Twilight studio sues to stop sale of Bella jacket

June 17, 2010 By Leave a Comment

LOS ANGELES (Hollywood Reporter) – Summit Entertainment, the studio behind the “Twilight” film franchise, is suing a retailer that’s selling a jacket advertised as being worn by Bella Swan, the character played by Kristen Stewart.

Film

The studio filed a lawsuit against women’s fashion designer BB Dakota on Friday for copyright and trademark infringement. On the company’s website, BB Dakota advertises a blue cotton canvas jacket like this: “Bella Swann (sic) wears this jacket in Twilight and scores the hottest vampire in high school, and so can you!”

What young Twi-hard could resist that product pitch?

When the jacket debuted in 2008, Women’s Wear Daily wrote that it was “the stuff that legends are made of.” MTV’s web site remarked it “brings you this much closer to Robert Pattinson.” Stylist.com called it “love at first bite, er, sight” with a price tag that didn’t suck. And SoJones.com sang its praises as “very vampirelicious.”

For more proof, Entertainment Weekly ran a short vignette on how the jacket got into the first film. Apparently, Stewart was supposed to wear a brown hoodie, but the color blue was thought to better match Stewart’s brown hair. So costume designer Wendy Chuck made a dash to Nordstrom and picked something off the rack. “Wendy saved the day!” remarked director Catherine Hardwicke.

In the lawsuit, Summit seeks an injunction against further sale of the item, all profits earned from the jacket, and — the horror! — it wants BB Dakota to “deliver to Summit for destruction all Bella Jackets.”

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Elizabeth Hurley trying to have a baby

May 18, 2010 By Leave a Comment

London, May 18 (ANI): Elizabeth Hurley is trying to have a baby with husband Arun Nayar, but they “haven”t had any luck so far”.

The actress, who has an eight-year-old son Damian, with her multi-millionaire ex-boyfriend Steve Bing, hopes to expand her family.

“We haven”t had any luck so far. Arun would love another one. Damian does not want another one. And I think it would be great if one came along. But we”re grateful for what we”ve got,” the Daily Star quoted her as telling Zest magazine.

Also, the 44-year-old beauty revealed Damian”s relationship with his stepfather.

She said: “Damian calls him daddy. He knows he”s not his blood father. He”ll sometimes forget, though, and say, ”Tell me again why dad”s brown and we”re so white.” And I”ll say, ”He”s not blood, remember.” And he”ll say, ”Yes, I knew that.””(ANI)

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UK’s Brown pledges to boost industry, reform services

April 13, 2010 By Leave a Comment

LONDON, April 12 (Reuters) – Britain’s ruling Labour Party, trailing in the polls before a May 6 election, will try to regain the initiative on Monday by setting out plans to boost industry, reform scandal-hit politics and shake up public services, party sources said.

Prime Minister Gordon Brown will unveil Labour’s platform for what would be an unprecedented fourth consecutive term in office for the party.

The party says its manifesto will contain no major new spending commitments, recognising the need for Britain to tighten its belt to reduce a budget deficit forecast to exceed 11 percent of gross domestic product this fiscal year.

Labour says the manifesto will be pro-business but investors will be looking for details of what one party source said would be a pledge to give government more power to scrutinise foreign takeovers of British companies — a significant change for a country until now wide open to takeovers.

The source said however the proposed change would not have prevented the controversial takeover of British chocolate maker Cadbury by U.S. company Kraft (KFT.N).

Labour, which will unveil its manifesto in the West Midlands, a key election battleground, says its priority is to secure the economic recovery after the worst recession since World War Two.

It plans to halve the deficit within four years but says plans by the opposition Conservatives for faster, deeper cuts could derail the recovery. The centre-right Conservatives say failure to tackle the deficit could wreck the recovery.

TAX QUARREL

The Conservatives, vying to end 13 years of Labour rule, are ahead in the polls but not by enough to be sure of an overall majority in parliament. Investors fear a “hung parliament” would make decisive action to tackle the deficit less likely.

The first week of campaigning was dominated by a row over Labour’s plan to raise the National Insurance payroll tax. The Conservatives won backing from dozens of leading business executives for their plan to partly reverse the planned rise.

The Conservatives unveil their election manifesto on Tuesday.

With the financial services sector on which Britain previously relied for growth weakened by the financial crisis, Labour is looking to “re-balance” the economy by fostering industry, particularly environmentally friendly technology.

