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Are lone wolf attacks future threat?


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The victim killed in a cleaver attack Wednesday was identified as Drummer Lee Rigby of 2nd Battalion The Royal Regiment of Fusiliers. The brutal killing of Rigby shocked the United Kingdom, with Prime Minister David Cameron saying the act appears to have been a terrorist attack.The victim killed in a cleaver attack Wednesday was identified as Drummer Lee Rigby of 2nd Battalion The Royal Regiment of Fusiliers. The brutal killing of Rigby shocked the United Kingdom, with Prime Minister David Cameron saying the act appears to have been a terrorist attack.

A police officer stands with flowers in a hail storm on Thursday, May 23, close to the crime scene in front of Woolwich Barracks in southeast London.A police officer stands with flowers in a hail storm on Thursday, May 23, close to the crime scene in front of Woolwich Barracks in southeast London.

A man contemplates at a scene where flowers lay, outside Woolwich Barracks in London.A man contemplates at a scene where flowers lay, outside Woolwich Barracks in London.

Flowers lie outside Woolwich Barracks on May 23.Flowers lie outside Woolwich Barracks on May 23.

Soldiers walk outside Woolwich Barracks on Thursday, May 23, near where the soldier was killed.Soldiers walk outside Woolwich Barracks on Thursday, May 23, near where the soldier was killed.

Notes and shirts sit outside Woolwich Barracks on May 23. The slain soldier was wearing a Help for Heroes shirt when he was killed. Notes and shirts sit outside Woolwich Barracks on May 23. The slain soldier was wearing a “Help for Heroes” shirt when he was killed.

British soldiers stand guard outside the barracks on May 23.British soldiers stand guard outside the barracks on May 23.

Members of the far-right English Defence League wear balaclavas as they gather outside a pub in Woolwich on Wednesday, May 22.Members of the far-right English Defence League wear balaclavas as they gather outside a pub in Woolwich on Wednesday, May 22.

EDL supporters confront police in Woolwich on May 22.EDL supporters confront police in Woolwich on May 22.

EDL leader Tommy Robinson joins supporters at the crime scene on May 22.EDL leader Tommy Robinson joins supporters at the crime scene on May 22.

A police officer guards a tent that's been set up at the crime scene as investigations continue late May 22.A police officer guards a tent that’s been set up at the crime scene as investigations continue late May 22.

Mary Warder brings flowers to the scene of the crime on May 22 to pay respects to the victim.Mary Warder brings flowers to the scene of the crime on May 22 to pay respects to the victim.

Men place flowers near the scene on John Wilson Street.Men place flowers near the scene on John Wilson Street.

A police officer guards a blocked-off area in Woolwich on May 22.A police officer guards a blocked-off area in Woolwich on May 22.

A general view of Woolwich Barracks, near the scene in Woolwich.A general view of Woolwich Barracks, near the scene in Woolwich.

Police officers block off a road in Woolwich.Police officers block off a road in Woolwich.

Forensic officers investigate the crime scene on May 22.Forensic officers investigate the crime scene on May 22.

Police walk to the scene in Woolwich on May 22.Police walk to the scene in Woolwich on May 22.

A still frame from video shows a man outside the Woolwich Barracks in London holding a cleaver and addressing the camera directly, moments after a serving soldier was hacked to death in the street on Wednesday, May 22. a href='http://www.cnn.com/video/?/video/bestoftv/2013/05/22/sot-london-attack-suspect-video-itn.cnn'The man in the video/a swore by almighty Allah to keep fighting. British Prime David Cameron called the attack terrorism.A still frame from video shows a man outside the Woolwich Barracks in London holding a cleaver and addressing the camera directly, moments after a serving soldier was hacked to death in the street on Wednesday, May 22. The man in the video swore “by almighty Allah” to keep fighting. British Prime David Cameron called the attack terrorism.

Britain's prime Minister David Cameron addresses media representatives at 10 Downing Street in London on May 23, 2013, a day after a soldier who was hacked to death in a London street by two suspected Islamist extremists. Britain’s prime Minister David Cameron addresses media representatives at 10 Downing Street in London on May 23, 2013, a day after a soldier who was hacked to death in a London street by two suspected Islamist extremists.


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Editor’s note: Are you in London? Tell us your reaction to this incident.

London (CNN) — The only thing more horrifying than the murder of a British soldier in a London street is the fear that there is little police can do in the age of “open-source jihad” to prevent these types of terror attacks.

“It’s always the one we feared, the lone wolf that can come from nowhere and not be on our radar,” said ex-London police chief John Yates.

On Wednesday two men hacked the soldier to death near his military barracks in Woolwich, southeast London before delivering a message to a witness’s camera: “We swear by almighty Allah we will never stop fighting you until you leave us alone … this British soldier is an eye for an eye, a tooth for tooth.”

LATEST: London murder victim named

The message has all the hallmarks of classic al Qaeda rhetoric, and experts believe the blood-soaked men wielding cleavers for the cameras in London are just the latest proponents of the “open-source jihad” that seems to have grown just as the U.S.-led “War on Terror” scattered the organization’s terror cells around the world.


Fears of backlash in London


Man who taped London suspect speaks out


Brutal attack shocks London


London attack: Probing the suspects


Muslim community reacts to London attack

“Nearly a decade ago there was a debate within al Qaeda about the future of the organization,” according to Shiraz Maher, Head of Outreach at the International Centre for the Study of Radicalisation. “Afghanistan had been overrun by U.S. forces, the Taliban had been forced to retreat, and as a result al Qaeda lost its ability to train recruits there.”

The organization needed a new plan to stay relevant as the U.S. struck at the heart of its traditional operation in places like Afghanistan, Pakistan and Yemen. Enter a man called Abu Musab al-Suri, the so-called architect of the new al Qaeda, who had a simple plan to change the way al Qaeda took the fight to the West.

“Every Muslim should be an army of one,” Maher told CNN. “That was his grand idea — every individual Muslim should be an autonomous hub that goes out and strikes the West and you can’t contain it.”

COLOR: Slaughter of soldier on London street

Al-Suri may have had the vision, but it was al Qaeda in the Arabian Peninsula (AQAP) that translated it into reality in 2010 through the online speeches of radical cleric Anwar al-Awlaki — since killed by a U.S. drone strike — and the publishing of “Inspire,” the English-language magazine that acts as a how-to guide for followers to carry out small-scale terrorist attacks in the West.

“Since 2010 al Qaeda has been telling its followers in the West: ‘Don’t try and do another 9/11 or 7/7-style attack because invariably these things catch the attention of security services and you go to jail. Think small, think easy, think unsophisticated. Really scale it down to make it difficult to detect, because really it’s a detection battle,’” Maher said.

So this is the growing struggle facing police forces around the world today, say experts — not more traditional terror cells, which are more likely to show up through traditional surveillance methods, but self-starters who become radicalized through online sermons and publications.

READ MORE: The changing face of terrorism

In 2011 New York police arrested Jose Pimentel and accused him of plotting to detonate pipe bombs that he allegedly learned to make after reading “Inspire” magazine. Pimental pleaded not guilty to terrorism charges and is awaiting trial.

The pressure cooker bombs that killed three people near the finish line of April’s Boston Marathon bore strong similarities to a design laid out in the first issue of the magazine titled “How to Build a Bomb in Your Mom’s Kitchen,” according to CNN’s Paul Cruickshank.

In 2010 British MP Stephen Timms was nearly killed when a 21-year-old British student stabbed him during a meeting with his constituents in east London. The student, Roshonara Choudhry, told police she had become radicalized after watching the speeches of al-Awlaki online, and tried to kill Timms because he voted in favor of the Iraq War.

Yates, who was Metropolitan Police assistant commissioner until he retired in 2011, told CNN: “As someone who has tried to prevent these attacks in the past, they’re the most difficult ones.

“If we have some serious targets, then of course you can apply the correct level of resources and tactics … (but) Choudhry had never come to the attention of any authorities at any point.”

OPINION: Real enemy in London hacking death

So what, if anything, can be done to prevent lone wolf attacks? The grisly murder in Woolwich has prompted calls for Britain’s government to look again at a shelved bill that would greatly expand law enforcement’s powers to monitor suspects’ use of the internet, which is currently only possible on a more limited basis.

“There is some internet surveillance going on,” said Yates. “It’s been made very clear by police chiefs in recent weeks that if you download something like ‘Inspire’ you will be arrested, it is an offence and you will be charged.”

So where to draw the line between free speech and invasion of privacy? The proposal to expand police powers for collecting online data caused uproar among privacy advocates in late 2012, but the government says more robust surveillance tools are now needed to effectively combat terrorism.

While acknowledging there are “powerful” arguments on both sides, Yates said: “All I know is that you’ve got to do something, because the level of sophistication in technology is going to make it extraordinarily challenging to improve the way that the internet and other means of communication are monitored if nothing’s done.”

READ MORE: UK Muslims condemn London slaying

But radicalization expert Maher said monitoring the internet and tracking down anyone who downloads an al-Awlaki speech or a bomb-making guide won’t solve the lone wolf problem.

“You don’t have to have read ‘Inspire’ anymore — everyone knows what’s going on because, if nothing else, the media talks about it so much. The idea of committing an unsophisticated attack against a high-profile symbol is out there. It’s an impossible thing to work against,” he said.

Yates says in order to prevent future attacks, counter-terrorism police must bolster their community engagement strategy — making local people feel “free and able to provide relevant information at the right time.”

