Tilted jack-up rig in Jurong Shipyard restored






SINGAPORE: Jurong Shipyard has restored and floated the jack-up rig that tilted in 2012 to its original upright position.

Eighty-nine workers were injured in the incident at the shipyard on 3 December.

Sembcorp Marine said on Tuesday that with the rig now back to its upright position, Jurong Shipyard and the authorities will focus on investigations into what caused it to tilt.

Repairs and restoration work will start when the stop-work is lifted.

The three-legged rig was scheduled for delivery in the first quarter of 2013 but this has been rescheduled.

The rig is expected to be delivered by the end of third quarter of 2013.

Sembcorp Marine said the repairs and change in the delivery date are not expected to have any material impact on its net tangible assets and earnings per share for the year ending 31 December 2013.

- CNA/ck



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Clarence Thomas ends seven-year silence









By Bill Mears, CNN Supreme Court Producer


updated 8:17 PM EST, Mon January 14, 2013



















Clarence Thomas


John G. Roberts


Antonin Scalia


Anthony M. Kennedy


Ruth Bader Ginsburg


Stephen G. Breyer


Samuel A. Alito Jr.


Sonia Sotomayor


Elena Kagan








STORY HIGHLIGHTS


  • Clarence Thomas known for remaining quiet during oral arguments

  • On Monday, he joked about lawyers educated at Yale, his alma mater

  • Current Supreme Court known as 'hot bench' for the rhetorical scrum during arguments




Washington (CNN) -- It was just a few words and a joke at that. But Supreme Court Justice Clarence Thomas broke his seven-year long silence on Monday when he spoke at oral arguments.


He made fun of lawyers from Yale, his law school alma mater.


Thomas has become known for rarely commenting on cases from the bench, another reflection of the complex and often misunderstood personality of the court's only African-American jurist.


On Monday, the justices were hearing an argument about the state of Louisiana's delay in paying for counsel for a death penalty defendant. Should that count against the state for the purposes of the right to a speedy trial?


A lawyer for the state was making the case for the inmate's appointed counsel, saying the woman was "more than qualified" and "very impressive."


"She was graduate of Yale Law School, wasn't she?" said Justice Antonin Scalia in apparent support, noting another member of the legal team went to Harvard.


The next words were hard to hear in the back-and-forth between the justices. But Thomas made a joke about the competence of Yale lawyers when compared to their Harvard colleagues, according to two witnesses.









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Six members of the current high court attended Harvard Law School. Thomas, Samuel Alito and Sonia Sotomayor attend Yale.


Sotomayor describes life journey in new memoir


The official transcript released by the court does not capture the flavor of the colorful exchange. But the lawyer arguing before the court was apparently not pleased.


"I would refute that, Justice Thomas," said Carla Sigler, the assistant district attorney in Lake Charles, Louisiana.


The rest of the time, Thomas kept his own counsel as he is known to do.


"One thing I've demonstrated often in 16 years is you can do this job without asking a single question," he recalled in a speech five years ago.


Written opinions remain the main way the court expresses itself. But the current court is known as a "hot bench" for the busy back-and-forth rhetorical scrum during arguments.


Eight of the justices compete for time to make their questions and views known.


Thomas does occasionally speak from the bench when announcing opinions he has written, but before arguments commence.


Off the bench in friendly audiences, he can be gregarious, inquisitive and often self-reflective. He has a booming voice, and his hearty laugh is easily recognizable.


Some scholars have said Thomas' aversion to talking has reached epic heights.


A study of transcripts by Timothy Johnson of the University of Minnesota found in the past four decades, no justice besides Thomas had failed to speak at least once during an entire 12-month term.


The last time he spoke was February 22, 2006, during a capital appeal.












Part of complete coverage on







updated 1:58 PM EST, Mon January 14, 2013



"Argo" and "Les Miserables" were the big winners at this year's Golden Globes.







updated 5:06 AM EST, Mon January 14, 2013



VIDEO: CNN's Kristie Lu Stout and Hollywood.com's Matt Patches discuss the nominees for the 85th Academy Awards.







updated 10:31 AM EST, Mon January 14, 2013



Photos: Fashion at the Golden Globes on Sunday -- which outfit was your favorite?








CNN reports from Syria and Turkey on the human suffering of those who have survived the civil war, but now face further hardship.







updated 8:20 PM EST, Sun January 13, 2013



This is not worksafe. It's a hyperlink to Hiropon, the pornographic fiberglass creation of Japanese artist Takashi Murakami.







updated 7:44 AM EST, Mon January 14, 2013



The advance buildup has all been about Lance Armstrong as he prepares to enter the church of Oprah and seek absolution for his sins.







updated 7:47 PM EST, Fri January 11, 2013



Photographer Ronen Goldman recreates his dreams through photos.







updated 3:21 AM EST, Mon January 14, 2013



India doesn't do things small, religious festivals included. Over 55 days, an estimated 100 million Hindu devotees will go to the Kumbh Mela.







updated 6:45 AM EST, Mon January 14, 2013



VIDEO: Six thousand throwers participated. Organizers trucked in 162,000 pounds of snow in 34 truckloads for the throwdown.







updated 12:33 PM EST, Fri January 11, 2013



The fate of the Sri Lankan maid beheaded in Saudi Arabia, should spotlight the precarious existence of domestic workers, Jo Becker says.







updated 6:15 AM EST, Mon January 14, 2013



International leaders are responding to an uprising of Islamist militants in northern Mali.







updated 3:29 AM EST, Mon January 14, 2013



VIDEO: CNN's Nima Elbagir reports on wildlife rangers who risk their lives to guard Kenya's elephant population from poachers.







updated 6:22 AM EST, Mon January 14, 2013



VIDEO: CNN's Elizabeth Cohen has the latest on the flu epidemic and what health officials mean when they call it an "epidemic".





