“The jobs and growth of the future must come from growing more and better businesses,” Energy Secretary Ed Miliband, in charge of compiling Labour’s manifesto, said on Sunday.

Labour will set a goal for business to create a million more skilled jobs. The party’s manifesto will include plans for 70,000 apprenticeships as well as previously announced plans for new high-speed rail links, a “green” investment bank and broadband access for all, a party source said.

Brown has already said the party will pledge to hold the basic income tax rate at 20 percent and crack down on bankers’ bonuses judged to reward excessive risk-taking.

The manifesto will include radical proposals for reforming public services which would allow poorly performing schools, hospitals and even police forces to be taken over by strong performers in their sectors.

With public anger running high over an expenses scandal in which members of parliament claimed public funds for items such as a duck house and dog food, Labour will set out plans to give voters a right to fire corrupt members of parliament.

- To see the latest Reuters stories on the UK election, click on [ID:nUKVOTES]

- To see the latest stories about the UK, click on [TOP/GB] or visit link.reuters.com/quq44j for multimedia coverage

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UK’s Brown pledges reform, clashes on economy

April 8, 2010 By Leave a Comment

British Prime Minister Gordon Brown said on Wednesday he would overhaul the scandal-hit parliament and take more steps to secure an economic recovery if his Labour Party defied the polls and won the May 6 election.

His plan for sweeping political reforms might appeal to the smaller opposition Liberal Democrats, whose support Labour may need to form a government if it fails to secure an outright majority in what looks like the closest race in 20 years.

Labour has trailed the opposition Conservatives in the opinion polls since January 2008, but the gap has narrowed and the latest surveys point to a result in which no single party would have an overall parliamentary majority.

The prime minister said voters would be given a say on constitutional reforms in a referendum before October 2011, including changing how members of parliament (MPs) are elected and the possibility of an elected upper chamber.

The proposals are in part a response to public disgust with politicians after many MPs abused their expense allowances by claiming money for items such as a duck house or dog food.

“I would … take no joy in victory if it comes without a mandate to get rid of the old discredited system of politics,” Brown said in a speech a day after setting the election date.

He called for parliaments to be elected for a fixed term, instead of the current system where the prime minister can call an election at any time up to a five-year maximum.

The measures will be seen as an attempt to woo the Liberal Democrats, who have long argued for political reform, including a switch to proportional representation.

But the Liberal Democrats, Britain’s third biggest party, dismissed the proposals.

“How on earth are we supposed to believe anything that Gordon Brown says about political reform when they’ve done nothing for 13 years?” said Liberal Democrat leader Nick Clegg.

ECONOMIC RECOVERY

Conservative leader David Cameron used a bruising parliamentary session to accuse Brown of wrecking the economic recovery with plans to raise payroll taxes.

With the parliamentary chamber in uproar, Brown hit back by accusing the Conservatives of putting growth and jobs at risk with their plans for public spending cuts to reduce the gaping budget deficit.

Arguments about the best way to nurture the hesitant economic recovery are set to dominate the election campaign, in which the Conservatives are trying to end 13 years of Labour rule.

“This prime minister would wreck the recovery by putting a tax on every job, on everyone earning over 20,000 (pounds, $30,470 a year), a tax on aspiration, a tax on every business in the country — this government would wreck the recovery,” Cameron said.

Several business groups and 38 large employers have backed the Conservatives’ opposition to a planned rise in National Insurance, a payroll tax. Brown said the Conservatives had “deceived” them.

Brown said that to withdraw six billion pounds from the economy, as he says the centre-right Conservatives plan to do, would put jobs, businesses and growth at risk. “We cannot cut our way to recovery but we could cut our way to double-dip recession,” he said.

Brown said in a Channel 4 News interview that his party would make an election pledge to hold the basic income tax rate at 20 percent. (Additional reporting by Adrian Croft, Estelle Shirbon, Peter Griffiths and Caroline Copley; editing by Tim Pearce)

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UK’s Brown, Cameron trade blows over economy, defence

April 8, 2010 By Leave a Comment

British Prime Minister Gordon Brown and opposition leader David Cameron clashed in parliament on Wednesday over the economy and defence in a taste of the arguments set to dominate the campaign for the May 6 election.

A day after Brown set the election date, Conservative leader Cameron accused Brown of wrecking the economic recovery with plans to raise payroll taxes and of failing to give British troops in Afghanistan enough helicopters.

Amid noisy shouts from MPs, Brown in turn said the Conservatives would put growth and jobs at risk with their plans for public spending cuts to pay down the gaping budget deficit.