“It comes back to the line from the 1980s with the IRA: ‘Communities defeat terrorism.’ That was the strap-line then, and it’s no different today.”


Article source: http://edition.cnn.com/2013/05/23/world/europe/london-attack-lone-wolf-fears/index.html?eref=edition

Article source: http://feedproxy.google.com/~r/NewsRipplesWeb/~3/XnJs4wRkOCk/are-lone-wolf-attacks-future-threat

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Electric paint could light up your life


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The Bare Conductive paint pen contains a non-toxic electrically conductive paint. The pens work the same way as glitter glue pens, and are designed to help people explore elecronics, and learn about circuit making.The Bare Conductive paint pen contains a non-toxic electrically conductive paint. The pens work the same way as glitter glue pens, and are designed to help people explore elecronics, and learn about circuit making.

Bare Conductive's House Kit contains two paper houses, wired with conductive paint, which light up in the dark.Bare Conductive’s House Kit contains two paper houses, wired with conductive paint, which light up in the dark.

Rather than hiring an electrician to install switches, conductive paint could be used to send power across the surface of your wall. Indeed, a whole wall could feasibly be coated with conductive paint to make fumbling for a light switch a thing of the past.Rather than hiring an electrician to install switches, conductive paint could be used to send power across the surface of your wall. Indeed, a whole wall could feasibly be coated with conductive paint to make fumbling for a light switch a thing of the past.

Designer Patrick Stevenson-Keating developed a conductive paint-powered lamp for the 2012 Milan Furniture Fair. The lamp consists of a layer of liquid paint suspended in oil. When standing vertically two electrodes make contact with the conductive paint sending power to the bulb. By rotating the lamp horizontally, the contact is broken and the light goes off.Designer Patrick Stevenson-Keating developed a conductive paint-powered lamp for the 2012 Milan Furniture Fair. The lamp consists of a layer of liquid paint suspended in oil. When standing vertically two electrodes make contact with the conductive paint sending power to the bulb. By rotating the lamp horizontally, the contact is broken and the light goes off.

Bare Conductive's Matt Johnson travelled to Budapest Design Week and ran a workshop with University students at the Bloodmountain Foundation.Bare Conductive’s Matt Johnson travelled to Budapest Design Week and ran a workshop with University students at the Bloodmountain Foundation.

The company has created a collection of prototype posters that respond to touch. When activated, the posters play audio, which they hope might be used in poster campaigns promoting festivals, music, TV shows and film.The company has created a collection of prototype posters that respond to touch. When activated, the posters play audio, which they hope might be used in poster campaigns promoting festivals, music, TV shows and film.

Last year, conductive paint was used in a collection of interactive postcards created by Liverpool-based design agency a href='http://www.uniform.net/)' target='_blank'Uniform/a. When inserted into a bespoke dock, buttons on the postcard trigger music. The cards were shown at last year's South By South West festival in Austin, Texas, and were finalists at this year's Designs of the Year Awards at the Design Museum in London.Last year, conductive paint was used in a collection of interactive postcards created by Liverpool-based design agency Uniform. When inserted into a bespoke dock, buttons on the postcard trigger music. The cards were shown at last year’s South By South West festival in Austin, Texas, and were finalists at this year’s Designs of the Year Awards at the Design Museum in London.

DJ and producer Calvin Harris mounted a project with Bare Conductive, with painted dancers whose movements triggered loops from Harris's hit song Ready for the Weekend.DJ and producer Calvin Harris mounted a project with Bare Conductive, with painted dancers whose movements triggered loops from Harris’s hit song Ready for the Weekend.

Dundee University printed invitations to their 2011 product design MSc launch party with conductive paint. When plugged in to a system at the show, the invitation turned into a musical instrument. Users could control pitch by hovering one hand over a large circle of conductive paint, and frequency by pressing buttons with the other. Dundee University printed invitations to their 2011 product design MSc launch party with conductive paint. When plugged in to a system at the show, the invitation turned into a musical instrument. Users could control pitch by hovering one hand over a large circle of conductive paint, and frequency by pressing buttons with the other.


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London (CNN) — Imagine if you could paint a working light switch directly onto your wall, without any need for sockets, cables or wiring.

A group of students from the Royal College of Art (RCA) in London has made that possible by creating electrically conductive paint.

The paint acts as a form of liquid wiring. Unlike conventional wires, it can be applied to almost any surface, including paper, plastic, metal and even fabric.

The product has the appearance and consistency of runny marmite, but dries quickly when exposed to the air. Its inventors, RCA graduates Isabel Lizardi, Matt Johnson, Bibi Nelson and Becky Pilditch, call their creation “Bare Paint.” While they don’t claim to be the first group to have invented a conductive ink, they are pioneering new ways it can be used.

Read: Off-road chair that changes lives

“We started this project in earnest in 2009,” says Matt Johnson. “We were originally interested in trying to apply electronics to the skin … so we arrived at this idea of applying them as a coating and eventually we got this idea of a conductive paint.”

The team began by investigating how electronics were being used in the body.

“In 2008 — and probably still today — there was a lot of work around electronic textiles,” says Johnson. “And though we really liked the idea of having a jumper (a piece of clothing) that has some intelligence in it, we didn’t like that it was so bulky and that once you took it off the functionality disappeared.”

Around the same time there was a lot of “extreme work” being done by people who were injecting electronics beneath the skin. For their final project, the RCA students began work on making something less intrusive, looking for a substance that could be painted onto the body. Eventually, says Johnson, “that idea transformed into the material we have now, which is very safe though it’s not specifically intended for the body anymore.”

Read: Designs that will define our future

After graduating from college, the team collaborated on a video for DJ and producer Calvin Harris. The resulting project was the “Humanthesizer,” a performance which literally brought the paint to life, with dancers whose movements triggered audio loops from Harris’s song “Ready for the Weekend.”

“Making a new material was a bit daunting for four designers,” says Johnson. The team’s solution was not to return to school to study chemistry for four years. Instead, they simply went on Wikipedia. According to Johnson, the online encyclopedia provided them with almost everything they needed to know about crafting conductive materials.

Once the paint’s formula was finalized, co-creator Isabel Lizardi says the team began to consider how it might be applied to real-world products. The first thing they launched was the paint in its raw form, which they made available to other garden-shed inventors.

Today, Bare Paint jars and pens are sold on the Internet and stocked by Radio Shack electronics stores across the United States. Projects being done by Bare Paint users include everything from interactive color wheels to homemade electric toys.

Johnson says that conductive paint opens up an enormous range of creative opportunities. As conductive paint becomes increasingly common, we can look forward to a future where billboards talk back, walls are interactive, and greeting cards come to life in our very hands.

“Devices no longer have to look high tech to be high tech,” Johnson says. “Our goal is to put interactivity onto objects you don’t expect.”


Article source: http://edition.cnn.com/2013/05/23/tech/innovation/bare-electrically-conductive-paint/index.html?eref=edition

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EA makes Wii-U turn on games

EA makes Wii-U turn on games

Despite producing titles for the Wii U, the publisher is still not getting its Frostbite 3 engine to run on the console.


Electronic Arts has stated that it is in fact currently making games for the Wii U.

Last week, the publisher claimed that it currently had no games in development for Nintendo’s newest console. However, EA chief financial officer Blake Jorgensen has confirmed that the company is in fact working on Wii U titles after all.

Speaking at the Sitfel Nicolaus 2013 Internet, Media and Communications Conference, Jorgensen did state that EA is still focusing more on games for the upcoming Playstation 4 and recently announced Xbox One, but that it is also supporting Wii U.

Jorgensen did not however confirm exactly which games the publisher was working on, as it is still the case that Dice’s Frostbite 3 engine does not run on the Wii U and this engine underpins many of EA’s upcoming titles.

Work on getting the Frostbite 3 engine to run on the Wii U was abandoned following tests by Dice which means approximately 15 of EA’s upcoming titles will not be launched on the Wii U. This includes Battlefield 4, Dragon Age 3, the next iteration in the Mass Effect series and any of the publishers as-yet unannounced Star Wars games.

The EA Sports mainstays Fifa and Madden will also be avoiding the Wii U due to their disappointing sales on Nintendo’s previous platform, as reported by Eurogamer.

Article source: http://feedproxy.google.com/~r/bit-tech/news/~3/YMMYVYtBIJQ/1


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Survey: Teens Facebook weary


A new survey suggests some U.S. teens may be losing interest in Facebook, although they remain active on the site.

(CNN) — There’s fresh evidence that American teenagers may be growing weary of Facebook.

They don’t like the fact that their parents, grandparents and other adults are also there, diluting Facebook’s “cool” factor. They complain about their friends’ oversharing, and about too much “drama” on the site. And they’re increasingly flocking to other social platforms, such as Twitter.

These are some of the findings of a new Pew Research Center survey of U.S. teens’ social media use. Released Tuesday, the survey finds that teens are sharing more personal information on social media, but are also taking a variety of steps to manage their privacy online.

But it was the Facebook stuff that generated the most headlines. According to Pew, focus-group discussions with teens revealed “waning enthusiasm” for Facebook for the reasons cited, including feeling “drained by the ‘drama’ that they described as happening frequently” on the site.

“The stress of needing to manage their reputation on Facebook also contributes to the lack of enthusiasm,” the survey said.

