Lewandowski: Bayern must learn from last season's mistakes

The Poland international insists his side know where they went wrong in the second half of last season and can mount a serious challenge for the treble

Robert Lewandowski is confident Bayern Munich will make a strong challenge for the treble, insisting they know what went wrong in the second half of last season.

At the winter break last term, Pep Guardiola's men were still in the running for all three major trophies, but ended up only retaining the Bundesliga title.

Bayern suffered semi-final defeats to Barcelona and Borussia Dortmund in the Champions League and DFB-Pokal respectively, but Lewandowski is hopeful that will not happen again.

"We know what we did wrong last year and I hope we do a better job of it this year," he told the Bundesliga's official website.
"It doesn't matter if we have a five-point or eight-point lead in the Bundesliga because that is two, three games - everything can change.
"In the second half of the season, we cannot allow ourselves to make so many mistakes if we want to win the title.

"We have to give it everything right until the end, regardless of how many points clear we are. Right now the gap is eight points, but we are not champions yet.

"It is important that we give our all in the Champions League as well as the DFB-Pokal, regardless of who we are playing."
Lewandowski praised the challenge being posed from former club Dortmund under Thomas Tuchel this season and suggested a tight title battle with them could actually help Bayern in their other competitions.
"I am still in touch with people at BVB," added the 27-year-old. "They are playing really well this season, in the Europa League as well.

"Last season was verging on the catastrophic and I don't really know why. They are a quality side with a lot of good players.
"They are playing a bit differently compared to last season. They have not just shown how many goals they can score and have got a lot of potential - in defence as well as attack.

"We will be fighting with BVB up until the final game. That is good for us, too."

Real Madrid and Atletico given transfer bans

The two Spanish giants have been found guilty of the same irregularities as Barcelona and, after the current window closes, will then be unable to sign new players until 2017

Real Madrid and Atletico Madrid have been handed transfer bans for the next two transfer windows for breaching rules regarding players under the age of 18, Fifa have confirmed.

The two clubs will be able to register players during the current January transfer window but will then be unable to make signings for the two subsequent transfer windows due to irregularities over the "international transfers of minors".

Barcelona were handed the same punishment for a similar breach, with their ban lifted this month, and neither of the Madrid-based clubs will be able to make another signing until the summer of 2017.

Real have been linked with a host of elite players, such as David de Gea and Eden Hazard, but will need to act now or wait 18 months in order to sign them.
A statement released by Fifa on Thursday confirmed the sanctions: "The Fifa Disciplinary Committee has sanctioned Spanish clubs Atletico de Madrid and Real Madrid for breaches relating to the international transfer and registration of players under the age of 18.

"The two clubs were found to have violated several provisions concerning the international transfer and first registration of minor players as well as other relevant provisions with regard to the registration and participation of certain players in competitions.

"Both clubs are to serve a transfer ban that prevents them from registering any players at national and international level for the next two complete and consecutive registration periods for breaching articles 5, 9, 19 and 19bis as well as annexes 2 and 3 of the Regulations on the Status and Transfer of Players (the "Regulations").

"The transfer ban, which does not affect the current registration period at all, given that it opened before the decisions were notified, applies to each club as a whole – with the exception of the women’s, futsal and beach soccer teams – and does not prevent the release of players.

"Additionally, Atletico de Madrid and Real Madrid have been fined CHF 900,000 and CHF 360,000 respectively, while both clubs have been issued with a reprimand and given 90 days in which to regularise the situation of all minor players concerned."

The ruling, which is likely to be appealed by both clubs, means Madrid and Atletico face a race against time to strengthen their squads before it is imposed.

Atletico have already snapped up Augusto Fernandez from Celta Vigo in this window while Matias Kranevitter is now available to coach Diego Simeone after a loan spell at River Plate expired.

Madrid are yet to enter the transfer market, with new coach Zinedine Zidane still assessing his squad after succeeding Rafael Benitez last week.

Bale can win Ballon d'Or - Modric

The Real Madrid midfielder has tipped his team-mate to be crowned the best player in the world in the future - and he also gave English football a reality check

Luka Modric believes Real Madrid team-mate Gareth Bale has what it takes to win the FIFA Ballon d'Or in the future.

The Wales international had to settle for 16th place in this year's edition of the prestigious individual award and also missed out on a place in the FIFPro World XI.

However, Modric has little doubt Bale will make it to the Ballon d'Or ceremony at some stage.
"I told him that if he keeps playing like this then I do not see any reason why he can't make it into the World XI and then go on to win the Ballon d'Or," Modric was quoted as saying by The Telegraph.

"He has all the possibilities. He is a great player. Powerful, quality, everything. I hope in the future he will be there."
This year's FIFPro World XI consisted of eight players from La Liga as well as one apiece from Serie A, the Bundesliga and Ligue 1 as the Premier League stars were snubbed. Modric believes England's top flight is no longer the promised land.
"When you look at the world XI, it seems there has been a shift in power," he added.
"The best players are now playing in Spain. England has so many great players but La Liga is now number one.
"It is probably a little bit of everything really, the weather, the glamour, those two clubs.

Gonzalez: Messi thought I would hurt him and called me bad

The Espanyol defender revealed what was said on the pitch between him and the Barcelona star during Wednesday's Copa del Rey second-leg

Alvaro Gonzalez has revealed that Lionel Messi told him he thought the Espanyol defender would hurt him during Wednesday's Copa del Rey game.

Barcelona beat their Catalan rivals 2-0 in the second leg of their round-of-16 tie in a match which saw seven yellow cards given out.
The return leg was a much tamer affair compared to the first instalment between the two rivals, in which Espanyol had two men sent off in a 4-1 loss.
However, after Gonzalez had fouled Messi in the second leg, the two exchanged insults and laughed about it.

"Leo was criticising me for some things, and I some others," he told reporters. "I asked him if he thinks I will hurt him, and he said yes.
"He told me that I was bad, and I told him he was short. But both accepted it, laughed, and left it at that.
"There's no need to make a big deal of anything. What happens on the pitch stays there and that's it.

"The best thing about these derbies is the healthy rivalry we have."

