майже виграла. І це мені не допомогло. При якому рахунку? Коли вона вела 1:0, а потім ми грали 12 хвилин один гейм, але я все-таки його виграла. Але це не було добре. Можливо, було б краще, якби я його програла. Але я розслабилася і Ребека виграла п’ять геймів поспіль.
Напевно, коли був рахунок 3:1, я просто перестала грати і була готова до третього сету. Ймовірно, це було добре, що я перечекала, а потім почала грати в третій партії».
ЧИТАЙТЕ ТАКОЖ: 14-річна українка виграла Australian Open-2017
У минулому році в січні Марта виграла турнір до 14 років Les Petits As у Франції.
«Я серйозно поліпшила свій рівень гри, і я це відчуваю. Можливо, найпрогресивніший період був у травні, коли Іван Любічіч (тренер Роджера Федерера), запросив мене тренуватися в Монте-Карло на десять днів. Після цього я виграла турнір другої категорії. Після цього, думаю, я покращила свою подачу і почала більше тренуватися. Потім я підписала контракт з Іваном і стала займатися в Каннах, Києві, загалом, скрізь.
Іван дав мені багато досвіду. Він допомагає мені, коли мені потрібна допомога. Любічіч мене дуже добре знає. Він сказав, що буде приходити на мої матчі і підтримувати мене. Якщо мені щось знадобиться, я можу у нього запитати. Він щодня був присутній на моїх іграх.
Також тут зі мною моя мама, вона ж і мій тренер. Коли я граю на великих турнірах, вона завжди зі мною. До речі, нарешті сьогодні я зустріла Роджера Федерера. Він мене привітав з перемогою. Я сфотографувалася з ним, тому досі не можу заспокоїтися».
ЧИТАЙТЕ ТАКОЖ: Українка не пустила росіянку в фінал юніорського Australian Open
На 2017-й рік у Костюк дуже амбітні плани.
«У цьому році я планую грати тільки турніри Великого Шолома: Ролан Гаррос, можливо, Вімблдон, і US Open. У нас же є обмеження на виступи у дорослих турнірах, а у мене залишилося сім або вісім до дня народження, тому я не дуже хочу грати професійні турніри в цей час.
Але і юніорські турніри зараз для мене теж не дуже добре. Коли ви приїжджаєте на турнір, ви зосереджені на перемогу і перемагаєте. Іноді це погано. Ви починаєте забивати голову абсолютно іншим, ви не можете показувати свій теніс, тому що на вас тисне думка про перемогу. На цей турнір я приїхала просто показати свою гру, і виграла».
Марта ходить в спеціальну школу в Києві.
«Я вчуся вдома. Але я ходжу в спеціальну школу в Києві для таких дітей, як я. Я просто роблю домашнє завдання вдома і двічі на рік здаю тести по кожному уроку, так що це не так складно».
Костюк запевняє, що у неї немає кумирів.
Чи є у мене кумири? Хм, немає. Ніколи і не було. Навіть не знаю, чому. Може бути, я, але хто знає (посміхається).

Similarity rank: 9

© Source: http://gazeta.ua/articles/sport/_federer-privitav-mene-z-peremogoyu-14richna-ukrayinska-chempionka-australian-open/749180
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Order Orła Białego dla kard. Dziwisza