The Pew survey found that 24% of online teens now use Twitter, up from 16% in 2011. Other social platforms such as Tumblr, Instagram (which is owned by Facebook), YouTube and Snapchat also have seen big growth among young users in the past year.

“Those teens who used sites like Twitter and Instagram reported feeling like they could better express themselves on these platforms, where they felt freed from the social expectations and constraints of Facebook,” the Pew survey said. “Nevertheless, the site is still where a large amount of socializing takes place, and teens feel they need to stay on Facebook in order to not miss out.”

Facebook has 1.1 billion users worldwide and remains the most popular social network among U.S. teens.

A Facebook spokesperson declined to comment specifically Wednesday on the Pew report but pointed to statements by CFO David Ebersman in a recent conference call about quarterly earnings, in which he emphasized Facebook’s popularity among users under 25.

“We continue to have really high penetration rates among that age group, both in the U.S. and globally, and … younger users remain among the most active and engaged users,” Ebersman said. “Younger users are extremely active users of Instagram as well.”

Facebook executives maintain that teen use of their social network has remained steady. They argue that Facebook is not losing users to other platforms — instead, they say, more users are visiting other social media sites in addition to Facebook.

“The urban legend (that Facebook is losing younger users) flows more often than not from surveys people have done of younger users that indicate that they’re using other social services … much of the concern stems from the assumption that this is a zero-sum game, and that’s not how we see it,” Ebersman said. “We think the overall amount of time spent on services that enable you to connect and share is growing and will continue to grow.”

Jeff Hancock, a professor of communication at Cornell University and a frequent social media analyst, mostly agrees.

“Facebook’s attraction to youth is based in part on being connected, but also on being an ‘ingroup’ and ‘cool’ thing. To the degree that the cool of Facebook wears off, we should see some migration of teens to other platforms,” he said.

“People are unlikely to fully leave Facebook but simply to diversify their tools for accomplishing social interaction. Instead of Facebook being the Walmart of social media, it will become just one platform in a big ecology, including photo sharing with Instragram, broadcasting with Twitter, etc.”

Pew’s findings are based on a nationally representative phone survey, run by its Internet American Life Project, of 802 teens ages 12-17. It was conducted between July 26 and September 30, 2012. Pew also conducted two online focus groups of teenagers ages 12-17 in June 2012.

Pew found that the typical (median) teen Facebook user has 300 friends, while the typical teen Twitter user has 79 followers.


Article source: http://edition.cnn.com/2013/05/22/tech/social-media/pew-teens-facebook/index.html?eref=edition

Article source: http://feedproxy.google.com/~r/NewsRipplesWeb/~3/XwdAp4k7QtE/survey-teens-facebook-weary

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Are UK soldiers targets at home?

London (CNN) — Security experts are starting to analyze events leading up to the horrific cleaver attack of a man believed to be a British soldier on the suburban streets of London.

One key line of inquiry they’ll be following among the many leads: How does this attack relate to other incidents around the world?

CNN Terrorism Analyst Paul Cruickshank says the precedents are not hard to detect. “It’s early in the investigation in terms of looking at the culprit and motivation but there’s a track record of Islamist extremists inspired by al Qaeda ideology targeting soldiers in the West,” he said.

READ: Victim hacked to death

Other areas the security services would look at, he added, would include which groups — if any — were behind the attack and whether it was home-grown.


Terrorism expert on London attack


Cameron: Strong indication of terrorism


Witness: Nobody knew what really happened


Were suspects Influenced by bin Laden?

Cruickshank said that there had been plots in the past when attackers had tried to target military personnel: the fact that Wednesday’s murder happened near a military barracks in southeast London was significant.

“It’s not clear if this particular officer was specifically targeted or he just happened to be walking through this area and was a target of opportunity,” said Cruickshank, “but it seems that more than one individual was part of this attack, so this could well have been planned. We just don’t know.”

CNN affiliate ITN has broadcast a video showing a man at the scene of the attack with bloody hands and holding a meat cleaver, saying: “We swear by almighty Allah we will never stop fighting you.” He then continues: “The only reasons we killed this man this is because Muslims are dying daily. This British soldier is an eye for an eye, a tooth for tooth.”

READ: Attack mirrors plot to behead Muslim soldier

Cruickshank cited the plot, uncovered in 2007, to kidnap and murder a Muslim British soldier. Four men plotted to kidnap a solider on leave and then decapitate him in a garage. Parviz Khan, the leader of the plotters, planned to behead the soldier “like a pig” and then post film of the killing online. It is not known if there are any links between this plot and the attack.

Leading al Qaeda clerics have called those who target soldiers in the West “heroes,” Cruickshank said. “These are people inspired by al Qaeda ideology in the West,” Cruickshank said.

“Hero” was the term militant cleric Anwar al-Awlaki — who was born and raised in the United States — had used to describe Nidal Hasan, an American Muslim soldier based at Fort Hood, Texas. In November 2009 Hasan shot and killed 13 U.S. soldiers at the military base in November 2009.

Hasan and Al-Awlaki had communicated on the internet before the shootings at the military base, used at the time by soldiers about to be deployed to Iraq and Afghanistan, Cruickshank said. Al-Awlaki himself was killed by a U.S. drone strike in in Yemen in September 2011.

“The motivation in these past attacks has been the war in Afghanistan and Iraq,” Cruickshank said. “For a generation of Islamist extremists in the UK, Iraq and Afghanistan were their formative experiences.”

In 2012, Mohammed Merah, a 23-year-old French-Algerian, went on a killing spree that terrorized France and left seven people dead, including three soldiers. Three children were killed when he attacked a Jewish school. He was eventually tracked down to his apartment in Toulouse, southern France, where he was besieged for 32 hours before being killed as security forces stormed the building on March 22.

During that siege Merah told negotiators that he was acting on behalf of al Qaeda. A senior U.S. counterterrorism official later told CNN that Merah was believed to have linked up with Jund al Khilafah, an obscure Kazakh Jihadist group with ties to al Qaeda, just months before the attacks. ]

Cruickshank said the fact that such killings had occurred since foreign troop levels in Iraq and Afghanistan had been scaled back was irrelevant to the attackers.

“The Iraq War is still very much an issue for these people. A significant number of these have been energised by watching beheading videos put out by groups like al Qaeda in Iraq.”

Monica Sarkar contributed to this report.


Article source: http://edition.cnn.com/2013/05/22/world/europe/britain-london-attack-soldiers/index.html?eref=edition

Article source: http://feedproxy.google.com/~r/NewsRipplesWeb/~3/uyh15aULs4g/are-uk-soldiers-targets-at-home

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Jackson trial


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Katherine Jackson: Michael's mother, 82, was deposed for nine hours over three days by AEG Live lawyers. As the guardian of her son's three children, she is a plaintiff in the wrongful death lawsuit against the company that promoted Michael Jackson's comeback concerts.Katherine Jackson: Michael’s mother, 82, was deposed for nine hours over three days by AEG Live lawyers. As the guardian of her son’s three children, she is a plaintiff in the wrongful death lawsuit against the company that promoted Michael Jackson’s comeback concerts.

Prince Jackson: Michael's oldest son is considered a key witness in the Jacksons' case against AEG Live, since he is expected to testify about what his father told him about the concert promoter in the last days of his life. Prince, who turned 16 in February, is becoming more independent -- he now has a driver's license and jobs.Prince Jackson: Michael’s oldest son is considered a key witness in the Jacksons’ case against AEG Live, since he is expected to testify about what his father told him about the concert promoter in the last days of his life. Prince, who turned 16 in February, is becoming more independent — he now has a driver’s license and jobs.

Paris Jackson: Michael's daughter, who turns 15 on April 3, is on the list of witnesses and was questioned by AEG Live lawyers for several hours on March 21 about her father's death. Paris is an outspoken teen who often posts messages to her 1 million-plus Twitter followers.Paris Jackson: Michael’s daughter, who turns 15 on April 3, is on the list of witnesses and was questioned by AEG Live lawyers for several hours on March 21 about her father’s death. Paris is an outspoken teen who often posts messages to her 1 million-plus Twitter followers.

Blanket Jackson: Although AEG Live asked the judge to order Blanket, 11, to sit for a deposition, and he is one of the four plaintiffs suing them, Michael's youngest son will not be a witness in the trial. His doctor submitted a note to the court saying it would be medically detrimental to the child.Blanket Jackson: Although AEG Live asked the judge to order Blanket, 11, to sit for a deposition, and he is one of the four plaintiffs suing them, Michael’s youngest son will not be a witness in the trial. His doctor submitted a note to the court saying it would be “medically detrimental” to the child.

Kevin Boyle: The Los Angeles personal injury lawyer is leading the Jackson team of at least six attorneys in the wrongful death suit against AEG Live. One of his notable cases was a large settlement with Boeing on behalf of two soldiers injured when their helicopter malfunctioned and crashed in Iraq.Kevin Boyle: The Los Angeles personal injury lawyer is leading the Jackson team of at least six attorneys in the wrongful death suit against AEG Live. One of his notable cases was a large settlement with Boeing on behalf of two soldiers injured when their helicopter malfunctioned and crashed in Iraq.

Perry Sanders, Jr.: Katherine Jackson's personal lawyer is helping steer the Jackson matriarch through her relations with her son's estate, probate court and the wrongful death suit. He is also known for representing the family of Biggie Smalls in their suit against the city of Los Angeles over the rapper's death investigation.Perry Sanders, Jr.: Katherine Jackson’s personal lawyer is helping steer the Jackson matriarch through her relations with her son’s estate, probate court and the wrongful death suit. He is also known for representing the family of Biggie Smalls in their suit against the city of Los Angeles over the rapper’s death investigation.