The economy and nurturing the fledging recovery are set to dominate the election, in which the Conservatives are bidding to end 13 years of rule by Brown’s Labour Party.

“This prime minister would wreck the recovery by putting a tax on every job, on everyone earning over 20,000 (pounds or $30,470 a year), a tax on aspiration, a tax on every business in the country — this government would wreck the recovery,” Cameron said, referring to Brown’s plans to raise payroll taxes.

Brown retorted that to withdraw six billion pounds from the economy, as he says the centre-right Conservatives plan to do, would put jobs, businesses and growth at risk.

“We cannot cut our way to recovery but we could cut our way to double-dip recession,” he said.

CHANCE OF HUNG PARLIAMENT

While the Conservatives lead in the polls, many surveys suggest they will fall short of a parliamentary majority, resulting in a “hung parliament” that financial markets fear will lack the will to slash a budget deficit forecast at 163 billion pounds, 11 percent of Gross Domestic Product, this year.

Brown’s last parliamentary question-and-answer session before the election gave the main party leaders the chance to rehearse lines they will use in three pre-election televised debates — a first for British politics.

Nick Clegg, leader of the smaller opposition Liberal Democrats, who could play a “kingmaker” role in forming the next government if there is a hung parliament, attacked Labour.

“We all remember back in 1997 the hope and the promise of this new government. Look at them now, you’ve failed. It’s over. It’s time to go,” he said to loud cheers from opposition MPs.

The Conservatives want to go faster and deeper than Labour in cutting spending to rein in the budget deficit.

The Conservatives switched focus last week by saying they would exempt most Britons from the planned payroll tax rise, funding the measure through efficiency savings worth an initial 6 billion pounds.

Bosses of some of Britain’s biggest companies backed the Conservatives over the payroll tax but Brown told GMTV on Wednesday the executives had been “deceived”.

Cameron repeatedly accused Brown of failing to give Britain’s 9,500 troops in Afghanistan enough helicopters when they were sent to combat Taliban insurgents in the southern province of Helmand.

Brown denied the charge, saying: “We have done our best to equip our troops and we will continue to do so.”

(Additional reporting by Matt Falloon, Estelle Shirbon; Editing by Matthew Jones)

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Jack Nicholson gives acting tips to students at daughter’s university

May 2, 2009 By Leave a Comment

London, April 28 (ANI): Jack Nicholson handed out acting advice to students at his daughter’s university campus on April 25.

The Departed star joined the panel including producers Robert Evans, Brad Grey and former studio chief Peter Bart for the Ivy League Film Festival session at Rhode Island’s Brown University.

According to the New York Post, learners picked up pointers on the subject of loyalty and artistic integrity, reports the Daily Star.

The 72-year-old had later reportedly spent time with Lorraine, his 19-year-old daughter from a former girlfriend. (ANI)

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Jobs threat at mobile phone company

April 9, 2009 By Leave a Comment

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Hundreds of call centre jobs are at risk after mobile phone giant T-Mobile announced plans to move work to the Philippines. Skip related content
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T-Mobile has announced plans to move call centre jobs to Philippines
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More than 500 workers who are employed by firm Telecom Service Centres (TSC) are affected by the decision.

Around 300 staff out of 500 at a TSC call centre in Larbert, near Falkirk, 118 at a centre in Greenock, Renfrewshire, and around 100 at a TSC call centre in Yorkshire are at risk.

A spokesman for TSC, which provides contact centre services and technology support to T-Mobile, said the company had started a 90-day consultation period with staff.

The mobile phone company confirmed plans are under way to transfer work from TSC to a new centre in Manila, in the Philippines, known as T-Mobile Dela Rosa.

A TSC spokesman said: “One of our clients has decided that certain services we currently perform for them will be moved to an offshore supplier. Sadly, that puts at risk a number of jobs in our Falkirk site – hence the beginning of the consultation period.”

But he stressed the company was “working very hard” to attract new business to the call centre. We have a number of potential new clients in the pipeline – and we will do all we can to try to secure this new business,” he said.

“Our Falkirk operation has been an integral part of the TSC network since it opened and we are determined to do all we can to keep our staff members there in employment.”

A T-Mobile spokeswoman said: “This decision will result in a gradual transfer of services from the current provider TSC.”