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Hillary Clinton to testify on Benghazi Jan. 23

Secretary of State Hillary Rodham Clinton will testify Jan. 23 before the House Foreign Affairs Committee about the deadly Sept. 11 assault on the U.S. mission in Libya.



That's the word from Rep. Ed Royce, chairman of the panel. He said in a statement late Monday that Clinton will answer questions about the raid that killed U.S. Ambassador Chris Stevens and three other Americans in Benghazi.

Clinton had been scheduled to testify last month but she suffered a concussion when she fell during an illness. She was later hospitalized with a blood clot in her head.

She's also expected to testify before the Senate Foreign Relations Committee around the same time as her House testimony. That date has not been announced by the committee.

She has planned to step down and President Barack Obama has nominated Sen. John Kerry to replace her.

Read More..

Armstrong Admits Doping in Tour, Sources Say













Lance Armstrong today admitted to Oprah Winfrey that he used performance enhancing drugs to win the Tour de France, sources told ABC News.


A goverment source tells ABC News that Armstrong is now talking with authorities about paying back some of the US Postal Service money from sponsoring his team. He is also talking to authorities about confessing and naming names, giving up others involved in illegal doping. This could result in a reduction of his lifetime ban, according to the source, if Armstrong provides substantial and meaningful information.


Armstrong made the admission in what sources describe as an emotional interview with Winfrey to air on "Oprah's Next Chapter" on Jan. 17.


The 90-minute interview at his home in Austin, Texas, was Armstrong's first since officials stripped him of his world cycling titles in response to doping allegations.


Word of Armstrong's admission comes after a Livestrong official said that Armstrong apologized today to the foundation's staff ahead of his interview.


The disgraced cyclist gathered with about 100 Livestrong Foundation staffers at their Austin headquarters for a meeting that included social workers who deal directly with patients as part of the group's mission to support cancer victims.


Armstrong's "sincere and heartfelt apology" generated lots of tears, spokeswoman Katherine McLane said, adding that he "took responsibility" for the trouble he has caused the foundation.






Riccardo S. Savi/Getty Images|Ray Tamarra/Getty Images











Lance Armstrong Stripped of Tour de France Titles Watch Video











Lance Armstrong Doping Charges: Secret Tapes Watch Video





McLane declined to say whether Armstrong's comments included an admission of doping, just that the cyclist wanted the staff to hear from him in person rather than rely on second-hand accounts.


Armstrong then took questions from the staff.


Armstrong's story has never changed. In front of cameras, microphones, fans, sponsors, cancer survivors -- even under oath -- Lance Armstrong hasn't just denied ever using performance enhancing drugs, he has done so in an indignant, even threatening way.


Armstrong, 41, was stripped of his seven Tour de France titles and banned from the sport for life by the U.S. Anti-Doping Agency in October 2012, after allegations that he benefited from years of systematic doping, using banned substances and receiving illicit blood transfusions.


"Lance Armstrong has no place in cycling and he deserves to be forgotten in cycling," Pat McQuaid, the president of the International Cycling Union, said at a news conference in Switzerland announcing the decision. "This is a landmark day for cycling."


The U.S. Anti-Doping Agency issued a 200-page report Oct. 10 after a wide-scale investigation into Armstrong's alleged use of performance-enhancing substances.


Armstrong won the Tour de France from 1999 to 2005.


According to a source, speaking to ABC News, a representative of Armstrong's once offered to make a donation estimated around $250,000 to the agency, as "60 Minutes Sports" on Showtime first reported.


Lance Armstrong's attorney Tim Herman denied it. "No truth to that story," Herman said. "First Lance heard of it was today. He never made any such contribution or suggestion."


Armstrong, who himself recovered from testicular cancer, created the Lance Armstrong Foundation (now known as the LIVESTRONG Foundation) to help people with cancer cope, as well as foster a community for cancer awareness. Armstrong resigned late last year as chairman of the LIVESTRONG Foundation, which raised millions of dollars in the fight against cancer.






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Benefits of emissions cuts kick in only next century









































Are we the altruistic generation? Do we care what happens to our grandchildren, and to their children? Or are we with Groucho Marx when he said: "Why should I care about future generations? What have they ever done for me?"











A new study of climate change lays out in detail why this matters. According to its author, Nigel Arnell of the University of Reading, UK, the unpalatable truth is that even rapid action now to curb greenhouse gas emissions would have only a "negligible effect by 2030, and the benefits in 2050 would remain small". The big dividend – cooler temperatures, fewer floods and droughts and better crop yields, compared to carrying on as we are – would only become clear by about 2100.












Arnell and colleagues used climate models to look at how different policies to curb greenhouse gases would affect temperature, sea levels, crop yields and the incidence of droughts and floods. Two findings emerged. The first is that lags in the climate system mean the real benefits of cutting emissions will only show up late this century. This, says Arnell, underlines that there is a lot of global warming "in the pipeline" that cannot now be prevented.












But the study also shows that tackling climate change early brings big rewards. Arnell compared a policy of letting emissions peak in 2016 and then cutting them by 2 per cent a year with one that delays the peak till 2030 and then cuts by 5 per cent a year. He found that both restricted warming in 2100 to about 2 °C, but the climate disruption over the next century would be much less with the early start. Coastal flooding from sea-level rise in particular would be much reduced. This, he told New Scientist, contradicts a common view that drastic action to curb warming should wait for renewable energy to become cheaper.













"Arnell has shown just how crucial the emissions pathway we take today will be for our children and grandchildren," said Dave Reay, geoscientist at the University of Edinburgh, UK. Bill McGuire of University College London agrees: "It shows taking effective action now is far better than putting it off until later."












It's a shame, then, that even if all goes well with UN negotiations, no global deal to bring down emissions will come into force until at least 2020. Our great-great-grandchildren will be cursing our delay.












Journal reference: Nature Climate Change, DOI: 10.1038/NCLIMATE1793


















































If you would like to reuse any content from New Scientist, either in print or online, please contact the syndication department first for permission. New Scientist does not own rights to photos, but there are a variety of licensing options available for use of articles and graphics we own the copyright to.




