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NewsHubPrezydent RP Andrzej Duda uzasadniając odznaczenie kard. Stanisława Dziwisza Orderem Orła Białego mówił natomiast, że jest dla niego wielkim honorem móc przyznać to najwyższe polskie wyróżnienie byłemu metropolicie krakowskiemu. — To odznaczenie ma w sobie wielką symbolikę związaną z polską wolnością. Był bowiem nadawany tylko w wolnej Polsce, a jest nadawany za znamienite zasługi dla RP. A całe dotychczasowe życie Eminencji było wielką zasługą dla Rzeczpospolitej Polski — mówił Andrzej Duda. Te zasługi dla Polski można by wymieniać bardzo długo, jednak kilka jest szczególnych, bowiem mają wymiar historyczny, a nawet dziejowy. — Pierwszy moment to 13 maja 1981 r., gdy kule zamachowca dosięgnęły Ojca Świętego Jana Pawła II. Nasze serca wtedy zamarły, i wtedy «jakaś siła wkroczyła w to wszystko» — jak relacjonował potem Ksiądz Kardynał. Ale od razu zostały podjęte decyzje przez Eminencje, które najprawdopodobniej uratowały życie Jana Pawła II. Jako chrześcijanin powiem, że trzeba mieć odwagę, aby usłyszeć podpowiedź Ducha Świętego, co trzeba zrobić. Bo dziś trudno nam sobie wyobrazić, co by było, gdyby wtedy zabrakło Ojca Świętego, bo — jak mówili później górale pod Wielką Krokwią — to on wyzwolił nas z czerwonej niewoli — przypomniał Prezydent RP. Mówiąc o drugiej zasłudze Prezydent RP nawiązał do trudnej, ale niezwykle ważnej decyzji, którą kardynał podjął w 2010 r. — W imieniu Rzeczpospolitej dziękuję, że Eminencja wyraził zgodę, aby swoją ziemską wędrówkę zakończył w katedrze na Wawelu śp. Prezydent Lech Kaczyński. Dziękuję też, że Ksiądz Kardynał powiedział wtedy, że małżeństwa się nie rozdziela i że pochowana została tu również jego małżonka — mówił Andrzej Duda. Z kolei trzecia decyzja to budowanie pozytywnego wizerunku Polski na świecie, zwłaszcza podczas Światowych Dni Młodzieży. — Jakiej trzeba było odwagi, by powiedzieć, że tak, do Krakowa może przyjechać kilka milionów młodych ze świata. Damy radę i poradzimy sobie z tym. To była decyzja Księdza Kardynała — mówił Prezydent Duda. Kard. Stanisław Dziwisz przyznał natomiast, że najstarsze i najwyższe odznaczenie państwowe Rzeczypospolitej Polskiej, odbiera z wielkim wzruszeniem. — Starałem się zrozumieć, dlaczego dziś podjął pan prezydent decyzję o odznaczeniu mnie tą wysoką godnością. Dzień bowiem jest szczególny — po ponad jedenastu latach służby Kościołowi krakowskiemu, przekazałem stery łodzi tej wyjątkowej wspólnoty wiary mojemu następcy — abp. Markowi Jędraszewskiemu — mówił kard. Stanisław Dziwisz przypominając, że Polska od ponad tysiąca lat mniej lub bardziej wiernie rzeźbi swoją tożsamość na fundamencie ewangelicznych wartości dobra i miłości, godności człowieka stworzonego na obraz i podobieństwo Boże. — Ta sama świadomość towarzyszyła mi podczas wieloletniej pracy u boku Jana Pawła II w Watykanie. Służba w Krakowie jest zobowiązująca. Zdawałem sobie zawsze sprawę, jak wspaniałym klejnotem w koronie Rzeczypospolitej jest podwawelski gród z jego dziedzictwem nauki i kultury, wiary i świętości — przekonywał b. metropolita. Jego zdaniem, w to dziedzictwo wpisują się znajdujące się w Krakowie liczne uniwersytety — na czele z Uniwersytetem Jagiellońskim i Uniwersytetem Papieskim Jana Pawła II, a także powstałe w latach służby kardynała Centrum Jana Pawła II «Nie lękajcie się! «. Z kolei ubiegłoroczne Światowe Dni Młodzieży — święto wiary rzeszy młodych chrześcijan ze wszystkich niemal narodów — odsłoniły przed światem piękno Polski i Krakowa oraz bogactwo jej kultury i sztuki. Kard. Stanisław, dziękując za przyznanie mu Orderu Orła Białego, zapewnił także, że nadal będzie starał się służyć sprawie, która nas wszystkich łączy. — Tej sprawie na imię Polska — podkreślił.

