Woody Allen's lawyer blames 'vengeful lover' for sex abuse controversy

"What's your favorite Woody Allen movie? Before you answer, you should know: when I was seven years old, Woody Allen took me by the hand and led me into a dim, closet-like attic on the second floor of our house," Farrow wrote. When Mia Farrow's 12-year relationship with Allen ended two decades ago, the actress accused him of molesting Dylan, one of two children she had adopted with Allen. Allen's lawyer responded in a statement e-mailed to CNN on Monday: "It is tragic that after 20 years a story engineered by a vengeful lover resurfaces even though it was fully vetted and rejected by independent authorities. The one to blame for Dylan's distress is neither Dylan nor Woody Allen." Allen representative Leslee Dart said in a prepared statement Sunday that Allen "Read the article and found it untrue and disgraceful." He would respond "Very soon," Dart said.
Source: CNN


Swirl >>

No investigation of Woody Allen pending Connecticut says - REUTERS
Abuse allegations against Woody Allen prompt new legal questions - REUTERS
Woody Allen rep Abuse allegations disgraceful - CNBC NEWS
Girl Allegedly Waterboarded By Melvin Morse Mothers Boyfriend Testifies In Court - HUFFINGTON
Allen abuse allegations unlikely to alter Oscar race - USA TODAY

Digital World Puts Olympic Coverage Through Its Paces

NBCUniversal has made a deal with Facebook to provide more than 1,000 hours of digital coverage of the upcoming Winter Olympic games. NBC, it's gearing up for one of TV's flagship events: The broadcast of the Winter Olympics. MONTAGNE: There is no ignoring going on over at NBC. The network has planned a thousand hours of digital coverage of the games in Sochi. MONTAGNE: All of the broadcast on television and on the Web add to some 1500 hours of Olympic coverage.
Source: NPR


Swirl >>

Sochi Olympics Putins Legacy Or Liability Voice of America - GOOGLE NEWS
Washington Capitals injuries piling up before Olympic break - WASHINGTON POST
If Homophobia Was a Winter Olympic Sport Russia Would Be a Gold Medal Contender - HUFFINGTON
For Russians in Olympics shadow Sochi construction leaving them in the cold - CNBC NEWS
Sochi Bathroom Signs Forbid Fishing Upper Deckers In Olympic Toilets PHOTO - HUFFINGTON
Did London Get An Economic Boost From The 2012 Olympics - NPR
Georgians Make Rare Flight to Olympics in Sochi - ABC
Evolved Shaun White enters Olympics as popculture icon - USA TODAY

Woody Allen calls renewed sex abuse claim 'disgraceful'

In an open letter published on Saturday, Dylan Farrow accused Mr Allen of molesting her in a "Dim, closet-like attic" at the age of seven. "The experts concluded there was no credible evidence of molestation; that Dylan Farrow had an inability to distinguish between fantasy and reality; and that Dylan Farrow had likely been coached by her mother Mia Farrow," Ms Dart continued. Mr Allen has previously accused Dylan's mother, Mia Farrow, of fabricating the claims after their highly publicised break-up in 1992 and has always maintained his innocence. In the letter from Dylan Farrow, published on the New York Times website, she recounts an incident in which she says Mr Allen "Told me to lay on my stomach and play with my brother's electric train set. Then he sexually abused me".
Source: BBC


Swirl >>

No investigation of Woody Allen pending Connecticut says - REUTERS
Abuse allegations against Woody Allen prompt new legal questions - REUTERS
Woody Allen rep Abuse allegations disgraceful - CNBC NEWS
Allens lawyer blames vengeful lover - CNN
Allen abuse allegations unlikely to alter Oscar race - USA TODAY

No investigation of Woody Allen pending, Connecticut says

WASHINGTON - State prosecutors in Connecticut do not have an open investigation of Woody Allen, a spokesman said on Monday, after the filmmaker's adult adopted daughter renewed allegations that he sexually abused her at age 7. A prosecutor decided after an investigation in 1993 not to charge Allen, who has denied the allegations. She said the incident occurred at the Connecticut home of her mother, the actress and former Allen girlfriend Mia Farrow. On Sunday, a spokeswoman for Allen called Dylan Farrow's letter untrue and disgraceful.
Source: REUTERS