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"Homeland", "Girls" big TV winners at Golden Globes






LOS ANGELES: The terrorism-themed thriller "Homeland" and the quirky Brooklyn hipster comedy "Girls" took top television honours Sunday at the 70th annual Golden Globe awards.

"Homeland", which wrapped its second season on the Showtime cable channel last month, won for best dramatic series, and took home best actress and best actor honours for its two stars, Claire Danes and Britain's Damian Lewis.

The show -- held in high esteem by critics who contend that American television may have overtaken film for originality and risk-taking -- won the same three categories at the Emmy awards in September.

"I'm proud to be working in this medium, in this moment, in this company," said Danes, who portrays CIA officer Carrie Mathison against Lewis's Iraq war POW turned politician Nicholas Brody.

"I want to thank our writers who didn't buckle under the pressure, the success of the first season and continued to challenge themselves and, by extension, us as actors," she said.

"You make brave choices relentlessly and we are all better for it," added Danes, in her first big awards night appearance since giving birth to her first child, a boy, a month ago.

Showtime has commissioned a third season of "Homeland," which was adapted from the Israeli series "Hatufim", also known as "Prisoners of War".

"Girls", which by coincidence aired its second season premiere Sunday on HBO as the Golden Globes gala was underway, took best comedy series as well as best actress for its 26-year-old creator and star Lena Dunham.

The show has been critically acclaimed for its post-"Sex and the City" portrayal of the lives of four New York City twenty-somethings in a post-recession world of career and romantic uncertainty.

"This award is for every woman who felt like there wasn't a space for her," said Dunham, who bases the series on her own experiences, "This show has made a space for me."

Other winners Sunday included the HBO television movie "Game Change" and its star Julianne Moore, who took best actress in a TV series, miniseries or film for her role as renegade Republican vice presidential candidate Sarah Palin.

Ed Harris collected best supporting actor for his portrayal of John McCain, who picked Palin as his running mate in his failed 2008 bid for the White House against Barack Obama.

Academy Award winner Kevin Costner took best actor in a TV miniseries or movie for "Hatfields and McCoys", while Maggie Smith, also an Oscar winner, won for best supporting TV actress for the British-made "Downton Abbey".

Don Cheadle collected best comedy actor for "House of Lies".

Below is a list of the winners in all television categories for the 2013 Golden Globe awards, handed out at the Beverly Hilton hotel:

Best series, drama: "Homeland"

Best actress, drama: Claire Danes, "Homeland"

Best actor, drama: Damian Lewis, "Homeland"

Best series, musical or comedy: "Girls"

Best actress, musical or comedy: Lena Dunham, "Girls"

Best actor, musical or comedy: Don Cheadle, "House of Lies"

Best miniseries or movie: "Game Change"

Best actress, miniseries or movie: Julianne Moore, "Game Change"

Best actor, miniseries or movie: Kevin Costner, "Hatfields & McCoys"

Best supporting actress, series, miniseries or movie: Maggie Smith, "Downton Abbey"

Best supporting actor, series, miniseries or movie: Ed Harris, "Game Change"

-AFP/fl



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Fleischer: Hagel is wrong about Israel




Former Sen. Chuck Hagel was nominated by President Obama for defense secretary.




STORY HIGHLIGHTS


  • In 2006, Hagel said 'the Jewish lobby intimidates a lot of people up here'

  • Ari Fleischer: The support for Israel isn't because of 'intimidation,' but merit

  • Polls show most Americans view Israel favorably, but don't support Iran or Palestinians

  • Fleischer: Israel is a steady friend of the U.S. and a tolerant democracy




Editor's note: Ari Fleischer, a CNN contributor, was White House press secretary in the George W. Bush administration from 2001 to 2003 and is the president of Ari Fleischer Sports Communications Inc. He is a paid consultant and board member for the Republican Jewish Coalition, which opposes the Hagel nomination. Follow him on Twitter: @AriFleischer


(CNN) -- "The political reality is ... that the Jewish lobby intimidates a lot of people up here." -- Senator Chuck Hagel, 2006


As a result of those words and his voting record, former Nebraska Sen. Chuck Hagel's nomination has turned a decades-long, bipartisan confirmation process for secretary of defense into an acrimonious one.


While some leading figures such as the Anti-Defamation League's Abe Foxman and the Simon Wiesenthal Center's Rabbi Abraham Cooper say Hagel's words are borderline anti-Semitism, I'm less worried about anti-Semitism and more worried about the judgment of a potential defense secretary who thinks Israel has won support because of "intimidation," not merit.



Ari Fleischer

Ari Fleischer



Israel is widely supported by the American people because Israel deserves to be supported. Israel is a lonely democratic ally and a steady friend of the United States in a dangerous and tumultuous region. Their people are like the American people -- free, independent, capitalistic and tolerant.


A Gallup poll taken last year showed 71% of the American people view Israel favorably while only 19% view the Palestinian Authority favorably and just 10% view Iran favorably.



In a Pew Research Center study last month, 50% of adults said they sympathize more with Israel in its dispute than with the Palestinians. Just 10% sympathize more with the Palestinians, while about as many (13%) volunteered that they sympathize with neither side.


Contrary to Hagel's logic, Israel doesn't enjoy widespread American support because anyone -- from any faith -- intimidated someone else; Israel earned the support of the American people because of its people's values.


Opinion: Hagel is a friend to Israel


The danger in what Hagel said is if he thinks Israel is supported on Capitol Hill because of intimidation, then it's not hard to see why Hagel is so soft in his support for our ally. He sees himself as an independent voice willing to stand up to intimidation, and he wears his anti-Israel votes as badges of honor.










But Hagel isn't independent. He's alone.


His position on Middle Eastern matters is so outside the mainstream of both parties that almost no one agrees with him.


In 2000, Hagel was one of only four senators who refused to sign a Senate letter in support of Israel.