Similarity rank: 5.3
Sentiment rank: 0

© Source: http://krakow.gosc.pl/doc/3673846.Order-Orla-Bialego-dla-kard-Dziwisza
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Australian Open 2017: Roger Federer adopts nothing-to-lose mindset v Rafael Nadal

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NewsHubRoger Federer says he will not let his long-standing rivalry with Rafael Nadal affect his performance in the Australian Open final on Sunday.
The 35-year-old Swiss has met Nadal, 30, in eight Grand Slam finals, most recently at the French Open in 2011.
Federer, attempting to secure his 18th Grand Slam title, has not beaten 14-time major winner Nadal in the final of a Slam since Wimbledon in 2007.
«I’ve got to have a sort of a nothing-to-lose mentality,» said Federer.
«I know this court allows me to play a certain game against Rafa that I cannot do on centre court at the French Open. »
Spain’s Nadal has won six of the duo’s Grand Slam final meetings, including beating Federer in five sets to win the Australian Open in 2009.
The two will meet on court for the 35th time in Melbourne from 08:30 GMT.
«He’s an incredible tennis player,» said Federer, who described himself as Nadal’s number one. «He’s got shots that no other one has. When you have that, you are unique and special. »
Should Nadal win on Sunday, he will be the first man in the Open era — and third overall — to win all four Grand Slam titles twice. Federer, meanwhile, is trying to become the first man to win three of the major titles five times.
«It’s exciting for both of us that we are still there and fighting for important events,» said Nadal. «It’s very special. »
The rivalry began at the Miami Masters in 2004, when a 17-year-old Nadal beat Federer, then the world number one, 6-3 6-3.
Nadal has won 23 of their 34 meetings, but Federer triumphed in their last — in Basel in 2015.
Three of their Grand Slam finals have gone to five sets, as did both of their semi-finals earlier this week.
Nadal took four hours 56 minutes to beat Grigor Dimitrov on Friday, a day after Federer was taken to five sets by compatriot Stan Wawrinka.
Both players had injury-affected seasons in 2016, with Federer sidelined for six months with a knee problem, and a wrist injury forcing Nadal to withdraw from the French Open.
«When you have to go from Roland Garros without going on court, I remember myself crying in the car. That was a tough moment,» Nadal said.
«I didn’t think about being where I am today. It is special to play with Roger again in a final of a Grand Slam. »
Sunday’s match will be Federer’s 100th at the Australian Open.
He is the oldest man to reach a Grand Slam final since Ken Rosewall, a US Open finalist in 1974 aged 39 years and 310 days.
And victory would make him the second oldest man to win a Grand Slam title in the Open era — Rosewall having won three major titles after his 35th birthday.
«Rosewall wrote me a letter this week to wish me well again,» said Federer. «He does it every year at the Australian Open.
«To be in the same breath like these guys, it’s a great feeling. I love these guys. It means a lot to me to have equalled something like this. »
2006: French Open — Nadal won 1-6 6-1 6-4 7-6 (7-4)
2006: Wimbledon — Federer won 6-0 7-6 (7-5) 6-7 (2-7) 6-3
2007: French Open — Nadal won 6-3 4-6 6-3 6-4
2007: Wimbledon — Federer won 7-6 (9-7) 4-6 7-6 (7-3) 2-6 6-2
2008: French Open — Nadal won 6-1 6-3 6-0
2008: Wimbledon — Nadal won 6-4 6-7 (5-7) 6-7 (8-10) 9-7
2009: Australian Open — Nadal won 7-5 3-6 7-6 (7-3) 3-6 6-2
2011: French Open — Nadal won 7-5 7-6 (7-3) 5-7 6-1
Russell Fuller, BBC tennis correspondent:
«When Federer flew to Mallorca to help launch Nadal’s academy in the autumn, knee and wrist injuries meant an exhibition match was out of the question. Little did they imagine their next on court meeting would be so near, and on such an important stage.
«The history of their matches points to a Nadal victory. But the Spaniard spent nearly two hours longer on court in winning his semi-final, which was played a day later than Federer’s. The Swiss is managing an abductor injury, but then again he is loving the quicker courts which should play into his hands.
«What is clear is that there is an enormous amount at stake. If Nadal wins he will close to within two Grand Slam titles of Federer’s record of 17 and become the first man in the Open Era to win each of the sport’s major prizes at least twice. »
John Lloyd, 1977 Australian Open finalist and BBC Sport analyst:
«If Rafa had played a five-hour match a day after Roger when Rafa was at his peak — when he was winning majors all the time — I would not have been worried. We saw many times how he could recover from long matches.
«The difference now is he hasn’t been in this position for a while — that does concern me. The semi-final against Dimitrov was exhausting, not just physically but mentally. I think that does give a little advantage to Federer.
«However, Rafa is such a warrior I still think he will be alright — and I pick him to win. »
Men’s singles final, Sun 29 Jan, 08:30 GMT, BBC Radio 5 live
16-29 January
Bath Saracens RFC
Winter Ski Training