Ronaldo statue vandalised with 'Messi 10' graffiti

The statue of the Real Madrid star in Madeira was desecrated as unknown assailants wrote "Messi" and drew a number 10 on his back after the Argentine beat him to the Ballon d'Or

As if losing out to Lionel Messi in the race for the Ballon d'Or on Monday was not enough for Cristiano Ronaldo, the Real Madrid attacker was given another reminder of the Argentine star's dominance over him in the wake of the award ceremony.

While Ronaldo hoped to draw level with his Barcelona counterpart and pick up the award for the fourth time in his career, he was left disappointed to see Messi swoop in and collect it for the fifth time.

To make matters worse, the star saw the statue which stands in his hometown of Madeira painted over with some unwelcome graffiti.

The culprits wrote 'Messi' on the back of the bronze homage to the Portugal international, scribbling the number 10 underneath. 

Will Anybody Buy a Drone Large Enough to Carry a Person?

Attendees at the CES conference in Las Vegas will have an opportunity straight out of the Jetsons today: the chance to ride a quadcopter drone.
The 184, built by Chinese consumer drone maker Ehang, is a 440-pound quadcopter with an enclosed seating area for human passengers. It can carry a person up to 10 miles, or up to 23 minutes, at speeds around 60 miles per hour, according to Ehang cofounder and chief marketing officer Derrick Xiong. And just like a small drone, it is capable of flying at heights of up to 2.15 miles, though drone regulation would likely keep it at just several hundred feet.

If you are ready to race out and buy a 184, consider that they will likely cost between $200,000 and $300,000, keeping them out of reach of the average individual for now. Ehang does plan to ship them this year, and is preparing to begin accepting pre-orders.
“This is a commercialized product that comes with not only the body, but the failsafe system, even an air-conditioner system,” Xiong says.

The 184 can carry a person up to 10 miles, or up to 23 minutes, at speeds around 60 miles per hour.

Building a drone large enough to carry a person is not radically different from building a small consumer quadcopter. The 184 still flies with four arms and places the bulk of the weight at its center. Made of lightweight carbon fiber, the drone takes off and lands vertically and is battery-powered. According to Xiong, one of the largest changes comes into play in the software, where a fresh set of flight-control algorithms oversee the speed of the drone’s huge rotors.
The 184 is not the first rideable quadcopter. The 18-rotor Volocopter has been able to carry people since 2011, though it must be piloted manually. Lady Gaga once flew a few feet while suspended by a large drone at an album release party. In August, a Dutch engineer revealed an open-air quadcopter that could carry a person for up to 10 seconds.

Ehang expects the first adopters of the 184, which costs about the same as an entry-level helicopter, could use it as a tourist attraction or ferry between difficult-to-reach locations, such as islands. It could serve many of the same use cases as small consumer drones and helicopters, such as delivering people and supplies to remote locations or airlifting injured people to safety. Navigation is as simple as putting an address in Google Maps.
It is unclear exactly how a vehicle like the 184 would be regulated in China or elsewhere, but Xiong said Ehang is working with mayors of cities in several countries to consider the technology. Like self-driving cars and consumer drones, it would likely require fresh legislation.
Public trust is a major barrier to adoption of technology like the 184, according to Stanford Intelligent Systems Laboratory director Mykel Kochenderfer. Users need to be sure of the reliability of the vehicle’s frame, propulsion system, and resistance to hacking. Overall, it’s difficult to foresee every single possible failure.
“Nevertheless, I’m sure that there will be some enthusiastic early adopters; whether that will be sufficient to get the business off the ground remains to be seen,” Kochenderfer says. “NASA has been supporting research on future concepts for personal air vehicles and autonomy for some time now, but it will take time for this technology to catch on.”

Neymar- Messi from another planet

Neymar thinks Barcelona team-mate Lionel Messi might be an extraterrestrial being after picking up a fifth Ballon d'Or.

Neymar was not short of superlatives for his team-mate and now five-time Ballon d'Or winner Lionel Messi after the Barcelona forward picked up the award again on Monday.

The Brazilian finished third behind Messi and Real Madrid's Cristiano Ronaldo but said there was daylight between Messi and the rest.
"As far as I am concerned, Leo is from another planet," Neymar said.

"For me, Messi is the best in the world, he's my idol and I hope we can enjoy watching him for years to come.
"It's been one of the best days of my life, I enjoyed watching from the front row as Leo won and spending the day by the side of two of the best players there.
"I hope I can be at the ceremony again."
Neymar said he had asked Messi for advice on how to win his own Ballon d'Or, but it seems the Argentinean's response was rather simple.

"Yeah: play better," Neymar said.

Barcelona president feels the star player's latest Ballon d'Or win

The Barcelona president feels the star player's latest Ballon d'Or win shows the world realises he is the best player of all time has plenty more good years left in him

Barcelona president Josep Maria Bartomeu has little doubt Lionel Messi will return to Zurich in the years to come to collect another Fifa Ballon d'Or after winning the trophy for the fifth time on Monday.
The Argentina international beat Cristiano Ronaldo and Neymar to the individual award and Bartomeu has stressed there is still more to come from the 28-year-old.
"Messi winning the Ballon d'Or is a great triumph for Barcelona, our supporters and mainly, Leo himself," he told reporters.

"To win his fifth Ballon d'Or means a lot. It means that the world of football recognises that the best player of all time is Leo Messi.
"And because he is still young, I do believe this will not be his last time here winning the trophy."
Whereas Messi and Neymar found themselves in the limelight in Zurich, fellow Barca attacker Luis Suarez missed out on a spot in the FIFPro World XI and Bartomeu felt the Uruguay international was hard done by.
"I would have chosen all players from Barcelona in the ideal starting XI team of Fifa, but I am not the one who votes," he added.
"Anyway, I missed Suarez there. I think he along with Neymar and Messi have marked a milestone in football.

"He should probably be here enjoying the Fifa Ballon d'Or party. He is a player that will keep doing great things with Barcelona."

Pogba signs... a Barcelona shirt?!

The midfielder has long been linked with a Juventus exit, with Barcelona thought to interested, but the 22-year-old insisted talk of the Ballon d'Or incident meant nothing

Has Paul Pogba hinted that he is interested in signing for Barcelona?!

Well, perhaps not, but the Juventus star uploaded a video of himself signing his autograph on a Barcelona shirt at Monday's Ballon d'Or ceremony, where he was named alongside four Barca and four Real Madrid stars in the FifPro World XI.