Marvin Putnam: He's the lead lawyer for AEG Live, defending against the wrongful death suit. The primary focus of his legal practice is media in defense of their First Amendment rights, according to his official biography.Marvin Putnam: He’s the lead lawyer for AEG Live, defending against the wrongful death suit. The primary focus of his legal practice is “media in defense of their First Amendment rights,” according to his official biography.

Philip Anschutz: The billionaire owner of AEG, parent company of AEG Live, is on the Jacksons' witness list. He is the force behind the effort to build a football stadium in downtown Los Angeles to lure a National Football League team to the city. He recently pulled his company off the market after trying to sell it for $8 billion.Philip Anschutz: The billionaire owner of AEG, parent company of AEG Live, is on the Jacksons’ witness list. He is the force behind the effort to build a football stadium in downtown Los Angeles to lure a National Football League team to the city. He recently pulled his company off the market after trying to sell it for $8 billion.

Tim Leiweke: He was recently fired as AEG's president as Philip Anschutz announced he was taking a more active role in the company. The Jackson lawyers say Leiweke's e-mail exchanges with executives under him concerning Michael Jackson's health are important evidence in their case.Tim Leiweke: He was recently fired as AEG’s president as Philip Anschutz announced he was taking a more active role in the company. The Jackson lawyers say Leiweke’s e-mail exchanges with executives under him concerning Michael Jackson’s health are important evidence in their case.

Joe Jackson: Michael's father, 84, is on the witness list for the trial and may testify. The Jackson family patriarch, who lives in Las Vegas separately from his wife, has suffered several ministrokes in the last year, which some close to him say have affected him.Joe Jackson: Michael’s father, 84, is on the witness list for the trial and may testify. The Jackson family patriarch, who lives in Las Vegas separately from his wife, has suffered several ministrokes in the last year, which some close to him say have affected him.

Randy Phillips: He's president of AEG Live, the concert promoter that contracted with Michael Jackson for his This Is It comeback shows set to start in London in July 2009. The Jackson lawsuit says Phillips supervised Dr. Conrad Murray's treatment of Jackson in the weeks before his death, making the company liable for damages. E-mails between Phillips and other executives showed they were worried about Jackson's missed rehearsals and sought Murray's help getting him ready.Randy Phillips: He’s president of AEG Live, the concert promoter that contracted with Michael Jackson for his “This Is It” comeback shows set to start in London in July 2009. The Jackson lawsuit says Phillips supervised Dr. Conrad Murray’s treatment of Jackson in the weeks before his death, making the company liable for damages. E-mails between Phillips and other executives showed they were worried about Jackson’s missed rehearsals and sought Murray’s help getting him ready.

Paul Gongaware: The AEG Live co-CEO worked closely with Michael Jackson as he prepared for his comeback concerts. He testified at Dr. Conrad Murray's criminal trial that he contacted the physician and negotiated his hiring at the request of Jackson. AEG lawyers say it was Jackson who chose, hired and supervised Murray. Gongaware knew Jackson well, having been tour manager for the singer in previous years.Paul Gongaware: The AEG Live co-CEO worked closely with Michael Jackson as he prepared for his comeback concerts. He testified at Dr. Conrad Murray’s criminal trial that he contacted the physician and negotiated his hiring at the request of Jackson. AEG lawyers say it was Jackson who chose, hired and supervised Murray. Gongaware knew Jackson well, having been tour manager for the singer in previous years.

Kenny Ortega: He was chosen by Michael Jackson and AEG Live to direct and choreograph the This Is It shows. Ortega, who choreographed for Jackson's Dangerous and HIStory tours, testified at Dr. Conrad Murray's criminal trial that Jackson was frail at a rehearsal days before his death.Kenny Ortega: He was chosen by Michael Jackson and AEG Live to direct and choreograph the “This Is It” shows. Ortega, who choreographed for Jackson’s “Dangerous” and “HIStory” tours, testified at Dr. Conrad Murray’s criminal trial that “Jackson was frail” at a rehearsal days before his death.

Dr. Conrad Murray: He was Michael Jackson's personal physician in the two months before his death, giving him nightly infusions of the surgical anesthetic that the coroner ruled led to his death. Murray, who is appealing his involuntary manslaughter conviction, has sworn that he would invoke his Fifth Amendment protection from self-incrimination and refused to testify in the civil trial. There is a chance that Murray will be brought into court from jail to testify outside the presence of the jury to allow the judge to determine if he would be ordered to testify.Dr. Conrad Murray: He was Michael Jackson’s personal physician in the two months before his death, giving him nightly infusions of the surgical anesthetic that the coroner ruled led to his death. Murray, who is appealing his involuntary manslaughter conviction, has sworn that he would invoke his Fifth Amendment protection from self-incrimination and refused to testify in the civil trial. There is a chance that Murray will be brought into court from jail to testify outside the presence of the jury to allow the judge to determine if he would be ordered to testify.

John Branca: He's one of two executors of Michael Jackson's estate. Branca was Jackson's lawyer until about seven years before his death. He said Jackson rehired him just weeks before he died.John Branca: He’s one of two executors of Michael Jackson’s estate. Branca was Jackson’s lawyer until about seven years before his death. He said Jackson rehired him just weeks before he died.


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Los Angeles (CNN) — Every issue in the Michael Jackson wrongful death trial is so disputed that even giving candy to jurors caused an argument.

AEG lawyers gave a bag of peppermint candy to the bailiff to hand out to the jury this week. Even Katherine Jackson — the pop icon’s mother — enjoyed the treat.

But Jackson’s lawyer raised an objection Tuesday afternoon, suggesting jurors might be influenced if they realized the source of the sweets.

A compromise was reached. Each side can provide snacks for jurors, but they’ll be placed at the bailiff’s desk before jurors enter court so they have no clue who brought it.

The death in 2009 of superstar Michael Jackson, who died of cardiac arrest at the age of 50, sent shockwaves around the world. The death in 2009 of superstar Michael Jackson, who died of cardiac arrest at the age of 50, sent shockwaves around the world.

The Jackson 5 perform on a TV show circa 1969. From left, Tito Jackson, Marlon Jackson, Michael Jackson, Jackie Jackson and Jermaine Jackson.The Jackson 5 perform on a TV show circa 1969. From left, Tito Jackson, Marlon Jackson, Michael Jackson, Jackie Jackson and Jermaine Jackson.

Michael Jackson quickly became the stand out star of the Jackson 5. Here he performs onstage circa 1970. Michael Jackson quickly became the stand out star of the Jackson 5. Here he performs onstage circa 1970.

Michael Jackson poses during a portrait session in Los Angeles in 1971.Michael Jackson poses during a portrait session in Los Angeles in 1971.

Michael Jackson performs with The Jacksons in New Orleans on October 3, 1979.Michael Jackson performs with The Jacksons in New Orleans on October 3, 1979.

Jackson achieved superstardom with his solo career in the 1980s. Here Jackson is shown on stage in Kansas in 1983.Jackson achieved superstardom with his solo career in the 1980s. Here Jackson is shown on stage in Kansas in 1983.

Michael Jackson performs on stage circa 1990.Michael Jackson performs on stage circa 1990.

Jackson broke a world record during the Bad tour in 1988 when 504,000 people attending seven sold-out shows at Wembley Stadium in London.Jackson broke a world record during the Bad tour in 1988 when 504,000 people attending seven sold-out shows at Wembley Stadium in London.

Jackson perfoms in concert circa 1991 in New York City. Jackson perfoms in concert circa 1991 in New York City.

Known for his dance moves, Jackson is seen here jumping in the air while performing during the Dangerous tour in 1992.Known for his dance moves, Jackson is seen here jumping in the air while performing during the Dangerous tour in 1992.

Michael Jackson performs in Rotterdam, Netherlands.Michael Jackson performs in Rotterdam, Netherlands.

Jackson performs with his brothers.Jackson performs with his brothers.

Jackson performs during the Bad tour at Wembley Stadium in London.Jackson performs during the Bad tour at Wembley Stadium in London.

Jackson performs during the taping of American Bandstand's 50th: A Celebration in 2002.Jackson performs during the taping of “American Bandstand’s 50th: A Celebration” in 2002.

Michael Jackson earned the Legend Award during the MTV Video Music Awards in Tokyo in 2006.Michael Jackson earned the Legend Award during the MTV Video Music Awards in Tokyo in 2006.


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Photos: Michael Jackson, King of PopPhotos: Michael Jackson, King of Pop

A look back at those we have lost in 2013.A look back at those we have lost in 2013.

Ray Manzarek, keyboardist and founding member of The Doors, passed away of cancer on Monday, May 20. He was 74.Ray Manzarek, keyboardist and founding member of The Doors, passed away of cancer on Monday, May 20. He was 74.

NASCAR legend Dick Trickle died on May 16 of an apparent self-inflicted gunshot wound. He was 71.NASCAR legend Dick Trickle died on May 16 of an apparent self-inflicted gunshot wound. He was 71.