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В Калифорнии собирают подписи за выход штата из состава США

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NewsHubВ Соединенных Штатах Америки, в штате Калифорния, начали собирать подписи за выход округа из состава США, пишет Укринформ.
По данным, обнародованным в Twitter-аккаунте инициативы Yes California, сбор подписей был одобрен калифорнийским генеральным прокурором.
«Генеральный прокурор Калифорнии одобрил сбор подписей для #Calexit на 2018 год, и мы начнем завтра», — говорится в сообщении.
Стоит отметить, что в случае набора необходимого количество подписей, в ноябре 2018 года жители Калифорнии будут голосовать за отмену положений, которые устанавливают штат как «неотъемлемую частью США», а Конституция США — «основным законом Америки».
Как сообщал MIGnews.com.ua, организация Yes California подала заявку генеральному прокурору штата Калифорния на проведение референдума о независимости штата от США .

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Two front runners in race for Hong Kong’s top job battle with bout of bad publicity

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NewsHubTwo front runners in the race to become Hong Kong’s next chief executive tried to brush off a round of negative publicity during the Lunar New Year holiday. Former financial chief John Tsang Chun-wah tried to dispel concerns that his repeated use of a Chinese idiom to describe his policy visions suggested he would take a “hands-off” approach to governing, while former chief secretary Carrie Lam Cheng Yuet-ngor was attacked on social media for giving money to an illegal beggar. When he on January 19, Tsang said society should listen to teenagers, some of whom might have wanted to create space in the community to “rest and recuperate”. He used the same words when he proposed abolishing the controversial Territory-wide System Assessment, which tests pupils’ learning in key areas. “We should let the schools and parents put down the inner demons of TSA and allow them to rest and recuperate,” he. Tsang’s repetition of the words have led some to speculate that he would adopt a non-interventionist and laissez-faire approach if he was elected, or worse still, sit on the many problems the government faces. Even his former boss, chief executive Leung Chun-ying took an apparent dig at Tsang on a recent radio programme. “If we adopt the ‘recuperate and laissez-faire’ approach and our competitors don’t, you can imagine the consequences,” he commented. Tsang hit back on a television talk show on Saturday. “Many people have misunderstood [the words] – I don’t know whether this was deliberate or due to a genuine lack of knowledge,” he said. “What I meant was really simple. We need to have less arguments – I believe many of us have become tired over the past few years. From day to night we see opposing, friend-or-foe, black-and-white situations,” he said. “By rest and recuperate I am referring to the political bickering.” Tsang was no stranger to criticisms over his non-intervention approach to the market. Fellow chief executive contender Regina Ip Lau Suk-yee has said as financial secretary, with few achievements under his belt. Meanwhile, Lam’s bid for the top job got a boost on Saturday when her campaign office announced the appointment of Rita Fan Hsu Lai-tai as her senior adviser. Fan is the city’s sole delegate to the National People’s Congress Standing Committee, which heads mainland China’s legislature, and has long been a respected figure in the pro-establishment camp. “Lam is a responsible person … she does not fear difficulties and rises to challenges. With Hong Kong being in a time of turmoil and lacking clear directions, we need someone with a strong will and vision,” Fan said in a 90-second video uploaded to Lam’s election homepage. Fan’s endorsement further fuelled suggestions that Lam is Beijing’s favourite candidate. But she also got herself into controversy during a neighbourhood visit in Sha Tin on Friday afternoon. During the stop, Lam kneeled down in front of an elderly beggar while reaching to her left pocket for a HK$500 note – in front of a media scrum. “Do you have a place to live?” Lam repeatedly asked. When Lam found out the elderly woman did not understand Cantonese, she switched to Putonghua and confirmed the woman was not from Hong Kong. “You’ve had a hard time,” Lam said, before placing the HK$500 note in her hands. Media reports suggested the woman arrived from central Hubei province on a visitor visa to beg for money to repay family debts. Videos capturing Lam’s encounter went viral on social media, drawing mostly negative comments. Many also dismissed it as a publicity stunt. “Lam clearly doesn’t understand … [if] you give HK$10 to a beggar, you attract another 100 [beggars] asking for HK$10,” one Facebook user wrote. Lam’s election office later explained that she only acted out of “heartache”, and had overlooked the possibility of attracting criticism. According to the Summary Offences Ordinance, “any person who wanders abroad, or places himself or herself in any public place, street or waterway to beg or gather alms” is liable to a maximum fine of HK$500 and 12 months’ imprisonment. Asked about the incident on Saturday, Lam’s successor, chief secretary Matthew Cheung Kin-chung said the public should let the matter go. “I know what you are trying to say. But in this environment, depending on the scenario, if she did it out of love and kindness, rather than encouraging begging, then we should not be too stubborn,” Cheung said. “Of course, we do not encourage begging.”