Pogba has long been linked with a move to Camp Nou with his future in Serie A expected to come to a head in the summer as the list of admirers - reportedly including the likes of Manchester City - continues to grow.

"I hope one day I can win [the Ballon d'Or], but there's a lot of work to be done," Pogba told Mediaset in Zurich. "I hope to continue like this, and today is a great victory when I think about where I started.

"I'm happy for myself, but even more for all the people who helped me get to this stage."

But, how about penning your name across the Catalan club's colours, Paul?

"It did not mean anything," he insisted.

Buffon, Bayern, Barca snub - chaotic Ballon d'Or is turning into the Eurovision contest

Tactical voting, bad jokes, a cringeworthy ceremony and some strange selections saw Fifa's famous gala endure an embarrassing edition on Monday - and it's nothing new either

The Ballon d'Or is descending into farce. There was no doubt about the winner in Monday's ceremony in Zurich, with Lionel Messi deserving of the individual prize. But apart from that, there really wasn't much to like about the event at all.

It has been coming. Ever since Fifa took over the running of the Ballon d'Or from France Football in 2010, there have been complaints about the award. Since then, of course, only two players have won it: Messi on five occasions and Cristiano Ronaldo three times. The world's two biggest players from the two richest clubs.

Those two topped the votes this year as well, with Neymar in third place. And even though Real Madrid failed to claim a single trophy in 2015, their representation in the ceremony was still significant. Somehow, Los Blancos boasted four footballers in the FIFPro XI, as many as treble winners Barcelona.

Among them there was only one representative from Bayern Munich, goalkeeper Manuel Neuer, but he stayed away along with the rest of the club's players and outgoing boss Pep Guardiola, who was nominated in the coaching category. Largely ignored after their team won the treble in 2012-13, the German champions seem to have had enough of the Ballon d'Or.

They are not the only ones. Italy coach Antonio Conte and goalkeeper Gigi Buffon boycotted the voting after the Juventus goalkeeper was left out of the top 50 players. And Buffon was in good company because former team-mate Carlos Tevez was also absent in the list of 23 when many believed he should have made the final shortlist of three.

It was a happy evening for Barcelona, meanwhile, after Messi triumphed, but it still seems surprising that the Argentine missed out on the Puskas prize for best goal to little-known Brazilian Wendell Lira - especially when it was decided by a fan vote that almost felt like a protest against Fifa's VIP obsession.

 Meanwhile, Barca can definitely feel aggrieved at the absence of Luis Suarez, Gerard Pique and Sergio Busquets from the Team of the Year, the latter especially unlucky to miss out to Madrid's Luka Modric, a player who missed several months through injury earlier in 2015.

Perhaps because of all that, Luis Enrique decided to stay away altogether. Barca's sporting director Robert Fernandez picked up the Best Coach award on his behalf, blaming "professional commitments" for the Asturian's absence. However, Zurich is a mere two-hour flight from the Catalan capital and he could have taken time out to attend, especially as Barca take a 4-1 lead to Espanyol in the Copa del Rey on Wednesday. But Barca's ban from Fifa is also fresh in the memory, and that could be another reason for Luis Enrique's decision to stay at home.

Meanwhile, organisation at the event itself was chaotic. Some journalists were only advised right at the last minute whether they could enter the auditorium or not and nobody working in the media centre was able to give directions to the gala entrance. And in the end, several press professionals were turned away at the door - even though the ceremony had yet to start.

As it did get underway, presenter Kate Abdo told those watching that Messi had won his last Ballon d'Or in 2009 when that was the year he had claimed the award for the first time. And actor James Nesbitt - a bizarre choice - pleaded with Cristiano Ronaldo to return to his beloved Manchester United. It was a cringeworthy ceremony with awful jokes and the two could be heard on air complaining about changes in the script after the show had come to an end.

Since the voting format changed in 2010, there have been some strange selections and it seems increasingly clear that international captains and coaches vote for their favourites, not necessarily those who had been best in that particular year.

In his latest exclusive column for Goal, Philipp Lahm writes: "I have asked myself: What is the voting for the best footballer in the world all about? Only a player who not only plays internationally, but who is successful on the biggest stages has the necessary relevance to stand a chance.

"You are asked to name three players from a list of candidates. And then you go for the obvious choices. You are stuck with the best-known names, you vote for the 'most visible' players. That's why it has become a vote for the 'world's best striker award' in the end."

Nothing necessarily wrong with that of course, especially when the world's finest footballers are all forwards, but Fifa have been criticised for turning this prize into a media extravaganza. The organisation's decision to extend the voting deadline in 2013 after Ronaldo had hit a hat-trick to secure World Cup qualification for Portugal against Sweden was suspicious to say the least.

On Monday, even Ronaldo was asked about Fifa's problems in the pre-award press conference and said: "Crisis and corruption is not good - in life, not just in football."

Well said, but Fifa's credibility has plummeted in recent years due to the corruption case that has seen president Sepp Blatter suspended. After a cringeworthy ceremony on Monday featuring fluffed lines, bad jokes, a pop performance by the increasingly irrelevant Leona Lewis - plus the now customary tactical voting and some strange results to boot - the Ballon d'Or is now starting to resemble the horror show that is the Eurovision Song Contest. What a shame.

The moment I nearly threw up at a VR demo

Today it was my turn, as a virtual reality demo here at the CES tech show went badly wrong.
It started well. In an elegant hotel suite at the top of the famous strip, gaming chip-maker Nvidia gave a slick presentation about its Shield product - an Android-based TV connected device that offers a host of high quality entertainment options, including VR.
Then, it was time to try some new VR titles.

'Mind blowing'

Overall, I've been quietly impressed with VR. I've tried various headsets in various stages of development and seen some amazing virtual sights.
At home, I'm starting to think my family members are growing Google Cardboards out of their foreheads - although I know some VR aficionados say they don't count.
The day's first experience was mind blowing. Inside a small empty room, wearing an HTC Vive, I climbed Mount Everest.
The graphics were superb - actual footage provided by the makers of the movie Everest. And wherever I looked - up down, around - there I was in the Himalayas.