Popular American psychologist and television personality Dr. Joyce Brothers died at 85, her daughter said on May 13. Brothers gained fame as a frequent guest on television talk shows and as an advice columnist for Good Housekeeping magazine and newspapers throughout the United States.Popular American psychologist and television personality Dr. Joyce Brothers died at 85, her daughter said on May 13. Brothers gained fame as a frequent guest on television talk shows and as an advice columnist for Good Housekeeping magazine and newspapers throughout the United States.

Jeanne Cooper, who played Katherine Chancellor, the Dame of Genoa City, on The Young and the Restless, died on May 8. She was 84.Jeanne Cooper, who played Katherine Chancellor, the “Dame of Genoa City,” on “The Young and the Restless,” died on May 8. She was 84.

Ray Harryhausen, the stop-motion animation and special-effects master whose work influenced such directors as Steven Spielberg, Peter Jackson and George Lucas, died on May 7 at age 92, according to the Facebook page of the Ray and Diana Harryhausen Foundation.Ray Harryhausen, the stop-motion animation and special-effects master whose work influenced such directors as Steven Spielberg, Peter Jackson and George Lucas, died on May 7 at age 92, according to the Facebook page of the Ray and Diana Harryhausen Foundation.

Grammy-winning guitarist Jeff Hanneman, a founding member of the heavy metal band Slayer, died on May 2 of liver failure. He was 49.Grammy-winning guitarist Jeff Hanneman, a founding member of the heavy metal band Slayer, died on May 2 of liver failure. He was 49.

Chris Kelly, one-half of the 1990s rap duo Kris Kross, died on May 1 at an Atlanta hospital after being found unresponsive at his home, the Fulton County medical examiner's office told CNN.Kelly, right, and Chris Smith shot to stardom in 1992 with the hit Jump.Chris Kelly, one-half of the 1990s rap duo Kris Kross, died on May 1 at an Atlanta hospital after being found unresponsive at his home, the Fulton County medical examiner’s office told CNN.
Kelly, right, and Chris Smith shot to stardom in 1992 with the hit “Jump.”

George Jones, the country music legend whose graceful, evocative voice gave depth to some of the greatest songs in country music -- including She Thinks I Still Care, The Grand Tour and He Stopped Loving Her Today -- died on April 26 at age 81, according to his public relations firm.George Jones, the country music legend whose graceful, evocative voice gave depth to some of the greatest songs in country music — including “She Thinks I Still Care,” “The Grand Tour” and “He Stopped Loving Her Today” — died on April 26 at age 81, according to his public relations firm.

Actor Allan Arbus poses for a portrait with his daughter photographer Amy Arbus in 2007. Allan Arbus, who played psychiatrist Maj. Sidney Freedman in the M*A*S*H television series, died at age 95, his daughter's representative said April 23.Actor Allan Arbus poses for a portrait with his daughter photographer Amy Arbus in 2007. Allan Arbus, who played psychiatrist Maj. Sidney Freedman in the M*A*S*H television series, died at age 95, his daughter’s representative said April 23.

Folk singer Richie Havens, the opening act at the 1969 Woodstock music festival, died on April 22 of a heart attack, his publicist said. He was 72.Folk singer Richie Havens, the opening act at the 1969 Woodstock music festival, died on April 22 of a heart attack, his publicist said. He was 72.

Australian rocker Chrissy Amphlett, the Divinyls lead singer whose group scored an international hit with the sexually charged I Touch Myself in the early 1990s, died on April 21 from breast cancer and multiple sclerosis, her husband said. She was 53.Australian rocker Chrissy Amphlett, the Divinyls lead singer whose group scored an international hit with the sexually charged “I Touch Myself” in the early 1990s, died on April 21 from breast cancer and multiple sclerosis, her husband said. She was 53.

Pat Summerall, the NFL football player turned legendary play-by-play announcer, was best known as a broadcaster who teamed up with former NFL coach John Madden. Summerall died April 16 at the age of 82.Pat Summerall, the NFL football player turned legendary play-by-play announcer, was best known as a broadcaster who teamed up with former NFL coach John Madden. Summerall died April 16 at the age of 82.

Comedian Jonathan Winters died on April 11 at age 87. Known for his comic irreverence, he had a major influence on a generation of comedians. Here he appears on The Jonathan Winters Show in 1956. Comedian Jonathan Winters died on April 11 at age 87. Known for his comic irreverence, he had a major influence on a generation of comedians. Here he appears on “The Jonathan Winters Show” in 1956.

Sir Robert Edwards, a co-pioneer of the in vitro fertilization technique and Nobel Prize winner, died April 10 in his sleep after a long illness, the University of Cambridge said. He was 87. He is pictured on July 25, 1978, holding the world's first test-tube baby, Louise Joy Brown, alongside the midwife and Dr. Patrick Steptoe, who helped develop the fertility treatment.Sir Robert Edwards, a “co-pioneer” of the in vitro fertilization technique and Nobel Prize winner, died April 10 in his sleep after a long illness, the University of Cambridge said. He was 87. He is pictured on July 25, 1978, holding the world’s first “test-tube baby,” Louise Joy Brown, alongside the midwife and Dr. Patrick Steptoe, who helped develop the fertility treatment.

Annette Funicello, one of the best-known members of the original 1950s Mickey Mouse Club and a star of 1960s beach party movies, died at age 70 on April 8. Pictured, Funicello performs with Jimmie Dodd on The Mickey Mouse Club in1957.Annette Funicello, one of the best-known members of the original 1950s “Mickey Mouse Club” and a star of 1960s “beach party” movies, died at age 70 on April 8. Pictured, Funicello performs with Jimmie Dodd on “The Mickey Mouse Club” in1957.

Former British Prime Minister Margaret Thatcher, a towering figure in postwar British and world politics and the only woman to become British prime minister, died at the age of 87 on Monday, April 8.Former British Prime Minister Margaret Thatcher, a towering figure in postwar British and world politics and the only woman to become British prime minister, died at the age of 87 on Monday, April 8.

Designer Lilly Pulitzer, right, died on April 7 at age 81, according to her company's Facebook page. The Palm Beach socialite was known for making sleeveless dresses from bright floral prints that became known as the Lilly design. Designer Lilly Pulitzer, right, died on April 7 at age 81, according to her company’s Facebook page. The Palm Beach socialite was known for making sleeveless dresses from bright floral prints that became known as the “Lilly” design.

Film critic Roger Ebert died on April 4, according to his employer, the Chicago Sun-Times. He was 70. Ebert had taken a leave of absence on April 2 after a hip fracture was revealed to be cancer.Film critic Roger Ebert died on April 4, according to his employer, the Chicago Sun-Times. He was 70. Ebert had taken a leave of absence on April 2 after a hip fracture was revealed to be cancer.

Jane Nebel Henson, wife of the late Muppets creator Jim Henson and instrumental in the development of the world-famous puppets, died April 2 after a long battle with cancer. She was 78.Jane Nebel Henson, wife of the late Muppets creator Jim Henson and instrumental in the development of the world-famous puppets, died April 2 after a long battle with cancer. She was 78.

Shain Gandee, one of the stars of the MTV reality show Buckwild, was found dead with two other people in Kanawha County, West Virginia, on April 1. He was 21.Shain Gandee, one of the stars of the MTV reality show “Buckwild,” was found dead with two other people in Kanawha County, West Virginia, on April 1. He was 21.

Music producer and innovator Phil Ramone, right, with Paul Shaffer, left, and Billy Joel at the Song Writers Hall of Fame Awards in New York in 2001. Ramone died March 30 at the age of 72.Music producer and innovator Phil Ramone, right, with Paul Shaffer, left, and Billy Joel at the Song Writers Hall of Fame Awards in New York in 2001. Ramone died March 30 at the age of 72.

Writer/producer Don Payne, one of the creative minds behind The Simpsons, died March 26 at his home in Los Angeles after losing a battle with bone cancer, reports say. He was 48.Writer/producer Don Payne, one of the creative minds behind “The Simpsons,” died March 26 at his home in Los Angeles after losing a battle with bone cancer, reports say. He was 48.

Gordon Stoker, left, who as part of the vocal group the Jordanaires sang backup on hits by Elvis Presley, died March 27 at 88.Gordon Stoker, left, who as part of the vocal group the Jordanaires sang backup on hits by Elvis Presley, died March 27 at 88.

Deke Richards, center, died March 24 at age 68. Richards was a producer and songwriter who was part of the team responsible for Motown hits such as I Want You Back and Maybe Tomorrow. He had been battling esophageal cancer.Deke Richards, center, died March 24 at age 68. Richards was a producer and songwriter who was part of the team responsible for Motown hits such as “I Want You Back” and “Maybe Tomorrow.” He had been battling esophageal cancer.

Legendary publisher, promoter and weightlifter Joe Weider, who created the Mr. Olympia contest and brought California Gov. Arnold Schwarzenegger to the United States, died at age 93 on March 23.Legendary publisher, promoter and weightlifter Joe Weider, who created the Mr. Olympia contest and brought California Gov. Arnold Schwarzenegger to the United States, died at age 93 on March 23.

 Playboy magazine's 1962 Playmate of the Year, Christa Speck Krofft, died March 22 of natural causes at the age of 70. Playboy magazine’s 1962 “Playmate of the Year,” Christa Speck Krofft, died March 22 of natural causes at the age of 70.

Rena Golden, who held top positions at CNN, died at age 51 after battling lymphoma for two years on March 21. Rena Golden, who held top positions at CNN, died at age 51 after battling lymphoma for two years on March 21.