Swirl >>

Woody Allen rejects sex abuse claim - BBC
Abuse allegations against Woody Allen prompt new legal questions - REUTERS
Woody Allen rep Abuse allegations disgraceful - CNBC NEWS
Girl Allegedly Waterboarded By Melvin Morse Mothers Boyfriend Testifies In Court - HUFFINGTON
Allens lawyer blames vengeful lover - CNN
Allen abuse allegations unlikely to alter Oscar race - USA TODAY

Asia Private Equity Weekly News, February 4, 2014

INDIA'S ADITYA Birla Nuvo Ltd, a unit of diversified Aditya Birla Group, has agreed to sell its business process outsourcing unit Minacs to a group of investors led by private equity firms Capital Square Partners and CX Partners for $260 million. JD.COM, CHINA'S second-largest e-commerce company, filed for a U.S. listing of its shares, following market leader Alibaba Group Holding Ltd in tapping into rising investor enthusiasm surrounding China's booming online retail market. AUSTRALIAN HOSPITAL operator Healthscope Ltd, owned by TPG Capital and Carlyle Group is considering three options for a sale process to cash in on current strong demand for quality healthcare assets, managing director Rob Cooke said. The IPO would allow Australian private equity firm CHAMP Ventures to cash out of its 42 percent stake, Super Group said.
Source: REUTERS


Swirl >>

The Notes MustReads for Monday February 3 2014 - ABC
Monday February 3 2014 - PBS NEWSHOUR
Whats new to Netflix in February - CNN
Ten reasons to travel in February 2014 - TELEGRAPH
Februarys weirdest festivals - TELEGRAPH
Einsteins theory of relativity stands up to scrutiny from the archive 4 February 1924 - THE GUARDIAN
News of the day From Across the Globe February 4 - SAN FRAN CHRONICLE
Lew sets debt ceiling deadline for end of February - WASHINGTON POST

China Is Poised To Force 'Times' Reporter Out Of Country

In a move that's being seen as retaliation for negative stories about its leaders, China's government has told a New York Times reporter that he must leave the country when his visa expires Thursday. "The correspondent, Austin Ramzy, has worked in China for six years. His visa expires Thursday and China's Foreign Ministry says it will not be renewed in time." "Ramzy, previously a magazine reporter, applied for a new visa to work for The New York Times back in June. Officials here are citing an alleged technicality to refuse the visa." Two months after the story on Wen Jiabao ran in 2012, China did not renew the visa of another of the paper's reporters, Chris Buckley, who since then has been reporting about China from Hong Kong.
Source: NPR


Swirl >>

Obama Praises Joan Mondale For Her Contributions To The Arts - HUFFINGTON
Obama Tells Fox News Ive Been a Big MoneyMaker for You - ABC
Obama says Fox Newss OReilly absolutely unfair in extended interview - NBC NEWS
Former second lady and arts patron Joan Mondale dies aged 83 - AL JAZEERA
Former President Carter wife remember Joan Mondale as arts advocate Fox News - GOOGLE NEWS
Former 2nd lady Joan Mondale dies at age 83 - CNBC NEWS
For Persian Jews America Means Religious Pluralism At Its Best - NPR
CheapAirs Rob Ford Rehab Offer Is The Latest Stunt To Get Toronto Mayor Help - HUFFINGTON

In Grantland Backlash, Both Ire And Probing Questions

In the course of reporting the article, writer Caleb Hannon discovered that several purported facts about Vanderbilt's life had been falsified. Critics of Hannon's article have alleged, among other things, that his reporting contributed to Vanderbilt's suicide in October 2013. She claimed to be part of the Vanderbilt family, and she had demanded to the reporter on the piece, Caleb Hannan, that she'd cooperate only if he report on the science, not the scientist. He talked to one of Vanderbilt's investors and revealed to that man that Vanderbilt was transsexual.
Source: NPR


Swirl >>

Rep Paul Broun Would Back Obama Impeachment - ABC
The Champion Barack Obama - THE ATLANTIC
Fox News to show second part of Bill OReilly interview with Barack Obama - THE GUARDIAN
Artist Basquiats early works to be on exhibit auction in New York - REUTERS
The Battle Over Birth Control Ohios AG Leads National Campaign for Conservative Agenda - HUFFINGTON
Why Chinas PMI Figures Might Not Be As Bad As They Look - FORBES
Coppers swoon Bad omen for China - CNBC NEWS
Egypt Bank Closures Add Strain On Economy - CBS NEWS