Peter Beinart: What's behind Hagel nomination fight


The following year Hagel was one of only 11 senators who refused to sign a letter urging President George W. Bush to continue his policy of not meeting with Yasser Arafat until the Palestinian leader took steps to end the violence against Israel.


John Cornyn: Why I can't support Hagel


Contrary to America's longstanding bipartisan position, Hagel has called for direct talks with terrorist organizations Hamas and Hezbollah. In 2007, Hagel voted against labeling the Iranian Revolutionary Guard Corps, the group responsible for the death of many American servicemen in Iraq, a terrorist organization.


And in 2008, he was one of two senators on the banking committee to oppose a bill putting sanctions on Iran. One of the measure's biggest backers was an Illinois senator named Barack Obama.


I'm a New Yorker and neither of my senators -- Chuck Schumer and Kirsten Gillibrand -- supports Israel because someone muscled them into that position through intimidation. They both support Israel because the lobby that wants them to support Israel is an American lobby, made up of people from both parties and all religions and from people with no religion or political party at all.


But if Chuck Hagel believes that it's intimidation and not sound judgment that has caused his colleagues to support Israel, then Chuck Hagel should not be confirmed as our next secretary of defense.


Follow us on Twitter @CNNOpinion


Join us on Facebook/CNNOpinion


The opinions expressed in this commentary are solely those of Ari Fleischer.






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"Argo," "Les Miserables" win best-picture Globes

Updated 11:28 p.m. ET

"Argo" was the best drama winner at Sunday's Golden Globe Awards, beating out the Civil War epic "Lincoln," which had emerged as an awards-season favorite.

The Iran hostage thriller also claimed the directing prize for Ben Affleck, a prize that normally bodes well for an Academy Award win -- except he missed out on an Oscar nomination this time.

Affleck is now in an unusual position during Hollywood's long awards season, taking home the top filmmaking trophy at the second-highest film honors knowing he does not have a shot at an Oscar.

And the night left "Argo" taking home the top prize at the Globes but standing as a longshot for best picture at the Feb. 24 Oscars, where films almost never win if their directors are not nominated.

In a breathless, rapid-fire speech, Affleck gushed over the names of other nominees presenter Halle Berry had read off: Steven Spielberg for "Lincoln," Ang Lee for "Life of Pi," Kathryn Bigelow for "Zero Dark Thirty" and Quentin Tarantino for "Django Unchained."

"Look, I don't care what the award is. When they put your name next to the names she just read off, it's an extraordinary thing in your life," Affleck said.

"Les Miserables" was named best musical or comedy, while Hugh Jackman and Anne Hathaway claimed acting prizes.

Daniel Day-Lewis won the award for best actor in a drama for the title role in "Lincoln," while the dramatic actress honor went to Jessica Chastain for playing a CIA agent in "Zero Dark Thirty."

Besides the three wins for "Les Miserables" and two for "Argo," the show was a mixed bag, with awards spread around a number of films. "Lincoln" came in leading with seven nominations but lost all but one, for Daniel Day-Lewis as best actor in the title role of "Lincoln."

"If I had this on a timeshare basis with my wonderful gifted colleagues, I might just hope to keep it for one day of the year, and I'd be happy with that," said Day-Lewis, who previously won a Globe for "There Will Be Blood" and is a two-time Oscar winner with a strong shot at taking a third.

"Zero Dark Thirty" star Jessica Chastain won the Globe for dramatic actress as a CIA agent obsessively pursuing Bin Laden. Other acting prizes went to Jennifer Lawrence as best musical or comedy actress for the oddball romance "Silver Linings Playbook" and Christoph Waltz as supporting actor for the slave-revenge tale "Django Unchained."

"Les Miserables," the musical based on Victor Hugo's classic novel, earned Jackman the Globe for musical or comedy actor as tragic hero Jean Valjean. Hathaway won supporting actress as a single mom forced into prostitution.

"Thank you for this lovely blunt object that I will forevermore use as a weapon against self-doubt," Hathaway said. She also thanked her husband, telling him, "Thank you for the best string of yesterdays I have ever had."

Jackman was a bit hoarse from the flu, but his Globe win seemed to be the right antidote.

"I was kicking myself for not getting the flu shot, but it appears that you don't need one. I feel great," he said.

But when it comes to Hollywood's highest honors, "Les Miserables" already has a big obstacle, also failing to earn a best-director slot for filmmaker Tom Hooper at the Feb. 24 Oscars.

Last Thursday's Oscar nominations held some shockers, including the omission of Affleck from the directing lineup, along with fellow Globe nominee Bigelow. Bigelow and Affleck also were nominated for top honors by the Directors Guild of America, whose contenders usually match up closely with the Oscar field.

Former President Bill Clinton upstaged Hollywood's elite with a surprise appearance to introduce Steven Spielberg's Civil War epic "Lincoln," which was up for best drama. The film chronicles Abraham Lincoln's final months as he tries to end the war and find common ground in a divided Congress to pass the 13th Amendment abolishing slavery.

Amy Poehler, co-host of the Globes with Tina Fey, gushed afterward, "Wow, what an exciting special guest! That was Hillary Clinton's husband!"

Lawrence won as best actress in a musical or comedy for her role as a troubled widow in a shaky new relationship. The Globe winners in musical or comedy categories often aren't factors at the Oscars, which tend to favor heavier dramatic roles.

But "Silver Linings Playbook" is a crowd-pleasing comic drama with deeper themes than the usual comedy. And Lawrence -- a 2010 Oscar nominee for her breakout film "Winter's Bone" who shot to superstardom with "The Hunger Games" -- delivers a nice mix of humor and melancholy in the film.

"What does this say? I beat Meryl," Lawrence joked as she looked at her award, referring to fellow nominee and multiple Globe winner Meryl Streep. Lawrence went on to thank her mother for believing in her and her father for making her maintain a sense of humor. ("I beat Meryl" is a reference to the 1996 film "The First Wives Club.")