Harry Reems, the porn star best known for playing Dr. Young in the 1972 adult film classic Deep Throat, died March 19, according to a spokeswoman at a Salt Lake City hospital. Reems, whose real name is Herbert Streicher, was 65.Harry Reems, the porn star best known for playing Dr. Young in the 1972 adult film classic “Deep Throat,” died March 19, according to a spokeswoman at a Salt Lake City hospital. Reems, whose real name is Herbert Streicher, was 65.

Bobbie Smith, who as a member of the Spinners sang lead on such hits as I'll Be Around and Could It Be I'm Falling in Love, died on March 16 at age 76. Pictured clockwise from left, Spinners band member Pervis Jackson, Billy Henderson, Jonathan Edwards, Bobbie Smith and Henry Fambrough, 1977.Bobbie Smith, who as a member of the Spinners sang lead on such hits as “I’ll Be Around” and “Could It Be I’m Falling in Love,” died on March 16 at age 76. Pictured clockwise from left, Spinners band member Pervis Jackson, Billy Henderson, Jonathan Edwards, Bobbie Smith and Henry Fambrough, 1977.

Sweden's Princess Lilian, the Welsh-born model who lived with her lover Prince Bertil for 30 years before they were married, has died at the age of 97, the Swedish Royal Court said in a statement.Sweden’s Princess Lilian, the Welsh-born model who lived with her lover Prince Bertil for 30 years before they were married, has died at the age of 97, the Swedish Royal Court said in a statement.

Alvin Lee, the speed-fingered British guitarist who lit up Woodstock with a monumental 11-minute version of his song I'm Going Home, died on March 6, according to his website. He was 68.Alvin Lee, the speed-fingered British guitarist who lit up Woodstock with a monumental 11-minute version of his song “I’m Going Home,” died on March 6, according to his website. He was 68.

Hugo Chavez, the polarizing president of Venezuela who cast himself as a 21st century socialist and foe of the United States, died March 5, said Vice President Nicolas Maduro.Hugo Chavez, the polarizing president of Venezuela who cast himself as a “21st century socialist” and foe of the United States, died March 5, said Vice President Nicolas Maduro.

Bobby Rogers, one of the original members of Motown staple The Miracles, died on Sunday, March 3, at 73. From left: Bobby Rogers, Ronald White, Smokey Robinson and Pete Moore circa 1965.Bobby Rogers, one of the original members of Motown staple The Miracles, died on Sunday, March 3, at 73. From left: Bobby Rogers, Ronald White, Smokey Robinson and Pete Moore circa 1965.

Actress Bonnie Franklin, star of the TV show One Day at a Time, died at the age of 69 on March 1 of complications from pancreatic cancer.Actress Bonnie Franklin, star of the TV show “One Day at a Time,” died at the age of 69 on March 1 of complications from pancreatic cancer.

Actor Dale Robertson, who was popular for his western TV shows and movies, died at age 89 on Thursday, February 28. Actor Dale Robertson, who was popular for his western TV shows and movies, died at age 89 on Thursday, February 28.

Richard Street, former member of the Temptations, died at age 70 on February 27. Street, second from the left, poses for a portrait with fellow members of the Temptations circa 1973.Richard Street, former member of the Temptations, died at age 70 on February 27. Street, second from the left, poses for a portrait with fellow members of the Temptations circa 1973.

Van Cliburn, the legendary pianist honored with a New York ticker-tape parade for winning a major Moscow competition in 1958, died on February 27 after a battle with bone cancer, his publicist said. He was 78.Van Cliburn, the legendary pianist honored with a New York ticker-tape parade for winning a major Moscow competition in 1958, died on February 27 after a battle with bone cancer, his publicist said. He was 78.

Former U.S. Surgeon General C. Everett Koop died on February 25. He was 96. Koop served as surgeon general from 1982 to 1989, under Presidents Ronald Reagan and George H.W. Bush.Former U.S. Surgeon General C. Everett Koop died on February 25. He was 96. Koop served as surgeon general from 1982 to 1989, under Presidents Ronald Reagan and George H.W. Bush.

Damon Harris, former member of the Motown group the Temptations, died at age 62 on February 18. Harris, center on the stool, poses for a portrait with fellow members of The Temptations circa 1974. Damon Harris, former member of the Motown group the Temptations, died at age 62 on February 18. Harris, center on the stool, poses for a portrait with fellow members of The Temptations circa 1974.

Lou Myers, a stage, film and TV actor who memorably portrayed Mr. Gaines on the comedy A Different World, died on February 19 at the age of 75.Lou Myers, a stage, film and TV actor who memorably portrayed Mr. Gaines on the comedy “A Different World,” died on February 19 at the age of 75.

Los Angeles Laker owner Jerry Buss died February 18 at age 80. Buss, who had owned the Lakers since 1979, was credited with procuring the likes of Earvin Magic Johnson, James Worthy, Shaquille O'Neal and Kobe Bryant. The Lakers won 10 NBA championships and 16 Western Conference titles under Buss' ownership.Los Angeles Laker owner Jerry Buss died February 18 at age 80. Buss, who had owned the Lakers since 1979, was credited with procuring the likes of Earvin “Magic” Johnson, James Worthy, Shaquille O’Neal and Kobe Bryant. The Lakers won 10 NBA championships and 16 Western Conference titles under Buss’ ownership.

Country singer Mindy McCready was found dead on February 17 of a self-inflicted gunshot wound, authorities said. She was 37. During her career, McCready landed 14 songs and six albums on the Billboard country charts.Country singer Mindy McCready was found dead on February 17 of a self-inflicted gunshot wound, authorities said. She was 37. During her career, McCready landed 14 songs and six albums on the Billboard country charts.

Ed Koch, the brash former New York mayor, died February 1 of congestive heart failure at 88, his spokesman said.Ed Koch, the brash former New York mayor, died February 1 of congestive heart failure at 88, his spokesman said.

Patty Andrews, center, the last surviving member of the Andrews Sisters, died at her Northridge, California, home on January 30, her publicist Alan Eichler said. She was 94. Patty is seen in this 1948 photograph with her sisters Maxene, left, and Laverne.Patty Andrews, center, the last surviving member of the Andrews Sisters, died at her Northridge, California, home on January 30, her publicist Alan Eichler said. She was 94. Patty is seen in this 1948 photograph with her sisters Maxene, left, and Laverne.

Baseball Hall of Famer and St. Louis Cardinals great Stan Musial died on January 19, according to his former team. He was 92.Baseball Hall of Famer and St. Louis Cardinals great Stan Musial died on January 19, according to his former team. He was 92.

Baseball Hall of Fame manager Earl Sidney Weaver, who led the Baltimore Orioles to four pennants and a World Series title with a pugnacity toward umpires, died January 19 of an apparent heart attack at age 82, Major League Baseball said.Baseball Hall of Fame manager Earl Sidney Weaver, who led the Baltimore Orioles to four pennants and a World Series title with a pugnacity toward umpires, died January 19 of an apparent heart attack at age 82, Major League Baseball said.

Pauline Phillips, better known to millions of newspaper readers as the original Dear Abby advice columnist, has died after a long battle with Alzheimer's Disease. She died January 16 in Minneapolis, Minnesota, at age 94.Pauline Phillips, better known to millions of newspaper readers as the original Dear Abby advice columnist, has died after a long battle with Alzheimer’s Disease. She died January 16 in Minneapolis, Minnesota, at age 94.

Aaron Swartz, the Internet activist who co-wrote the initial specification for RSS, committed suicide, a relative told CNN on January 12. He was 26. Swartz also co-founded Demand Progress, a political action group that campaigns against Internet censorship.Aaron Swartz, the Internet activist who co-wrote the initial specification for RSS, committed suicide, a relative told CNN on January 12. He was 26. Swartz also co-founded Demand Progress, a political action group that campaigns against Internet censorship.

Claude Nobs, the founder of the Montreux Jazz Festival, died aged 76 following a skiing accident.Claude Nobs, the founder of the Montreux Jazz Festival, died aged 76 following a skiing accident.

Richard Ben Cramer, the Pulitzer Prize-winning writer whose 1992 book What It Takes remains one of the most detailed and passionate of all presidential campaign chronicles, died January 7, according to his longtime agent. He was 62.Richard Ben Cramer, the Pulitzer Prize-winning writer whose 1992 book “What It Takes” remains one of the most detailed and passionate of all presidential campaign chronicles, died January 7, according to his longtime agent. He was 62.

Director and stuntman David R. Ellis died on January 7. He directed Snakes on a Plane.Director and stuntman David R. Ellis died on January 7. He directed “Snakes on a Plane.”

Tony Lip, who played mob figures in the hit cable show The Sopranos and several critically acclaimed movies, died January 4, a funeral home official said. Lip, whose real name was Frank Vallelonga, was 82.Tony Lip, who played mob figures in the hit cable show “The Sopranos” and several critically acclaimed movies, died January 4, a funeral home official said. Lip, whose real name was Frank Vallelonga, was 82.

Character actor Ned Wertimer, known to fans of The Jeffersons as the doorman Ralph Hart, died on January 2. He was 89.Character actor Ned Wertimer, known to fans of “The Jeffersons” as the doorman Ralph Hart, died on January 2. He was 89.

Pop-country singer Patti Page died on January 1 in Encinitas, California. She was 85. Born Clara Ann Fowler, Page was the best-selling female artist of the 1950s and had 19 gold and 14 platinum singles. Pop-country singer Patti Page died on January 1 in Encinitas, California. She was 85. Born Clara Ann Fowler, Page was the best-selling female artist of the 1950s and had 19 gold and 14 platinum singles.