Even a glitch, when my hands went through the mountain, didn't dampen the moment - that's how intense it was.
I recorded my first impressions for our radio show Tech Tent as I stumbled tentatively around the mountain, teetering over vast ice chasms on tiny bridges and climbing a vertical ladder up a sheer face known as Death Falls.

Emotional ascent

Listening back to the recording, my voice actually cracked with emotion when I reached the top.
Everest duly conquered, it was time to take a trip into outer space with a demo of another new game called Adr1ft.
The Rift VR headset applied, I was given an Xbox controller. Now, I'm familiar enough with them but not to the extent that they are like an extra hand - and of course with the headset on you can't actually see it.
Suddenly, I was floating inside a glass windowed dome above earth not dissimilar to the cupola on board the International Space Station.

Various bits of debris surrounded me. It was powerful - but the constrictions of being inside a virtual space helmet gave the visuals a tighter window than I had expected.
The developer, Adam Orth, is passionate about VR. He started to tell me that Adr1ft was based on personal experience.

Space quest

"Have you been into space?" I asked, as I sat through the tuition video - although I have to admit by the time it had finished I'd already forgotten which buttons did what, and I was also distracted by trying to explain what was around me for the radio show.
"No. It was… metaphorical," he answered.
But before I could find out what he meant, suddenly, I found I just couldn't move.



Nothing responded as I expected. I couldn't even get to the space ship hatch to get outside and start my mission. I started to feel very hot and very disorientated. I was tumbling around, bumping into walls and debris and no longer knew which way was up. My virtual space helmet visor was cracking.
Within about 30 seconds I wanted to rip the helmet off and run to the bathroom.
I asked to stop.
Adam was totally thrown.
"Let me just get you out of the ship…." he said, taking the control from my hands.
But it was too much - I had to remove the headset.
He looked genuinely crushed and I felt terrible.
"We've never had this reaction before," he said.
He started pressing buttons and his face lit up.
"The controller is configured wrong!" he said.
"No wonder you couldn't do it."

 Broken illusion

I'm not sure whether this was a polite ruse to save my dignity.
"I still don't think I feel very confident about continuing," I said sadly.
There was a long pause.
"I'm sorry…" I tried.
"Would you tell me about your inspiration for the game?"
He didn't respond.
I sensed my time was up. After some small talk we said a polite goodbye and Mr Orth did ask if I wanted to continue, but I think we both knew the moment had passed. And I was seriously worried about throwing up.

I left the suite, immediately took a wrong turn and found myself totally lost in the labyrinth that is the average Las Vegas hotel.
When I finally did get outside, I walked the wrong way up the strip in the pouring rain. The disorientation stayed with me for about half an hour afterwards, and I felt too nauseous to get in a taxi.
Now - it could be that I'm just not cut out for VR gaming. It could also be that I'm nursing a winter cold and I'm not fighting fit for space travel.
But now I have experienced first-hand the weirdness that VR can induce - seemingly very suddenly - and I didn't like it. I am in a very small minority, I am told, and I hadn't felt it before.

"There's always going to be a small percentage of the population that gets motion sickness, there's no way around that," said Brian Blau from the tech research firm Gartner.
"But for most people, it usually won't be a problem.
"For the most part, when there's motion sickness it's caused by the app. Developers have to work hard to avoid types of situations that cause the problem.
"Making VR is not easy, it will take time and experience."
My experience hasn't put me off virtual reality, but it has made me cautious.
And I guess my future career as an astronaut is dead in the water.

Moment North Korean TV announces hydrogen bomb test

North Korea's state TV has announced that a hydrogen bomb was successfully tested in the Asian country.

The news came after monitors detected a tremor of magnitude 5.1 near the Punggye-ri nuclear test site.

CCTV of death crash driver who drove at 95mph in 30mph zone

23 December 2015 Last updated at 12:38 GMT

Police have released CCTV images of the moments before a man driving at speeds of up to 95mph (153km/h) hit and killed a woman.
Matthew Scrimshaw had been driving on the wrong side of the road and was 1.75 times over the blood alcohol limit at the time.
He hit 67-year-old Iris Higginson's Vauxhall Corsa head on in Eastwood, Nottinghamshire, in December last year.
He has been jailed for 12 years at Nottingham Crown Court.

HTC Vive virtual reality headset gets upgraded - CES 2016

Taiwanese tech firm HTC has revealed changes to its forthcoming virtual reality headset at the CES tech show.

The Vive's release was delayed after what chief executive Cher Wang described as a "very, very big technological breakthrough".
This has been revealed to be a camera system that allows the wearer to see objects in the physical room around them, helping to avoid collisions.
Some have questioned whether the device will be affordable, though.
By pressing a button on a handheld controller, the user can see objects near them ghosted in to the virtual reality environment.
This merging of physical and digital is intended as a safety feature - and a solution to one of the practical problems facing VR.
HTC plans to launch the Vive in April.
Pre-orders for a rival PC-powered headset, the Rift by Oculus, are set to begin on Wednesday. However, the Facebook-owned firm has yet to reveal when they will be delivered.

The other major headset on show at the Vegas event is the PlayStation VR, which works with Sony's games console.

'New era'

"For too long, the promise of virtual reality has been little more than a promise," said Ms Wang.
"Today we stand on the precipice of a new era. Vive is creating a world where the only limit is human imagination."
The headset's improvements over a version revealed in February include:

• A front-facing camera, so the user can view the world around them when desired
• A redesign of the headset and strap to make them more comfortable
• Interchangeable foam inserts and "nose gaskets" to better fit the shape of the wearer's face
• A brighter display with better clarity than before
• Handheld controllers feature a range of updates including textured buttons, grip pads and softer edges

HTC would not reveal any details on pricing, but when pushed it acknowledged the cost might prove a barrier to mass-market adoption.
"It is a very good experience but if you already have, say a PlayStation, then PlayStation VR is going to be a quicker and cheaper way to get into it," said Stuart Miles, editor of tech site Pocket-lint.

Analysis: Jane Wakefield, Technology reporter

Today, in Vegas, I stood on the deck of a shipwreck and watched a blue whale float past - all in the comfort of a hotel suite.
I was trying out HTC's new, improved virtual reality headset and it was quite an experience.
The ability for 360-degree viewing makes it very immersive and the content is compelling. But whether I would invest in it is another matter.
At Christmas, my children played around with the much cheaper and currently available Google Cardboard and while that is a totally different experience it seemed to satisfy their immediate VR needs.