Waltz won supporting actor for his role as a genteel bounty hunter who takes on an ex-slave as his apprentice. The win was Waltz's second supporting-actor prize at the Globes, both of them coming in Tarantino films. He also played a bloodthirsty Nazi in his Globe and Oscar-winning role in Tarantino's 2009 tale "Inglourious Basterds."

"Let me gasp," Waltz said. "Quentin, you know that my indebtedness to you and my gratitude knows no words."

Tarantino, who won best screenplay for "Django Unchained," thanked his cast and also the group of friends to whom he reads work-in-progress for reaction.

"You guys don't know how important you are to my process. I don't want input. I don't want you to tell me if I'm doing anything wrong. Heavens forbid," Tarantino said. "When I read it to you, I hear it through your ears, and it lets me know I'm on the right track."

The Scottish tale "Brave" won for best animated film. It was the sixth win for Disney's Pixar Animation unit in the seven years since the Globes added the category.

Austrian director Michael Haneke's old-age love story "Amour," a surprise best-picture nominee for the Oscars, won the Globe for foreign-language film. The top prize winner at last May's Cannes Film Festival, "Amour" is a grim yet moving portrait of an elderly woman tended by her husband as she is incapacitated by age.

Pop star Adele and co-writer Paul Epworth won for best song for their theme tune to the James Bond adventure "Skyfall." The singer, making her first public appearance since giving birth in October, got a high-five from the film's star Daniel Craig as she went up to accept the award.

"Oh, my God!" Adele gushed repeatedly, before offering gratitude to the group that presents the Globes. "I'd like to thank the Hollywood Foreign Press. I never thought I'd say that."

The prize for musical score went to Mychael Danna for the lost-at-sea tale "Life of Pi," who said he wanted to share the award with the film's director, Ang Lee.

"Ang, I will always treasure this voyage we made together," Danna said. "Thank for guiding us all to shore safely."




Play Video


Poehler, Fey joke about "Zero Dark Thirty" torture




Show hosts Fey and Poehler, who co-starred in the 2008 big-screen comedy "Baby Mama," had a friendly rivalry at the Globes. Both were nominated for best actress in a TV comedy series, Fey for "30 Rock" and Poehler for "Parks and Recreation."

"Tina, I just want to say that I very much hope that I win," Poehler told Fey at the start of the show.

"Thank you. You're my nemesis. Thank you," Fey replied.

Neither won. Lena Dunham claimed the comedy series Globe for "Girls," on the same night the show's second season premiered on HBO.

"This award is for everyone who felt like there wasn't a space for her," Dunham said. "This show has made a space for me."

After that, Fey and Poehler showed up on stage with cocktail glasses, Fey joking that it was time to start drinking.

"Everyone's getting a little loose now that we're all losers," Poehler said.

"Girls" also won the prize for best comedy series. Among other TV winners, Julianne Moore won a best-actress Globe for her role as Sarah Palin in "Game Change," which also was picked as best TV miniseries or movie and earned Ed Harris a supporting-actor prize. Best actor in a miniseries or movie went to Kevin Costner for "Hatfields & McCoys." "Homeland" was named best TV drama series, and its stars Claire Danes and Damian Lewis received the dramatic acting awards. Maggie Smith won as supporting actress for "Downton Abbey."

Read More..

'Argo' Wins the Golden Globe for Best Movie Drama


ap tina fey amy poehler tk 130113 wblog Live Updates: The 2013 Golden Globe Awards

Tina Fey and Amy Poehler: The women of the night. Credit: Paul Drinkwater/NBC/AP Photo.


11:06 p.m. ET: And finally, the Globes by the numbers: “Les Miserables” was the top winner, with three major trophies, followed by “Argo” and “Django Unchained, which each got two. On the TV side, “The Game Change” and “Homeland” scored three major awards, “Girls” got two.


11:00 p.m. ET: Fey and Poehler sign off: “Goodnight, we’re going home with Jodie Foster.” Can we get them next year, please?


10:58 p.m. ET: The final award of the night, best motion picture drama, goes to “Argo.” Sounds like we’ll be seeing a lot of Affleck, Clooney and the gang in the coming weeks.


PHOTOS: 2013 Golden Globe Winners


10:51 p.m. ET: And best actor in a drama award goes to … Daniel Day-Lewis for “Lincoln.” “Are you sure there’s room for another ex-president on the stage?” he jokes.


10:48 p.m. ET: Jessica Chastain wins for “Zero Dark Thirty.” She calls out director Kathryn Bigelow: “I can’t help but compare my character of Maya to you. … When you make a film that allows your film to allow your character to disobey the conventions of Hollywood, you’ve done more for women in cinema than you take credit for.”


PHOTOS: Golden Globes’ Hottest Couples


10:47 p.m. ET: It’s time for best actress in a drama — George Clooney’s presenting.


10:41 p.m. ET: Another win for “Les Miserables” — the movie wins the Globe for best comedy or musical.


10:31 p.m. ET: “Les Mis” star Hugh Jackman nabs the Globe for best actor in a movie musical or comedy. He saves his biggest thank you for his wife: “Baby, thank you for always being right.”


PHOTOS: Best and Worst Dressed at the Golden Globes


10:26 p.m. ET: So apparently Jodie Foster is not retiring. Backstage, when asked by reporters “Are you retiring?’, she said “no, not retiring.” What was she talking about then?


10:22 p.m. ET: Major night for “Girls” — second season premiere is tonight and the HBO hit just won best comedy. Dunham grabs the trophy and screams. “It took a village to raise this very demented child,” she says. “I also promised myself that if I ever got this chance, I would thank Chad Lowe.”


10:17 p.m. ET: Next major award of the night goes to Ben Affleck for “Argo” — best director. (Take that, Oscars.) Steven Spielberg does not look happy.



gty ben affleck tk 130113 wblog Live Updates: The 2013 Golden Globe Awards

Credit: Jason Merritt/Getty Images


10:11 p.m. ET: And it sounds like Foster just retired from acting. She says she’s not returning to this stage or any stage: “It’s just that from now on, I may be holding a different talking stick.” People in the audience are wiping away tears, notably Kate Hudson.