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Porn 'tube' sites threaten children and actors, critics say

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NewsHub«Pornocracy», made by Ovidie, a former French porn star turned director, claims that far fewer films are now being made and fees have been slashed up to 10-fold.
She blames «tube» sites—so-called because they resemble YouTube—which have been accused of hosting thousands of videos pirated from traditional adult entertainment companies.
Critics say children are also getting their first exposure to sex through the sites.
And they worry about the effect porn culture is having on the way teenage boys treat girls.
«Tubes» are also blamed for making porn consumption so commonplace that last week London’s transport system was forced to warn that people who watched porn on buses and trains would be reported to the police.
Children’s campaigner Marie Derain, an advisor to the French women and families minister, said the exploitive nature of «tube» sites was extremely worrying.
«Their economic model goes beyond even what is at stake in terms of pornography,» she told AFP.
Nearly all pirated
Gregory Dorcel, who heads Marc Dorcel, Europe’s third-biggest adult entertainment group, said 95 percent of the 100 billion porn clips watched on the web last year were pirated.
His company alone has made five million requests to Google for its videos to be taken down from «tubes».
«But 48 hours later the videos are back online,» Ovidie said.
Her documentary claims that a little-known company called MindGeek—headquartered in «an empty office» in Luxembourg—is now porn’s most powerful player, holding a monopoly-like grip on the industry.
But MindGeek, which prefers to be seen as a tech company, and makes no reference to porn on its website, told AFP that it operates only four «tube» sites—Pornhub, Youporn, RedTube and Tube8.
«Claims that we dominate the industry are nonsense,» a spokeswoman said, saying that only three of its sites ranked in the top 10 of the world’s most visited adult sites.
Pornhub alone, however, is the 11th most viewed site in the US, just behind Wikipedia, Twitter and Instagram.
MindGeek says it is simply a platform for its «1,000 content partners that upload content and benefit from the exposure on our sites».
«There is lot of misinformation about how tube sites function,» the spokeswoman said.
She said it followed YouTube’s lead on «managing the issue of copyrights».
«There is no room in our model for the assumption that content is pirated,» she added.
She claimed instead that they had «formed positive, symbiotic relationships with most of the major players in the industry».
Many traditional adult film makers dispute this, also complaining that while they are subject to strict regulations on age, the «tubes» can easily be viewed by children.
Kids see porn by 11
The French pressure group Ennocence, which is trying to make regulation of the «tubes» an issue in the country’s coming presidential election, said children now tend to first view porn at 11.
Its president, Gordon Choisel, said they were being bombarded with adult images through internet adverts from a very young age.
«You think your child is watching a cartoon but then a window pops up with porn,» he said.
Choisel said governments had to attack the sites’ advertising streams. «We have to come up with legislation that is flexible enough to adapt to changes in technology and the way videos are being watched,» he said.
Derain, author of a 2012 report on children’s viewing habits, said porn was shaping many young people’s view of sex.
«Sexuality in real life is not like that,» she said, but children who have grown up watching «tubes» have trouble making the distinction.
«I have been involved in a number of very serious criminal cases where boys have systematically done to girls what they saw on porn ,» she said.
«Pornocracy» also dealt with the explosion in «cam girl» sites and what Ovidie termed the «new proletariat of sex» who work long hours on them.
She said the women get only around 15 percent of what their clients pay to watch them perform online.
Up to 70 percent goes to such platforms, including Live Jasmin, also based in Luxembourg, which has annual revenue of more than $300 million and has made its owner, Gyorgy Gattyan, Hungary’s second-richest man, according to Forbes magazine.
But Marton Fulop, the operations director at Live Jasmin, which is often called the «peep show Uber», justified the amounts paid to its two million registered cam girls, saying it was a tech company «that provided a very good platform».
Explore further: Taylor Swift, Microsoft among those buying up .porn suffixes

