AppId is over the quota
AppId is over the quota

01/12/2011 – 08:19:42
The BBC has apologised after Jeremy Clarkson declared that he would like to see striking public sector workers “shot” in front of their families.

The ‘Top Gear’ presenter made his comments on BBC’s The One Show on the evening of Britain’s biggest public sector strikes in 30 years.

He said of the strikers: “I’d have them all shot. I would take them outside and execute them in front of their families.

“I mean, how dare they go on strike when they’ve got these gilt-edged pensions that are going to be guaranteed while the rest of us have to work for a living.”

The broadcaster’s comments sparked hundreds of angry comments on Twitter.

Piers Morgan tweeted: “Clarkson can abuse – and hit (weakly..) – me all he likes. But what he said about the strikers just proves he’s a nasty little twerp.”

Author Tony Parsons tweeted: “Jeremy Clarkson has misjudged the moment. Criticising striking public sector workers today is like sieg-heiling at Last Night of the Proms.”

KateakaMrsO tweeted: “First time I have ever complained about a programme, as I usually think people can use off button but Jeremy Clarkson a disgrace.”

A BBC spokesman said: “‘The One Show’ apologised at the end of the show to viewers who may have been offended by Jeremy Clarkson’s comments.”

Jon Trickett, Labour’s shadow minister for the Cabinet Office, said: “No one wants these strikes but most of today’s strikers are mums, not militants.

“Clarkson should apologise. And the Prime Minister should make clear he disassociates himself from the distasteful remarks uttered by one of his friends.”

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AppId is over the quota
AppId is over the quota

01/12/2011 – 08:41:26
France has paid tribute to Grammy winner Lenny Kravitz with its highest award, the Legion of Honor.

Culture Minister Frederic Mitterrand hailed the 47-year-old singer-songwriter at a Paris ceremony tonight telling him “you freed yourself of the barriers between black and white sound”.

Kravitz said he got his first big break at a 1989 music festival in the western French city of Rennes that transformed his career “overnight”.

He said: “I know it sounds like a fairytale but it’s true.”

Kravitz was born to a black mother and white father, and his latest album, ‘Black and White America’, tackles interracial issues – notably what his parents experienced in 1960s New York.

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AppId is over the quota
AppId is over the quota

01/12/2011 – 07:53:46
Adele has been given the perfect get well gift after being nominated for six Grammys at next year’s awards.

The singer-songwriter, who is recovering from throat surgery which forced her to cancel a string of UK concerts last month, will take on the likes of Lady Gaga and Katy Perry in categories including song, record and album of the year.

English folk rock band Mumford and Sons are also nominated, receiving four nods including best song and record, while the late Amy Winehouse could be honoured with a posthumous Grammy after being shortlisted in the best pop duo/group performance for her collaboration with Tony Bennett on the track ‘Body And Soul’.

The nominations were announced at a ceremony broadcast live from the Nokia Theatre in Los Angeles earlier today.

American rapper turned actor LL Cool J hosted the star studded nominations show which included performances from Lady Gaga, Rihanna and Usher.

Adele, who was diagnosed with a vocal cord haemorrhage that threatened to wreck her voice, was nominated in the best song and record categories for her chart-topping anthem ‘Rolling in the Deep’ and is in the running for best album with her multi-platinum offering ’21′.

‘The Someone Like You’ singer recently told fans her throat operation had been a success and she was “on the mend”. It has been reported that she is to make her comeback performance at the ‘X Factor’ final later this month.

Kanye West, who has 14 Grammys to his name, led the nominations with seven nods, while Foo Fighters and Bruno Mars joined Adele with six.

The winners will be announced at the 54th annual awards ceremony in Los Angeles in February.

Nominees announced in top categories for the 54th annual Grammy Awards:

Record of the Year:
‘Rolling in the Deep’, Adele;
‘Holocene’, Bon Iver;
‘Grenade’, Bruno Mars;
‘The Cave’, Mumford & Sons;
‘Firework’, Katy Perry.

Album of the Year:
’21′, Adele;
‘Wasting Light’, Foo Fighters;
‘Born This Way’, Lady Gaga;
‘Doo-Wops & Hooligans’, Bruno Mars;
‘Loud’, Rihanna.

Song of the Year:
‘All of the Lights’, Jeff Bhasker, Malik Jones, Warren Trotter and Kanye West, songwriters (performed by Kanye West, Rihanna, Kid Cudi and Fergie);
‘The Cave’, Ted Dwane, Ben Lovett, Marcus Mumford and Country Winston, songwriters (Mumford & Sons);
‘Grenade’, Brody Brown, Claude Kelly, Philip Lawrence, Ari Levine, Bruno Mars and Andrew Wyatt, songwriters (Bruno Mars);
‘Holocene’, Justin Vernon, songwriter (Bon Iver);
‘Rolling in the Deep’, Adele Adkins & Paul Epworth, songwriters (Adele).

New Artist:
The Band Perry;
Bon Iver;
J. Cole;
Nicki Minaj;
Skrillex.

Pop Vocal Album:
’21′, Adele;
‘The Lady Killer’, Cee Lo Green;
‘Born This Way’, Lady Gaga;
‘Doo-Wops & Hooligans’, Bruno Mars;
‘Loud’, Rihanna.

Rock Album:
‘Rock ’n’ Roll Party Honouring Les Paul’, Jeff Beck;
‘Wasting Light’, Foo Fighters;
‘Come Around Sundown’, Kings of Leon;
‘I’m With You’, Red Hot Chili Peppers;
‘The Whole Love’, Wilco.

R&B Album:
‘F.A.M.E.’, Chris Brown;
‘Second Chance’, El DeBarge;
‘Love Letter’, R. Kelly;
‘Pieces of Me’, Ledisi;
‘Kelly’, Kelly Price.

Rap Album:
‘Watch the Throne’, Jay-Z and Kanye West;
‘Tha Carter IV’, Lil Wayne;
‘Lasers’, Lupe Fiasco;
‘Pink Friday’, Nicki Minaj;
‘My Beautiful Dark Twisted Fantasy’, Kanye West.

Country Album:
‘My Kinda Party’, Jason Aldean;
‘Chief’, Eric Church;
‘Own the Night’, Lady Antebellum;
‘Red River Blue’, Blake Shelton;
‘Here for a Good Time’, George Strait;
‘Speak Now’, Taylor Swift.

Latin Pop, Rock or Urban Album:
‘Entren Los Que Quieran’, Calle 13;
‘Entre La Ciudad y El Mar’, Gustavo Galindo;
‘Nuestra’, La Vida Boheme;
‘Not So Commercial’, Los Amigos Invisibles;
‘Drama y Luz’, Mana.

Jazz Vocal Album:
‘Round Midnight’, Karrin Allyson;
‘The Mosaic Project’, Terri Lyne Carrington & Various Artists;
‘The Gate’, Kurt Elling;
‘American Road’, Tierney Sutton (Band);
‘The Music of Randy Newman’, Roseanna Vitro.

Contemporary Classical Composition:
‘Elmer Gantry’, Robert Aldridge and Herschel Garfein;
‘The Ghosts of Alhambra’, George Crumb;
‘String Quartet No. 3′, Jefferson Friedman;
‘Lonely Motel-Music from Slide’, Steven Mackey;
‘Piano Concerto No. 2′, Poul Ruders.

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