Vying for VR

Competition in the virtual reality market is primed to be fierce in 2016, according to Michael Goodman of Strategy Analytics.
"This is like a bunch of competitors, right at the starting line, eying each other just before the gun goes off," he said.
Attempts to popularise VR flopped in the 1990s, but Mr Goodman said that a positive sign this time was that several content-producing firms had already announced VR titles and franchises before the headsets had gone on sale.
"That's really unprecedented in the media entertainment space," he added.

Fitness gadgets

HTC also unveiled a trio of health-related devices as part of a tie-up with the fitness specialist Under Armour.
They will be sold together for $400 (£270) in a product titled HealthBox.
The first is the UA Band, an all-day wristband for tracking activity, exercise and sleep.
The second, the UA Heart Rate monitor, is designed to be strapped to the wearer's chest during workouts in order to detect heartbeats and calculate calories burned.
Finally, there is the UA Scale, a wi-fi connected set of scales which sync with a companion app so that users can track weight fluctuations over time.
"There is nothing amazingly new here," remarked Mr Miles.
"Rather, it is the sum of its parts and some will like the ease of a $400 box set for health and fitness."

Ebola outbreak ends in Guinea, says WHO

The World Health Organization (WHO) has declared the end of the Ebola outbreak in Guinea, two years after the epidemic began there.

Guineans are expected to celebrate the landmark with concerts and fireworks.
The disease killed more than 2,500 people in the West African state, and a further 9,000 in neighbouring Liberia and Sierra Leone.
Liberia was declared Ebola-free by the WHO in September, and Sierra Leone in November.

• Ebola: Mapping the outbreak
• Ebola basics: What you need to know

However, Liberia has had new cases since the declaration.
A country is considered free of human-to-human transmission once two 21-day incubation periods have passed since the last known case tested negative for a second time.
"It's the best year-end present that God could give to Guinea, and the best news that Guineans could hope for," Ebola survivor Alama Kambou Dore told AFP news agency.
Local health workers echoed a warning from the WHO that vigilance was still vital despite the mood of celebration.
"We have to be very careful, because even if open transmission has been stopped, the disease has not been totally defeated," said Alpha Seny Souhmah, a Guinean health worker and Ebola survivor.


In a statement, the WHO congratulated the Guinean government and people for showing "extraordinary leadership in fighting the epidemic".
But it also noted that there had been 10 new small outbreaks of the virus between March and November.
"The coming months will be absolutely critical," said Dr Bruce Aylward from the WHO's Ebola response team.
"This is the period when the countries need to be sure that they are fully prepared to prevent, detect and respond to any new cases."
The WHO will maintain surveillance and outbreak response teams in Guinea, Sierra Leone and Liberia throughout 2016, Dr Aylward added.

---

Analysis: Tulip Mazumdar, health correspondent, BBC News
This is another major milestone in the bumpy road to the end of the worst Ebola outbreak in history. It all started in Guinea when the virus emerged, probably from fruit bats, in a rural community deep in the forest.
Guinea saw far fewer cases than neighbouring Liberia and Sierra Leone, yet the virus has been circulating there for longer than anywhere else.
I remember travelling through Guinea at the height of the outbreak, and there was still a lot of denial about Ebola; people told me it was a made-up disease. Suspicion is still rife in some communities, and many simply do not trust their government.
Ebola has made a comeback in Liberia after the country twice declared the end of the epidemic, and there is every possibility it could return to Guinea. It will be up to communities to keep the killer virus at bay, by reporting suspicious deaths and encouraging loved ones to seek treatment if they show symptoms of Ebola.
But medical facilities also need to respond quickly, which will happen for the extra 90-day "heightened surveillance" period. A key question is what will happen after that, particularly for the thousands of Ebola survivors who are still facing health problems.

More than 100 health workers also lost their lives in the fight against the disease.
Many survivors still live in fear of the stigma and long-term side effects associated with the virus.
The government in Guinea has blamed the virus for poor economic performance and says it has also caused people to distrust the country's health services.
President Alpha Conde has doubled the health budget since winning re-election in October.

Dental care in England 'Third World'

Standards of NHS dental care in England have been likened to a "Third World" service, by dentists.

The care, already "unfit for purpose", is becoming even worse, a letter signed by 400 dentists, in the Daily Telegraph newspaper, adds.
It says the creation by international charity Dentaid of a service for vulnerable patients in West Yorkshire is a sign of the mounting problems.
NHS England said services were improving.
An NHS England spokeswoman said: "These claims are wrong - more patients are getting the dental care they need, and 93% of people got an NHS dental appointment when they wanted one in the last 24 months."
The letter urges ministers to be "fully open and transparent" about the limitations of current provision.
The fact Dentaid, normally associated with providing care in the Third World, is now offering emergency care to homeless people, migrants and the low paid in Kirklees "serves to demonstrate the lack of a proper national dental service", it says.
The letter also calls the levels of tooth decay in children a "national disgrace".
Figures published last year by the Health and Social Care Information Centre showed nearly half of eight-year-olds and a third of five-year-olds had signs of decay in their milk teeth.
The Children's Dental Health Survey for England, Wales and Northern Ireland, carried out every 10 years, also found 46% of 15-year-olds had decay in their teeth - although that represented an improvement on the previous survey.

Parents urged to get free sugar app to check products

Parents are being urged to sign up for a free app which tells them the sugar content of food and drink.

The "sugar smart app", from Public Health England, works by scanning barcodes and revealing total sugar in cubes or grams.
Officials hope it will help combat tooth decay, obesity and type two diabetes and encourage families to choose healthier alternatives.
PHE says young children are eating three times more than the sugar limit.
Its new Change4Life advertising campaign, which includes the sugar app, suggests that on average children aged four to ten years old are consuming 22kg of added sugar a year.
That's about 5,500 sugar cubes - more than the weight of an average five-year-old child.
The app has been developed to raise awareness of how much sugar is contained in everyday food and drink.
It works on more than 75,000 products, offering a quick guide to help parents to assess potential purchases that may harm their children's health.

How much sugar?