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Photos: People we lost in 2013Photos: People we lost in 2013


Van Halen on Michael Jackson: Sweet guy


Jackson wrongful death trial under way

While the candy controversy might seem trivial, the stakes are high for AEG Live. The promoter and producer of Michael Jackson’s comeback concerts could be found liable for billions of dollars in damages if the jury decides the company is responsible for the star’s death.

AEG execs face questions about Jackson’s death

Jackson’s mother and three children are suing AEG Live for the negligent hiring, retention or supervision of Dr. Conrad Murray, the physician convicted of involuntary manslaughter in Jackson’s death.

The candy argument may be the most interesting thing about Tuesday’s proceedings, unless you are a student of employment law and budgeting.

AEG Live Senior Vice President/General Counsel Shawn Trell was on the stand for a second day hoping to give testimony that would convince the jury that Murray was chosen, hired and supervised by Jackson — not his company.

Murray never had an executed contract with AEG Live, although one had been negotiated. The doctor signed it and returned it to the company on June 24, 2009, but the AEG Live executive decided not to sign it after Jackson died the next day.

Jackson lawyers contend Murray was already on the job, working under an oral agreement confirmed by a series of e-mails that promised him $150,000 a month to be Jackson’s full-time physician.

With Trell on the stand, Jackson lawyer Brian Panish played part of an interview that AEG Live President Randy Phillips gave to Sky News television soon after Jackson’s death.

“This guy was willing to leave his practice for a very large sum of money, so we hired him,” Phillips said.

Panish also showed jurors an e-mail between AEG lawyers suggesting that Phillips told other interviewers AEG Live “hired” Murray.

Jackson’s manager’s e-mails found, could be key in AEG trial

Trouble at the Front

The Jackson lawyers argue that AEG Live executives ignored a series of “red flags” that should have alerted them that Jackson needed help as he prepared for his comeback concerts.

Earlier testimony from Jackson’s makeup artist, choreographer and an associate director described his failing health and mental condition in the last two weeks of his life.

Panish asked Trell about e-mails titled “trouble at the Front” between AEG executives and people working on the production starting on June 19, 2009 — a night that show director Kenny Ortega sent Jackson home because of his strange behavior.

“He was a basket case and Kenny was concerned he would embarrass himself on stage, or worse yet — get hurt,” production director John “Bugsy” Houghdahl wrote to AEG Live top execs Randy Phillips and Paul Gongaware. “The company is rehearsing right now, but the DOUBT is pervasive.”

Phillips forwarded the e-mail to his boss — Tim Leiweke — at AEG Live’s parent company, with the comment: “We have a real problem here.”

Jackson had missed a number of rehearsals and the “This Is It” tour debut was just three weeks away in London.

Wade Robson calls Jackson ‘a pedophile’

Ortega, in an e-mail previously reported, told Phillips that same morning — five days before Jackson died — that he did not think he would be ready for the shows.

“I honestly don’t think he is ready for this based on his continued physical weakening and deepening emotional state,” he wrote. Ortega described seeing “strong signs of paranoia, anxiety and obsessive-like behavior” with Jackson. “I think the very best thing we can do is get a top psychiatrist to evaluate him ASAP.”

Even John Branca, a former Jackson advisor and lawyer who had just been rehired, weighed in with advice in an e-mail: “I have the right therapist/spiritual advisor/substance abuse counselor who could help (recently helped mike tyson get sober and paroled) … do we know whether there this is a substance issued involved (perhaps better discussed on the phone.)”

Does Trell consider that exchange a “red flag” that AEG Live should have noticed, Panish asked.

“I would take it seriously, as I believe Mr. Phillips did,” Trell answered. “I don’t know I would use the word ‘red flag.’”

Phillip called a meeting the next afternoon with Murray at Jackson’s home.

Afterward, he sent this e-mail to Ortega:

“Kenny, it is critical that neither you, me, or anyone around this show become amateur psychologists or physicians. I had a lengthy conversation with Dr. Murray, who I am gaining immense respect for as I get to deal with him more. He said that Michael is not only physically equipped to perform and that discouraging him to, will hasten his decline instead of stopping it. Dr. Murray also reiterated that he is mentally able to and was speaking to me from the house where he had spent the morning with MJ. This doctor is extremely successful (we check everyone out) and does not need this gig so he totally unbiased and ethical.”

The Jacksons’ lawyer called this e-mail “a flat out lie,” since AEG Live had not done a background check on Murray before hiring him — and if they had it would have disclosed that he was in deep debt and not a successful doctor.

“We did not do a background or credit check on Dr. Murray,” Trell conceded.

Witness: ‘Everybody was lying’ after Jackson died

No due diligence

The Jackson lawyers contend that AEG Live is liable for his death because they did not do their “due diligence” by checking Murray’s background and credentials.

If they had done so, they would have realized that Murray had a major conflict of interest that made him vulnerable to break rules in his treatment if Michael Jackson, they argue.

Murray needed the high-paying job because he was more than $1 million in debt, his home was being foreclosed on, he was being sued for unpaid child support and delinquent taxes, and his cardiology clinic in Las Vegas faced eviction. His $150,000 a month job would end if Jackson’s shows were canceled or delayed, according to the terms of his contract.

AEG Live failed to conduct the background check, which the company’s own expert witness said would between cost between $40 and $125.

“I am not familiar with the process of doing background checks,” Trell said. “No training.”

Trell is back on the witness stand Wednesday for questioning by AEG Live lawyer Jessica Stebbins Bina.

The trial, which is in its fourth week in a Los Angeles courtroom, is expected to last through July.

Choreographer: AEG considered ‘pulling the plug’ on Jackson’s comeback


Article source: http://edition.cnn.com/2013/05/22/showbiz/jackson-death-trial/index.html?eref=edition

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Survey: Teens more Facebook weary


A new survey suggests some U.S. teens may be losing interest in Facebook, although they remain active on the site.

(CNN) — There’s fresh evidence that American teenagers may be growing weary of Facebook.

They don’t like the fact that their parents, grandparents and other adults are also there, diluting Facebook’s “cool” factor. They complain about their friends’ oversharing, and about too much “drama” on the site. And they’re increasingly flocking to other social platforms, such as Twitter.

These are some of the findings of a new Pew Research Center survey of U.S. teens’ social media use. Released Tuesday, the survey finds that teens are sharing more personal information on social media, but are also taking a variety of steps to manage their privacy online.

But it was the Facebook stuff that generated the most headlines. According to Pew, focus-group discussions with teens revealed “waning enthusiasm” for Facebook for the reasons cited, including feeling “drained by the ‘drama’ that they described as happening frequently” on the site.

“The stress of needing to manage their reputation on Facebook also contributes to the lack of enthusiasm,” the survey said.

The Pew survey found that 24% of online teens now use Twitter, up from 16% in 2011. Other social platforms such as Tumblr, Instagram (which is owned by Facebook), YouTube and Snapchat also have seen big growth among young users in the past year.

“Those teens who used sites like Twitter and Instagram reported feeling like they could better express themselves on these platforms, where they felt freed from the social expectations and constraints of Facebook,” the Pew survey said. “Nevertheless, the site is still where a large amount of socializing takes place, and teens feel they need to stay on Facebook in order to not miss out.”

Facebook has 1.1 billion users worldwide and remains the most popular social network among U.S. teens.

A Facebook spokesperson declined to comment specifically Wednesday on the Pew report but pointed to statements by CFO David Ebersman in a recent conference call about quarterly earnings, in which he emphasized Facebook’s popularity among users under 25.

“We continue to have really high penetration rates among that age group, both in the U.S. and globally, and … younger users remain among the most active and engaged users,” Ebersman said. “Younger users are extremely active users of Instagram as well.”

Facebook executives maintain that teen use of their social network has remained steady. They argue that Facebook is not losing users to other platforms — instead, they say, more users are visiting other social media sites in addition to Facebook.

“The urban legend (that Facebook is losing younger users) flows more often than not from surveys people have done of younger users that indicate that they’re using other social services … much of the concern stems from the assumption that this is a zero-sum game, and that’s not how we see it,” Ebersman said. “We think the overall amount of time spent on services that enable you to connect and share is growing and will continue to grow.”

Jeff Hancock, a professor of communication at Cornell University and a frequent social media analyst, mostly agrees.

“Facebook’s attraction to youth is based in part on being connected, but also on being an ‘ingroup’ and ‘cool’ thing. To the degree that the cool of Facebook wears off, we should see some migration of teens to other platforms,” he said.

“People are unlikely to fully leave Facebook but simply to diversify their tools for accomplishing social interaction. Instead of Facebook being the Walmart of social media, it will become just one platform in a big ecology, including photo sharing with Instragram, broadcasting with Twitter, etc.”

Pew’s findings are based on a nationally representative phone survey, run by its Internet American Life Project, of 802 teens ages 12-17. It was conducted between July 26 and September 30, 2012. Pew also conducted two online focus groups of teenagers ages 12-17 in June 2012.

Pew found that the typical (median) teen Facebook user has 300 friends, while the typical teen Twitter user has 79 followers.


Article source: http://edition.cnn.com/2013/05/22/tech/social-media/pew-teens-facebook/index.html?eref=edition

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Forget what you know, next-gen consoles change everything

For the better part of a decade the video game landscape remained mostly unchanged, complacent in a sea of sequels, motion controls, and downloadable content.