Plans involved transferring some areas of work to the Manila call centre by the end of August, she said. The “more complex aspects” of the operations would remain in the UK

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HIGHLIGHTS – UK’s Brown and President Obama on the G20

April 2, 2009 By Leave a Comment

Following are highlights of comments made by British Prime Minister Gordon Brown and U.S. President Barack Obama in London on Wednesday ahead of the G20 summit of leading and emerging economies.

OBAMA ON EXECUTION OF G20 PLAN

“How well we execute in the months to come, how well we button down these regulations, how well we each in our own respective countries help the banks to deal with the impaired assets that they have on their books…, how effective we are in managing the huge out flows of capital from emerging markets and provide a buffer for the very poor and developing countries…how well we reform our international financial institutions so that they can be a more effective player in this whole process, all those things will help determine whether this ends up being a slow rolling crisis, that takes a lot more time to cure it or whether we start seeing significant recovery.

“I don’t think there is any doubt that 2009 is going to be difficult.

OBAMA ON NUCLEAR STOCKPILES

“There are very real differences between the United States and Russia. And I have no interests in papering those over those, but there are also a broad set of common interests that we can pursue. Both countries I believe have an interest in reducing nuclear stockpiles and promoting nuclear non-profileration.”

OBAMA ON RUSSIA, NUCLEAR PROLIFERATION

“A good place to start is the issue of nuclear proliferation and one of the things that I’ve always believed strongly is that both the United States and Russia and other nuclear powers will be in a much stronger position to strengthen what has become a somewhat fragile, threadbare non-proliferation treaty if we are leading by example and if we can take serious steps to reduce the nuclear arsenal.”

BROWN ON AGREEMENT

“We are within a few hours, I think, of agreeing a global plan for economic recovery and reform and I think the significance of this is that we are looking at every aspect.”

OBAMA ON APPARENT RIFT OVER STIMULUS/REGULATION

“The truth is that’s just arguing at the margins. The core notion that government has to take some steps to deal with a contracting global market place and that we should be promoting growth — that’s not in dispute.

“On the regulatory side, this notion that somehow there are those who are pushing for regulation and those who are resisting regulation is belied by the facts.

“(U.S. Treasury Secretary) Tim Geithner who is sitting here today went before Congress and proposed as aggressive a set of regulatory measures as any that have emerged among G20 members — that was before we showed up.”

OBAMA ON CONSENSUS

“I am absolutely confident that this meeting will reflect enormous consensus about the need to work in concert to deal with these problems.”

BROWN ON RECOVERY PLAN

“We are within a few hours, I think, of agreeing a global plan for economic recovery and reform.”

OBAMA ON RISK

“…In the long-term making sure that we’ve got a set of … regulations that are up to the task and that includes a number that will be discussed at this summit.

“I think there’s a lot of convergence between all the parties involved in that, for example, to focus not on the legal form that a particular financial product takes or the institution that it emerges from but rather what is the risk involved, what is the function of this product and how do we regulate that adequately.”

OBAMA ON G20 DIPLOMACY

“I came here to put forward ideas but I also came here to listen, not to lecture. Having said that, we must not miss an opportunity to lead, to confront a crisis that knows no borders.

“We have a responsibility to co-ordinate our actions and to focus on common ground, not on our occasional differences. If we do, I believe we can make enormous progress and that’s why in preparation for these meetings I have reached out and consulted with many of the leaders who are here.”

“History shows us that when nations fail to cooperate, when they turn away from one another, when they turn inward, the price for our people only grows — that’s how the Great Depression deepened. That’s a mistake that we cannot afford to repeat.”

OBAMA ON REGULATION

“The United States certainly has some accounting to do with respect of a regulatory system that was inadequate.”

OBAMA ON PROTECTIONISM

“We have to reject protectionism and acelerate our efforts to support emerging markets and we have to put in place a structure that can sustain our cooperation in the months and years ahead.”

OBAMA ON IRAN

“We are both committed to diplomacy with Iran that offers the Islamic Republic the opportunity of a better future if it abandons its nuclear weapons ambitions.”

OBAMA ON AGREEMENT

“I know that the G20 nations are appropriately pursuing their own approaches and as Gordon (Brown) indicated, we are not going to agree on every point.”

BROWN ON TRADE FINANCE BOOST

“The fourth test is to reject protectionism and kick-start global trade, and I suggested an absolute minimum of $100 billion of trade finance that is so desperately needed.”

OBAMA ON GROWTH

“The United States is committed to working alongside the United Kingdom in doing whatever it takes to stimulate growth and demand and to ensure that a crisis like this never happens again.”

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