• a can of cola - nine cubes of sugar
• a chocolate bar - six cubes of sugar
• a small carton of juice - more than five cubes of sugar

Will you use it? Your reaction

Dr Alison Tedstone, chief nutritionist from Public Health England, said children were having too much sugar in their diets and this was leading to painful tooth decay, weight gain and the potential for serious health problems in later life.
Overweight and obese adults are more at risk of heart disease, type 2 diabetes and some cancers.
"If there's one thing I'd strongly encourage parents to do, and that's to swap sugary drinks out of their kids' diets for either a low-sugar drink or water or low-fat milk, which would be a really excellent choice."
She also said people might be surprised to discover the sugar contents, for example, of some yogurts and fruit drinks.

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Sugar traps

• In the UK, we consume over two million tonnes of sugar every year, but we don't always know we're eating it.
• Extra sugar is added to some savoury foods, like low-fat yoghurt and wholemeal bread, because it makes them taste better.

How much sugar is hiding in your food?

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PHE has previously said it supported a sugar tax to help people cut down on the sugar they eat.
It has also called for reduced marketing of sugary food and drinks towards children in stores, on TV and online as well as fewer price promotions on sugar-laden products.
The sugar smart app is free to download from app stores.

Daily recommended sugar limits

• Four to six year olds - five sugar cubes or 19g
• Seven to ten year olds - six sugar cubes or 24g
• 11 year olds and above - seven sugar cubes or 30g

Are Islamic State Missiles A Threat To RAF

We now know that they have at least the technology, if not the ability, to shoot down aircraft.
But how concerning is this for the coalition planes flying bombing missions over Syria and Iraq?
Will IS actually be able to shoot down US, French or British fighter jets?

Combat pilots can send out chaff and flares to evade missiles

The RAF Tornados and Typhoons fly at around 20,000 feet. Drones operate at a similar altitude. Shoulder-borne surface-to-air missiles, MANPADS, have a range of 12,000 feet, putting coalition aircraft out of reach.
The main threat therefore, would be to helicopters or during an aircraft's take-off and landing - the point at which they are most vulnerable.

Video: Inside IS Weapons Lab

During operations in Afghanistan, guards, usually from the RAF regiment, would patrol and secure the perimeter of Kandahar and Bastion airfields to prevent Taliban insurgents from targeting planes.
Surveillance balloons would keep watch over the bases and surrounding areas too.
This precaution isn't necessary during current anti-IS operations because all aircraft are stationed inside friendly territory: Cyprus, Turkey, Kuwait, Jordan, UAE and aircraft carriers in the Gulf.
Heightened airfield security is in practice, however, because of the situation.
If an aircraft is targeted by a surface-to-air missile, it has a suite of defensive options it could use to divert the attack.
Onboard detection systems will identify the MANPAD radar before a missile is even launched, giving the pilot time to take evasive action or prepare for an attack.
If a missile is fired, the pilot could send out chaff and flares.
Chaff is basically tin foil, cut into thousands of small pieces. It reflects radar signals and effectively hides the aircraft in an electro-magnetic cloud, confusing the tracking mechanism on the radar-guided missile.

Video: Islamic State's Driverless Car Bomb

Flares are effective against infrared-guided missiles. These weapons seek a heat source, so they are attracted to the hot spots on a plane, in particular the jet engine nozzles and exhaust.
One of the features of stealth aircraft for instance, is a low heat signature.
Flares create sudden bursts of intense heat, hotter than anything the aircraft is giving off itself. This acts as a decoy to the missile, again confusing its tracking system and, ideally, diverting the threat away.
A classic manoeuvre is to fire off the multiple flares and chaff then make a rapid turn away from the threat, and reduce engine power to lower the thermal signature of the aircraft.
Commercial aircraft don't have these defence measures, but having this weapon in Raqqa is one thing, getting it to and using it at a major European airport against an international airline, is some leaps away for IS yet.
It's all very well obtaining a surface-to-air missile system, but you need to know how to operate it. Just because you own an F1 car, doesn't mean you can drive it properly.
The video obtained by Sky News doesn't show Islamic State fighters actually using the shoulder borne surface-to-air missile, but we do see them demonstrate a worryingly advanced knowledge of the way it is put together, and that, at the very least, suggests a degree of competency.
:: Download Special Reports and Documentaries from Sky News on Catch Up. Available to Sky+ HD customers with set-top boxes connected to broadband.

Germany shocked by Cologne New Year gang assaults on women

The scale of the attacks on women at the city's central railway station has shocked Germany. About 1,000 drunk and aggressive young men were involved.
City police chief Wolfgang Albers called it "a completely new dimension of crime". The men were of Arab or North African appearance, he said.
Women were also targeted in Hamburg.
But the Cologne assaults - near the city's iconic cathedral - were the most serious, German media report. At least one woman was raped, and many were groped.
Most of the crimes reported to police were robberies. A volunteer policewoman was among those sexually molested.

The pretty Christmas market and medieval setting may look idyllic, but at Christmas and New Year the area around Cologne Cathedral is a notorious danger zone when it comes to pickpockets and theft.
Now the sexual harassment, and in one case rape, of dozens of women has shocked Germany.
What is particularly disturbing is that the attacks appear to have been organised. Around 1,000 young men arrived in large groups, seemingly with the specific intention of carrying out attacks on women.
Police in Hamburg are now reporting similar incidents on New Year's Eve in the party area of St Pauli. One politician says this is just the tip of the iceberg.
And there are real concerns about what will happen in February when the drunken street-parties of carnival season kick off.

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Cologne will stage carnival events in February, with hundreds of thousands of revellers expected in the streets, as on New Year's Eve.
The police chief said "the assailants' behaviour is a real concern for me, also because of the carnival".
Police were deployed outside the central station because of the crowds on New Year's Eve, but failed to spot the many attacks, according to reports. There are also fears that a number of women did not report assaults.

'Monstrous' assaults

Cologne Mayor Henriette Reker said the attacks were "monstrous". "We cannot allow this to become a lawless area," she said, insisting that visitors could not come to the city fearing attack.
German Justice Minister Heiko Maas tweeted that "we won't tolerate these abhorrent assaults on women - all those responsible must be brought to justice".
One man described how his partner and 15-year-old daughter were surrounded by an enormous crowd outside the station and he was unable to help. "The attackers grabbed her and my partner's breasts and groped them between their legs."
A British woman visiting Cologne said fireworks had been thrown at her group by men who spoke neither German nor English. "They were trying to hug us, kiss us. One man stole my friend's bag," she told the BBC. "Another tried to get us into his 'private taxi'. I've been in scary and even life-threatening situations and I've never experienced anything like that."
The justice minister warned against linking the crimes to the issue of migrants and refugees.