It’s a generation that has lasted longer than any other before it, albeit for generally good reasons. And perhaps most impressive is that though their PC gaming counterparts have long since passed them by, these aging consoles are still able to render great-looking games.

So while the sun begins to set on what will go down as a pivotal generation for video games, we look ahead to see what owning a console will be like for the foreseeable future.

And then there were two
There’s no disrespect intended here toward Nintendo, but the next great console wars will be fought by two parties, not three. Sure, Nintendo beat everyone to the punch by releasing its next-generation console an entire year early, but the
Wii U just barely catches up to the prowess of what
PlayStation 3 and
Xbox 360 had been doing all along — at least from a graphical and technical standpoint.

By no means is this a death sentence, though. Nintendo is company that needs to find itself and reposition. However that plan might play out, it most likely will not consist of picking fights with PlayStation 4 or Xbox One.


(Credit:
James Martin/CNET)

Graphics won’t define next-gen
Eye candy made a big splash at the dawn of gaming’s previous generation. That will not be the case this time around — for the most part. Sure, Xbox One and PlayStation 4 have the graphical chops that are sure to impress anyone who hasn’t experienced a high-end graphics card for the past two years. But the dramatic jaw-dropping jump from standard definition to high definition that took place eight years ago will not happen again.

Instead, next-generation gaming will be defined through a multitude of variables. Gamers want to experience interactive software in ways they never thought were possible. Perhaps that lies in the heartbeat-sensing Kinect camera or game-screen-sharing features built into PlayStation 4.

However you choose to label it is irrelevant. Games need to evolve beyond regenerative health and compelling cinematics. They need to push the envelope in new directions. The hardware is here, and the talent is ready. These are the elements that will truly define “next-gen.”


(Credit:
James Martin/CNET)

Consoles aren’t just for gamers anymore
As much as you’d like to keep these machines for yourselves, electronics manufacturers really like it when consumers outside of their intended demographic begin to take interest. That’s what happens when the Wii finds itself in senior-citizen homes and at the gym.

This really shouldn’t come as much of a shock either, though. Consoles have been slowly mutating into the all-encompassing content distribution hubs they are now for years. The biggest push, as made evident by the Xbox One’s ambitious live TV integration (and Nintendo TVii’s not-so-successful launch), is the attempt to corner the crux of the living room experience. These consoles are being designed to be the very first thing you interact with the second you sit down on your couch.

This changing focus in audience will certainly alienate some core gamers, but the truth of the matter is that consoles are not just for gamers anymore. Want a box just for gaming? Go build one.


(Credit:
James Martin/CNET)

New and used games will blur, frustrate, and confuse
Trips to the local game shop will slowly begin to go away, and digital marketplaces will soon reign supreme. We feared the worst about how the ownership of software may become fuzzy and now those fears hold a bit more weight.

While we still don’t definitively understand how both Sony and Microsoft plan on proceeding, it’s clear that the fundamental concept of buying and selling used games will be changing forever. This also means that the very psychology of consumer behavior will also evolve. Borrowing a game might be a thing of the past. Sharing games seems highly unlikely. Microsoft has gone on record claiming that there will be a way to sell a used game, but don’t expect it to resemble anything you’re accustomed to.

But before you light the torches and sharpen your trusty pitchforks, think for a second and appreciate how long this novelty has lasted. Think about other industries that have flipped out over that naughty “sharing” word. It was inevitable.

Of course there are still plenty of details that need clarification, but the message is clear. Physical media is on its way out.

Gaming voyeurism is now a thing
Maybe I’m out of touch with this trend, but I don’t really understand the joy of watching someone else play a video game. While I know plenty of gamers who feel the exact same way, it’s also tough to ignore the budding content empires that have constructed business models around the notion.

Whether or not you asked for it, the next gaming console in your living room will allow you to record and edit a highlight reel of your very own gameplay and share it with the world. All that time you spent wasting away on Facebook, Reddit and Twitter? Well, now you can continue indulging while gaming.


(Credit:
James Martin/CNET)

Get used to the cloud
A console hooked up to the Internet is nothing new. But with the architecture of these machines, titles and firmware can be automatically updated without you having to lift a finger.

As for the cloud, game saves are just the tip of the iceberg. Heck, even current consoles can sync game saves. Cloud computing in the next generation of video games will take things to a totally different level. Beyond just access to saves, games will be able to be streamed and played the way you would watch a movie on Netflix. Sony has already said PS4 owners will be able to begin playing a game as it’s being downloaded, and Microsoft has acknowledged a similar technology.

Microsoft even hinted at potentially offloading some of the computing power that Xbox One games might require, opening the door to cloud expansion within a game.

Forget about backward compatibility
Regardless of whether it’s some sort of strategic spin or crafty wording, backward compatibility, at least at its core, is soon to become a thing of the past. We’re not yet privy to how Sony will deal with it (though we’re leaning toward a Gaikai-powered streaming option), but Microsoft has definitively stated it won’t be an option.

If you want to play last generation’s video games, then hold on to that last-generation console. Or, you could always fork over the cash it’ll cost you to download these throwback titles when they inevitably make their way to your platform of choice’s online store.

This is a feature I’m quick to criticize for there being a lack of, but have grown to ultimately accept. Sure, it prevents you from reselling an old console to put toward a new one, but we forget that the very inclusion of these innards in a future system would likely increase their price anyway.


(Credit:
James Martin/CNET)

We’re all in this together
One of the advantages of a connected console was made abundantly clear over the last eight years. The Internet has afforded console manufacturers the luxury of treating these machines as works in progress. Sure, this doesn’t exist without some frustrations or glitches, but ultimately I think the pros outweigh the cons.

And if there’s one thing we’ve learned with how vocal the gaming community can be, it’s that these companies are becoming very receptive to what we want — and that’s a good thing. It’s now almost impossible to get away with a policy that the masses reject because they’ll simply boycott and bombard it with negativity.

Gamers are the constituents of the industry in this ever-evolving relationship, and we vote with our dollar. Besides, console manufacturers want us on their side anyway. In reality, the next war won’t be fought with gamers and their hard-earned cash, but with the other box in the living room that’s competing for your attention — your cable box.

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Ethernet celebrates 40 years

A diagram from Bob Metcalfe’s original memo explaining how Ethernet works.


(Credit:
Palo Alto Research Center)

Most people probably associate Ethernet with a simple cable cinched with phone-like jacks. But, Ethernet is so much more.

It is the foundation for global Internet access and undoubtedly the world’s most-used connectivity technology. In the annals of “techdom,” Ethernet is a very big deal.

“Ethernet ranks highly among those technologies that impact day-to-day life on a global basis,” IEEE Standards Association writes on its Web site. “Data center networks, PCs, laptops,
tablets, smartphones, and now the smart grid, smart meters, personal medical devices, the Internet of Things, connected
cars, and more — Ethernet touches them all in one way or another.”

It was 40 years ago today that inventor Bob Metcalfe passed around a memo explaining just how Ethernet would work — connecting multiple computers to one another to exchange messages over increasingly busy networks.

The Ethernet that Metcalfe, along with inventor David Boggs, came up with wasn’t the first of such network protocols — some preceded it, and many more followed. But it won out to become the dominant local area networking (LAN) technology used for the Internet.

Over the years, Ethernet technology has evolved, expanded, and increased in speed. It’s gone from an algorithm to complicated technology applied by dozens of companies aiming to create a better Internet experience for the world’s users.

Giving an insider’s view into the history of Ethernet, Metcalfe answered questions about the technology in one of Reddit’s Ask Me Anything (AMA) sessions on Tuesday.

“You’re probably connecting to reddit through a technology I invented,” Metcalfe said to start off the AMA. “I’m Bob Metcalfe and I invented Ethernet.”

He touched on topics such as his preferred color of Ethernet cable (yellow) and his love of the Internet: “I give the Internet credit for everything good that has happened since 1969.”

He also talked about his admiration for Bill Gates and his enthusiasm about Google Fiber adding to the high-speed Internet competition.

When asked whether the Internet has exceeded his expectations, Metcalfe exclaimed: “By far, more each year, who would have guessed? We were building our own tools, and they escaped to serve uses unimagined.”

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Xbox Live Gold membership good for both Xbox One and 360

Microsofts Xbox One.

Microsoft’s Xbox One.


(Credit:
James Martin/CNET)

Xbox 360 owners who have a Live Gold membership will be able to use it on the Xbox One as well.

Phil Harrison, a corporate VP with Microsoft, confirmed to video game blog site Polygon that the same Gold membership will apply to both systems.
Xbox Live Gold sbscribers who buy an Xbox One won’t have to ante up for yet another subscription.

Plus, that same single membership can be shared by multiple people, according to Microsoft’s Ben Kilgore. Each user will still have access to their own settings and customizations.

“We want to make sure that you and your son both have your own account,” Kilgore told Polygon, using the example of a father and son sharing the same Live Gold membership. “We want you log in to get your stuff, and when he logs in to get his stuff. On that console, if you have Gold, he can use Gold as well.”

Xbox Live Gold memberships offer a host of features, including online multiplayer games, free game demos, access to the Web via Internet Explorer, and movies and TV shows via services such as Netflix and Hulu Plus. The current membership costs $9.99 for 1 month, $24.99 for 3 months, and $59.99 for 12 months.

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