RELATED: Jodie Foster Wows With Golden Globes Acceptance Speech


10:07 p.m. ET: Foster almost made a huge public statement about her sexuality. Instead, she said she’s single, and she “already did my coming out in the stone age.” “Now, apparently, I’m told that every celebrity is expected to honor the details of their private life with a press conference … You guys might be surprised, but I’m not Honey Boo Boo Child,” she said. “If you had been a public figure from the time that you were a toddler … then maybe you too might value privacy above all else. Privacy.” But she specifically thanked her partner Cydney Bernard, with whom she has two kids.



abc jodie foster tk 130113 wblog Live Updates: The 2013 Golden Globe Awards

Credit: Obtained by ABC.


10:06 p.m. ET: Foster accepting her award: “Trust me, 47 years in the film business is a long time. … but tonight, I feel like the prom queen.”


10:02 p.m. ET: Robert Downey Jr. gives a somewhat incomprehensible intro for Jodie Foster, who’s being given the Cecil B. DeMille award for her decades in film.


10:00 p.m. ET: Despite her silence on her relationship status, Taylor Swift WILL NOT be spared: “You know what Taylor Swift, you stay away from Michael J. Fox’s son,” Fey slurs, ignoring Poehler’s objections. “She needs some me time to learn about herself.”


9:58 p.m. ET: Fey and Poehler come back to the mic (finally!) holding drinks. “Everybody’s getting a little lose now that we’re all losers,” Fey says. “Congratulations, Lena. Glad that we got you through middle school.” Poehler says, “Look how drunk Glenn Close is,” Close flails/dances in her chair. Fantastic.


9:52 p.m. ET: Lena Dunham wins best actress in a comedy for “Girls”! She calls Judd Apatow “the greatest honorary ’Girl.’” “This award is for everyone who feels like there wasn’t a place for her,” she says. “This show made a space for me.”


9:50 p.m. ET: Aziz Ansari is pretending the cast of “Downton Abbey” got him high. And Amy Poehler is in George Clooney’s lap. It’s great.


9:46 p.m. ET: “Brave” wins best animated movie.


9:45 p.m. ET: Oh, Sacha Baron Cohen. He’s subbing for Ricky Gervais with an insult-heavy presentation of the nominated animated movies. (Speaking of, where are Fey and Poehler?!)


9:38 p.m. ET: “Homeland” wins again. Claire Danes scores best actress in a TV drama. “I want to thank the other women in this category who are all so badass, so brilliant,” she says. She thanks her costume designer who apparently took her pants out every week while Danes was pregnant last season.


9:35 p.m. ET: The award goes to “Amour,” which picked up a slew of Oscar nominations too.


9:33 p.m. ET: Arnold Schwarzenegger and Sylvester Stallone look hilarious stuffed into suits. They’re presenting the award for best foreign film.


9:27 p.m. ET: It’s a good night for Don Cheadle. His Showtime show “House of Lies” returns for its second season tonight and he just won a Golden Globe for best actor in a TV comedy.


FULL LIST: 2013 Golden Globes Winners


9:23 p.m. ET: Globe for best original screenplay goes to Quentin Tarantino — that’s two trophies so far for “Django Unchained.” He calls the award a “damn surprise” and thanks his friends for listening to him read his scenes. “I don’t want input,” he says. “When I read it to you, I hear it through your ears.”


9:15 p.m. ET: Globe for best supporting actress in a movie (drama) goes to Anne Hathaway for “Les Miserables.” “Blergh,” she says, clearly flustered. “Thanks for that word, Tina.” She also pays tribute to fellow nominee Sally Field for inspiring her to stay in the industry.



ap hathaway award tk 13013 wblog Live Updates: The 2013 Golden Globe Awards

Credit: Jordan Strauss/Invision/AP Photo.


9:12 p.m. ET: Best supporting actor in a TV series or movie goes to …  Ed Harris for “Game Change.”


9:06 p.m. ET: Jennifer Lawrence wins best actress in a movie (comedy or musical) for “Silver Linings Playbook.” “Oh what does it say?” she asks, looking at the trophy. “I beat Meryl.” She means Streep, of course.


9:05 p.m. ET: Camera pans to Tommy Lee Jones who is not at all amused by Wiig and Ferrell.


9:03 p.m. ET: Kristen Wiig and Will Ferrell are doing a hilarious bit about how they know absolutely nothing about any of the best actress movie nominees. Of Judy Dench in “Best Exotic Marigold Hotel”: “And she’s on that tractor with the marigolds everywhere.”


9:01 p.m. ET: Poehler gushes over “Hillary’s husband.” Fey is still in drag from her bit earlier. They’re amazing and we want to see more of them.


9:00 p.m. ET: Clinton’s presenting a clip of “Lincoln.” Now this makes sense. “We’re all here tonight because he did it,” he says of Lincoln’s battle to end slavery.


8:59 p.m. ET: What, Bill Clinton’s here?! He gets a standing ovation.



abc bill clinton tk 130113 wblog Live Updates: The 2013 Golden Globe Awards

Credit: Obtained by ABC.


8:55 p.m. ET: Kevin Costner wins for best actor in a miniseries or movie for “Hatfields & McCoys.”


8:48 p.m. ET: Adele scoops up the Globe for best original song for the latest Bond theme, “Skyfall.” Her reaction: “Oh my God! … Honestly, I came for a night out, with my friend Ida, we’re new mums … I literally came for a night out.”



ap adele award tk 130113 wblog Live Updates: The 2013 Golden Globe Awards

Credit: Jordan Strauss/Invision/AP Photo.


8:44 p.m. ET: “Life of Pi” wins for best original score … but J-Lo’s nude dress steals the spotlight. Just like her nipple almost did at last year’s Oscars.