Germany saw a record influx of migrants in 2015, which provoked an intense debate on immigration and marches by the anti-Islam Pegida movement.
Mr Maas said "the law does not discriminate regarding a person's origin or passport. All are equal before the law".
Cologne news website Koelner Stadt-Anzeiger says the suspects were already known to police because of frequent pickpocketing in and around Cologne central station.

Wider problem

In Hamburg several women told police that gangs of men had molested and robbed them on New Year's Eve on the Reeperbahn - a street known for its boisterous night life.
Some similar attacks were reported in Stuttgart.
A policeman who was outside Cologne station during the New Year's Eve trouble told the city's Express news website that he had detained eight suspects. "They were all asylum seekers, carrying copies of their residence certificates," he said.
However, there was no official confirmation that asylum seekers had been involved in the violence. Commentators in Germany were quick to urge people not to jump to conclusions.
German n-tv news says Cologne police are considering calling in reinforcements from other parts of Germany and installing extra surveillance cameras, with telescopic lenses.

New Year’s Eve: Country Artists Work the Night Shift

For country music fans, the top picks of New Year’s Eve entertainment will be taking place in Nashville and Austin — two cities where country reigns, of course — and also in New York City.
In Music City, the seventh annual Jack Daniel’s Bash on Broadway is expected to draw an estimated 150,000 people to Lower Broadway in downtown Nashville for a free concert headlined by Kings of Leon, along with Chris Stapleton, Kelsea Ballerini and country newcomers LANco, among others. A 15-foot-tall red Music Note Drop will descend from a 145-foot structure to signal the arrival of 2016. Should anyone overlook the magic moment, it will also trigger a fireworks display and confetti cannons.
Elsewhere in Nashville, Old Crow Medicine Show will ring in the New Year at the Ryman Auditorium. The show has been sold out for months, but WSM-AM/Nashville will be broadcasting the concert and streaming it live beginning at 10:30 p.m. CT at WSMonline.com.
Also in Twang Town, Marty Stuart and his band, the Fabulous Superlatives, will be rocking the house at City Winery. Local favorite Chris Knight is at the Exit/In, and the Grascals will be sharing their music at Nashville’s bluegrass mecca — the Station Inn. Fans of the Nashville TV series may gravitate to the famed Bluebird Café for a writers-in-the-round session with Thom Schuyler, Fred Knobloch, Tony Arata and Jelly Roll Johnson
In Texas, Willie Nelson has enlisted Kacey Musgraves to join him for his annual show at Austin City Limits Live at Moody Theater. Lukas Nelson & Promise of the Real will set the mood for the celebration. The concert will air live on Sirius XM satellite radio’s Willie’s Roadhouse channel.
In New York City, the annual Dick Clark’s New Year’s Rockin’ Eve With Ryan Seacrest special will include performances by Carrie Underwood and Luke Bryan, along with Jimmy Buffett’s promise to perform “Margaritaville” from the concert he’s playing with Huey Lewis and the News.
Looks like Bryan is already in New York and has caught up with Seacrest’s co-host Jenny McCarthy.
On NBC, New Year’s Eve With Carson Daly Live doesn’t include any country performers, per se, although it will include an appearance by Gwen Stefani, and most of America is aware she’s dating Blake Shelton, her cohort on The Voice.
Although this is by no means a comprehensive list of all New Year’s Eve events, here’s a quick overview of other country artists who will be working the late shift:
Little Big Town/Holly Williams: Mohegan Sun Arena (Uncasville, Connecticut)
Chris Janson/The Swon Brothers: Grand Casino Mille Lacs Event Center (Onamia, Minnesota)
Colt Ford: Wild Bill’s (Duluth, Georgia)
Kid Rock: KFC Yum Center (Louisville, Kentucky)
Avett Brothers: Greensboro Coliseum (Greensboro, North Carolina)
Randy Rogers Band: Cain’s Ballroom (Tulsa, Oklahoma)
LoCash: 8 Seconds Saloon (Indianapolis)
Greensky Bluegrass: Royal Oak Theatre (Royal Oak, Michigan)
Shinyribs: Gruene Hall (New Braunfels, Texas)
Pokey LaFarge: The Pageant (St. Louis)
The Infamous Stringdusters: Rams Head Live (Baltimore)
Cory Morrow: House of Blues (Dallas)
Wade Bowen: John T. Floore Country Store (Helotes, Texas)

2015 Country Music News in Review

 