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John Hurt, Oscar nominated for “The Elephant Man” dies at 77

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NewsHubLOS ANGELES (AP) — The versatile actor Sir John Hurt, who could move audiences to tears in “The Elephant Man,” terrify them in “Alien,” and spoof that very same scene in “Spaceballs,” has died. He was 77.
Hurt, who battled pancreatic cancer, died Friday in London according to his agent Charles McDonald.
Twice nominated for an Oscar for playing the tortured John Merrick in David Lynch’s “The Elephant Man” and for his role as the heroin addict Max in “Midnight Express,” Hurt’s career spanned over 50 years. After minor television and film appearances, his breakout came in 1966 as Richard Rich in Fred Zinnemann’s “A Man For All Seasons,” followed by his portrayal of Caligula in the BBC miniseries “I, Claudius” in 1976.
The wiry Hurt brought gravitas to Alan Parker’s 1978 film “Midnight Express,” for which he received a supporting actor Oscar nomination (he lost to Christopher Walken for “The Deer Hunter”) and an uneasy humor to Kane in Ridley Scott’s “Alien,” immortalized by his disturbing death scene, which Mel Brooks later poked fun at with Hurt’s help in “Spaceballs.”
“It was terribly sad today to learn of John Hurt’s passing,” Mel Brooks wrote on Twitter. “He was a truly magnificent talent.”
Hurt is unrecognizable in perhaps his most memorable role as the lead in David Lynch’s “The Elephant Man.” He endured eight hours in the makeup chair daily to transform into John Merrick. The elaborate mask prohibited him from sleeping lying down or even eating while it was on. His would eat his last meal midmorning as the mask was being applied — usually raw eggs mixed in orange juice — and not again until after midnight.
“To be quite honest, the film was misery to make because of the physical problems, so if it’s working I’m jumping for joy,” Hurt said in a 1980 interview. Hurt did score a lead actor Oscar nomination for the role, but lost out to Robert De Niro’s performance in “Raging Bull.”
Hurt was also a prolific voice actor, appearing as Hazel in the animated “Watership Down,” and as Aragorn in Ralph Bakshi’s “The Lord of the Rings.” He also voiced The Horned King in “The Black Cauldron” and provided the narration for “Dogville.”
In the “Harry Potter” films, Hurt played the wand-maker Mr. Ollivander. In recent years, he appeared in notable fare such as “Melancholia,” ”Tinker Tailor Soldier Spy,” ”Only Lovers Left Alive” and “Snowpiercer.”
“We’re all just passing time, and occupy our chair very briefly,” Hurt said in a 2015 interview while undergoing treatments for the early stage cancer.
As prolific as ever, Hurt recently appeared alongside his “V for Vendetta” co-star Natalie Portman in the Oscar-nominated film “Jackie” as a priest who consoles and advises the recently widowed first lady.
Hurt leaves behind a few in production credits, including Joe Wright’s “Darkest Hour” which is listed as still filming. Hurt plays Neville Chamberlain in the film about Winston Churchill’s charge against Hitler. Gary Oldman plays Churchill.
“I have lots of favorite memories but I can’t say that I have a favorite film. I have favorite parts which are not in particularly successful films,” Hurt told The Guardian in 2000. “I’ve worked with people from Fred Zinnemann, John Huston, through to Richard Fleischer, all of those boys from Hollywood and so on and Sam Peckinpah and then the Mike Radfords… I’ve been incredibly lucky with the directors I’ve worked with. You don’t realize it at the time, it’s just in retrospect if you look back you think, ‘Jeez, when I saw that CV it nearly frightened the life out of me.’ I thought, “That’s not bad for an old drunk.”
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Sentiment rank: -4.9

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