8:41 p.m. ET: “Argo’s” real life inspiration, Tony Mendez, joined John Goodman to introduce a clip of the film, which is up for five Globes.


8:36 p.m. ET: Well that was awkward. Some sort of camera malfunction messed up Salma Hayek and Paul Rudd’s best TV drama intro. “Homeland” wins! Executive producer Alex Gansa: “Thanks to everyone who’s been watching ‘Homeland,’ and to those who haven’t, allow me to spoil it for you.”


8:33 p.m. ET: Best actor in a TV drama goes to … Damian Lewis for “Homeland.” Considering it’s a fan and critic favorite right now, not a huge surprise.



ap damian lewis tk 130113 wblog Live Updates: The 2013 Golden Globe Awards

Credit: Jordan Strauss/Invision/AP Photo.


8:28 p.m. ET: Hollywood Foreign Press Association president Dr. Aida Takla-O’Reilly disses Jeffrey Katzenberg for never learning her name, asks Bradley Cooper to “call me maybe.” Amazing.


8:21 p.m. ET: And Julianne Moore wins for best actress in a miniseries or movie. “Oh my gosh, my children will be so relieved,” she says. She gives a shout out to Tina Fey and Katie Couric — “two people who made a difference in the 2008 election.”



gty julianne moore award tk 130113 vblog Live Updates: The 2013 Golden Globe Awards

Credit: Kevin WInter/Getty Images.


8:18 p.m. ET: “Game Change” scores best miniseries or movie. Somewhere, Sarah Palin is probably shaking her fist.


8:14 p.m. ET: We’ll use the commercial break to declare that Poehler and Fey had an absolutely amazing opening bit. Bravo.


8:12 p.m. ET: Second award of the night, best supporting actress in TV: Maggie Smith for “Downton Abbey.” According to Poehler and Fey’s drinking game, you should drink take off a piece of clothing now.


RELATED: Poehler and Fey Reveal Their Golden Globes Drinking Game


8:10 p.m. ET: And the award for best supporting actor in a movie goes to … Christoph Waltz for “Django Unchained.” Hint that he’ll win the Oscar for that part too?


8:07 p.m. ET: Fey almost reprised her Sarah Palin impression while into-ing Julianne Moore but appears to have lost it. Dang.


8:05 p.m. ET: Poehler: “Meryl Streep is not here tonight, she has the flu. And I hear she’s amazing in it.”


8:04 p.m. ET: Fey had a great one for Anne Hathaway and “Les Mis”: “I have not seen someone so totally alone and abandoned like that since you were on stage with James Franco at the Oscars.”


8:03 p.m. ET: Poehler on Kathryn Bigelow and the “Zero Dark Thirty” torture controversy: “When it comes to torture, I trust the lady who spend three years married to James Cameron.” WOW.


8:02 p.m. ET: Oh and they’re not going to be offensive like past host Ricky Gervais. Poehler: ”When you run afoul of the Hollywood Foreign Press, they make you host this show two more times.”


8:00 p.m. ET: Fey and Poehler did an outfit change before stepping up to the mic. Poehler threw the first jab of the night: “You can smell the pills from here. ”


7:44 p.m. ET: “Scandal” and “Django Unchained” star Kerry Washington never Googles herself. She feels like it’s bad for her health. Now you know. Also, she looks gorgeous in Miu Miu.


7:40 p.m. ET: @AngiesRightLeg has met its match: Halle Berry struck a leggy pose on the red carpet in an unfortunate one-shoulder gown.



gty halle berry tk 130113 vblog Live Updates: The 2013 Golden Globe Awards

Angie's Right Leg, meet Halle's. Credit: Steve Granitz/Getty Images.


7:33 p.m. ET: It’s an “ER” reunion! George Clooney and Julianna Margulies just hugged on the red carpet.


7:28 p.m. ET: Best song nominee Adele revealed that she actually had to be convinced to write the theme for “Skyfall.” “It’s a big responsibility doing a Bond song,” she said. “I didn’t want to let everybody down by doing it.”


7:19 p.m. ET: Julianne Moore looks stunning in black and white Tom Ford. She’s up for best actress in a TV movie for “Game Change.”


7:18 p.m. ET: “Mad Men” star Jon Hamm on the best part of playing Don Draper: “Well it’s always fun to play drunk, because if you forget your lines you’re just like, ‘Uh, well, I’m in character.’”


PHOTOS: The 2013 Golden Globes Red Carpet


7:15 p.m. ET: Taylor Swift wore a mermaid-cut eggplant gown … and did not at all talk about what happened with her latest boyfriend, Harry Styles. Sigh.



gty taylor swift tk 130113 vblog Live Updates: The 2013 Golden Globe Awards

Credit: Credit: Steve Granitz/Getty Images.


7:14 p.m. ET: Hugh Jackman revealed the “horrible” way he shed weight quickly before filming “Les Mis”: “I lost about 35 pounds in 36 hours before the first scene. I didn’t drink any liquids whatsoever.”


7:07 p.m. ET: Another fashion miss: Jennifer Lawrence. It looks like she stole Madonna’s cone bra and cut off the straps.



gty jennifer lawrence tk 130113 vblog Live Updates: The 2013 Golden Globe Awards

Credit: Steve Granitz/Getty Images.


7:02 p.m. ET: “Zero Dark Thirty” star Jessica Chastain diverged from the major trends of the night — nude, black and white, and red — in a powder blue Calvin Klein Collection gown. The plunging bodice looks a bit like a sack.



gty jessica chastain tk 130113 wblog Live Updates: The 2013 Golden Globe Awards

Credit: Steve Granitz/Getty Images.


6:57 p.m. ET: E!’s mani-cam has become a source of contention. While some actresses happily showed off their nails on the tiny red carpet, Aziz Ansari refused to stick his hand in the diorama-like box.


FULL COVERAGE: The 2013 Awards Season


6:56 p.m. ET: Olivia Munn has a new perspective on newsrooms now that she’s on Aaron Sorkin’s “The Newsroom.” “I think [our show] makes other newsrooms seem pretty easygoing,” she said.


6:42 p.m. ET: Julia Louis-Dreyfus said she had a “little tiny piece of cake” to celebrate her birthday. “Look, this is a corset,” she said, pointing to her Vera Wang dress. “I can’t mess around.” Though she’s up for best actress in a TV comedy, she thinks she’ll lose. “I hope that Lena Dunham or Amy Poehler have their speech ready,” she said.


6:38 p.m. ET: Hosts Tina Fey and Amy Poehler are encouraging their guests to get liquored up. “It’s a party and we want it to remain a party,” Fey said. Both have awesome outfits — a strapless black and white gown for Fey and a low cut tuxedo for Poehler.


6:31 p.m. ET: “Girls” star and Globes nominee Lena Dunham said her stylist gave her very specific instructions about adjusting her dress because “my breasts have a tendency to shove my dress to the right.” She looks lovely in chocolate brown, off-the-shoulder gown.



gty lena dunham tk 130113 vblog Live Updates: The 2013 Golden Globe Awards

Lena Dunham. Credit: Steve Granitz/Getty Images.


6:28 p.m. ET: Best actress in a TV comedy nominee Zooey Deschanel showed off her film strip nail art on the red carpet. Very Hollywood.



gty zooey deschanel tk 130113 vblog Live Updates: The 2013 Golden Globe Awards

Zooey Deschanel. Credit: Steve Granitz/Getty Images.


6:22 p.m. ET: Another stunning new mom: Megan Fox. She admitted that husband Brian Austin Green picks most of her dresses.


6:16 p.m. ET: The first surprise of Golden Globes: How utterly amazing Claire Danes looks. She gave birth a month ago and has a flat, practically concave stomach. She tried on her red Versace dress for the first time last night but admitted she’s “been in sweatpants for quite a while.” She added, “I hope I don’t leak.”


RELATED: Claire Danes Flaunts Post-Baby Body at the Golden Globes



gty claire danes tk 130113 vblog Live Updates: The 2013 Golden Globe Awards

Claire Danes dressed her insane post-baby body in Versace. Credit: Steve Granitz/Getty Images.


6:14 p.m. ET: Amy Adams, up for best supporting actress for “The Master,” looks angelic in a Marchesa in a color she called ballet pink. “This is mommy at work,” she said to her daughter back at home.



gty amy adams tk 130113 vblog Live Updates: The 2013 Golden Globe Awards

Amy Adams in Marchesa. Credit: Steve Granitz/Getty Images.


6:12 p.m. ET: Julianne Hough opted for a creepy crawly accessory — her earrings are made out of actual beetles.


6:02 p.m. ET: For Julia Louis-Dreyfus, this Globes is extra special — today is her 52nd birthday and she’s up for best actress in a TV comedy for “Veep.” “Today I’m either a year older & I’m gonna lose a Golden Globe OR at least I’m nominated & I’m not dead yet,” she wrote on her WhoSay page.


6:00 p.m. ET: It’s here, the night that Hollywood has been steeling its liver for: The Golden Globe Awards, which are almost always a raucous time because the Hollywood Foreign Press keeps the bar open throughout the ceremony. We’ll be chronicling all the jokes, insults, red carpet highlights — and of course, the winners — right here. Keep refreshing for the latest updates.


PHOTOS: 2013 Golden Globe Nominees

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Video games take off as a spectator sport








































Editorial: "Give video games a sporting chance"













EVERY sport has its idols and superstars. Now video gaming is getting them too. Professional gaming, or e-sports, exploded in popularity in the US and Europe last year.












The scene has been big in Asia - particularly South Korea - for about a decade, with top players such as Lim Yo-Hwan earning six-figure salaries and competing for rock-star glory in Starcraft tournaments that attract audiences in the hundreds of thousands.












The phenomenon is taking off in the West partly because of improved video-streaming technology and large financial rewards. Video games are becoming a spectator sport, with certain players and commentators drawing massive online audiences.












And where people go, money follows. The second world championship of League of Legends - a team-based game in which players defend respective corners of a fantasy-themed battle arena - was held in Los Angeles in October. The tournament had a prize pool of $5 million for the season, with $1 million going to winning team Taipei Assassins, the largest cash prize in the history of e-sports.












League of Legends has also set records for spectator numbers. More than 8 million people watched the championship finals either online or on TV - a figure that dwarfs audience numbers for broadcasts of many traditional sports fixtures.


















But gamers don't need to compete at the international level to earn money. Video-streaming software like Twitch makes it easy for players to send live footage to a website, where the more popular ones can attract upwards of 10,000 viewers - enough for some to make a living by having adverts in their video streams. Gamers can go pro without leaving their homes.












Currently, e-sports productions are handled by gaming leagues - but that could soon change. Last November saw two moves that will make it even easier to reach a global online audience. First, Twitch announced it would be integrating with Electronic Arts's Origin service, a widely used gaming platform. This would let gamers stream their play at the click of a button, making it easy for people around the world to watch.












Also in November came the latest release from one of gaming's biggest franchises, Call of Duty: Black Ops 2, which has the ability to live-stream via YouTube built into the game itself. Another feature allows the broadcast of in-game commentary for multiplayer matches.












"I think we will reach a point, maybe within five years, where spectator features are a necessity for all big game releases," says Corin Cole of e-sports publishing company Heaven Media in Huntingdon, UK.












David Ting founded the California-based IGN Pro League (IPL), which hosts professional tournaments. He puts the popularity of e-sports down to the demand for new forms of online entertainment. "After 18 months, IPL's viewer numbers are already comparable to college sports in the US when there's a live event," he says. "The traffic is doubling every six months."












Ting sees motion detection, virtual reality and mobile gaming coming together to make physical exertion a more common aspect of video games, blurring the line between traditional sport and e-sports. "Angry Birds could be this century's bowling," says Ting.




















































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