In an industry that’s congenitally prone to patting itself on the back, 2015 was an especially congratulatory year for country music artists. Several ascended to the various halls of fame.
Others contented themselves with armloads of trophies. The brightest new stars in the country firmament were Chris Stapleton, who emerged from the CMA Awards with wins in three categories and the most-talked-about live performance of the year, and Sam Hunt, who had the year’s bestselling album,.
But there was ample sad news, too. Country Music Hall of Famers Little Jimmy Dickens, Jim Ed Brown and Billy Sherrill passed away, and Blake and Miranda were divorced, as were Reba McEntire and Narvel Blackstock.
In the stars-of-the-recent-past category, Shania Twain announced her final tour, while the Dixie Chicks trumpeted that they would return to touring.
Here’s the compact, freeze-dried version of country music in 2015:
January
Grand Ole Opry star and Country Music Hall of Fame member Little Jimmy Dickens dies at 94. … Nielsen Music’s 2014 year-end report lists Luke Bryan, Eric Church, Garth Brooks, Jason Aldean and Brantley Gilbert among American’s bestselling album artists. … Blake Shelton hosts Saturday Night Live. … Taylor Swift makes surprise appearance at Nashville party for Grammy nominees. … Eric Church plays solo acoustic show in Salt Lake City after band and crew become ill with stomach flu.
February
At the Grammy Awards winners include Miranda Lambert’s Platinum (best country album), Carrie Underwood’s “Something in the Water” (best country solo performance), The Band Perry’s “Gentle on My Mind” (best country duo/group performance), Glen Campbell’s “I’m Not Gonna Miss You” (best country song) and the Earls of Leicester’s The Earls of Leicester (best bluegrass album). … Tim McGraw sings Glen Campbell’s nominated “I’m Not Gonna Miss You” at Academy Awards show. … Eric Paslay, Sam Hunt, Maddie & Tae, Frankie Ballard and Cole Swindell perform on Country Radio Broadcasters’ New Faces show. … CMT Crossroads: Bob Seger and Jason Aldean premieres.
March
Shania Twain announces she will commence her final tour in June. … Jason Aldean marries Brittany Kerr. … Some radio stations say they will not play Little Big Town’s “Girl Crush” because of listener misperceived complaints about its content. … Country Music Hall of Fame and Museum opens the exhibit Dylan, Cash and the Nashville Cats: A New Music City.
April
Luke Bryan named Academy of Country Music’s entertainer of the year. Other ACM winners include Miranda Lambert (female vocalist), Jason Aldean (male vocalist), Little Big Town (vocal group), Florida Georgia Line (vocal duo), Cole Swindell (new artist), Lambert’s Platinum (album of the year), Lee Brice’s “I Don’t Dance” (single record of the year), Lambert’s “Automatic” (song of the year), Florida Georgia Line’s “This Is How We Roll” featuring Bryan (vocal event of the year) and Luke Laird (songwriter of the year).
May
Florida Georgia Line named top country artist, and Jason Aldean wins for top country album (Old Boots, New Dirt) and song (“Burnin’ It Down”) at Billboard Music Awards. … Consultant Keith Hill sparks a furor when he advises radio programmers to play more records by males and fewer by females and uses the unfortunate metaphor that men are the “lettuce” and women the “tomatoes” in the ideal playlist salad.
June
Carrie Underwood is the big winner at the CMT Music Awards, taking home trophies in three categories, one of which she shared with co-star Miranda Lambert. Also winning were Sam Hunt, Florida Georgia Line, Jason Aldean and Bob Seger, Lady Antebellum and Luke Bryan. … Grand Ole Opry star and impending Country Music Hall of Fame member Jim Ed Brown dies at 81. … Superstar-heavy CMA Music Festival draws an average of 87,680 fans on each of its four days. . . . Headlined by Ty Herndon, country music’s gay community and its sympathizers stage “Concert for Love and Acceptance” at Nashville’s City Winery. … Brad Paisley opens for the Rolling Stones at Nashville’s LP Field. … Bobby Braddock and Toby Keith inducted into New York-based Songwriters Hall of Fame. … Country Radio Broadcasters present Dwight Yoakam a career achievement award.
July
Little Big Town’s “Girl Crush” sets Billboard chart history for a group act by staying the No. 1 country song for 11-consecutive weeks, thereby beating the Brown’s 10-week tenure for “The Three Bells” in 1959. … Blake Shelton and Miranda Lambert confirm they are divorcing after four years of marriage.
August
Reba McEntire and her husband-manager, Narvel Blackstock, announce they are ending their 26-year marriage. … Billy Sherrill, the legendary songwriter and producer of such superstars as Tammy Wynette, George Jones and Charlie Rich dies at 78. He is also a member of the Country Music Hall of Fame. … Charlie Daniels stages Volunteer Jam in Nashville after long hiatus. … Taylor Swift invites Dixie Chicks lead singer Natalie Maines to the stage at Los Angeles concert. … Flyin’ Saucers Rock & Roll: The Cosmic Genius of Sam Phillips exhibit opens at Country Music Hall of Fame and Museum. … CMT Crossroads: Lynyrd Skynyrd and Brantley Gilbert premieres.
September
Academy of Country Music presents Loretta Lynn its Crystal Milestone award and Alabama its career achievement trophy. … Americana Music Association names Sturgill Simpson artist of the year and Lucinda Williams’ Down Where the Spirit Meets the Bone album of the year.
October
Earls of Leicester sweep International Bluegrass Music Association Awards show. Bill Keith and Larry Sparks inducted into International Bluegrass Music Hall of Fame. … Lady Antebellum’s Charles Kelley announces he will record and tour as soloist tour while Lady A is on hiatus. … Rosanne Cash, Even Stevens, Mark James and Craig Wiseman inducted into Nashville Songwriters Hall of Fame. … The Browns, the Oak Ridge Boys and guitarist Grady Martin inducted into Country Music Hall of Fame. … CMT Crossroads: REO Speedwagon and Sara Evans premieres.
November
SESAC declares Cary Barlowe its songwriter of the year and “Homegrown” its song of the year. … Former President Jimmy Carter is surprise guest as ASCAP names Ashley Gorley and Sam Hunt songwriters of the year and “Leave the Night On” top song. … BMI cites Rodney Clawson as top songwriter, “Beat of the Music” top song and Mac Davis its Icon award-winner. . . Chris Stapleton-Justin Timberlake duet brings down the house at the CMA award show. The official winners are Luke Bryan (entertainer of the year), Miranda Lambert (female vocalist), Stapleton (male vocalist and new artist), Little Big Town (vocal group), Florida Georgia Line (vocal duo), Stapleton’s Traveller (top album), Little Big Town’s “Girl Crush” (single and song), Keith Urban’s “Raise ‘Em Up,” featuring Eric Church (musical event), Maddie & Tae’s “Girl in a Country Song” (music video) and Mac McAnally (top musician). … Dixie Chicks announce they will tour in 2016. … Willie Nelson wins Gershwin Prize for Popular Song from the Library of Congress. … American Music Awards proclaim Luke Bryan and Carrie Underwood favorite country artists, Sam Hunt new artist of the year.
December
CMT honors Little Big Town, Luke Bryan, Blake Shelton, Sam Hunt, Florida Georgia Line, Kenny Rogers, Chris Stapleton and the cast of the Nashville TV series at its CMT Artists of the Year ceremonies. … Billboard calculates that Sam Hunt’s Montevallo is year’s bestselling country album.

Grammy-Winning Singer Natalie Cole Dies At 65

 

The singer, who had suffered drug addiction and hepatitis, "fought a fierce, courageous battle", her family said.

Natalie Cole, the singer and daughter of jazz legend Nat King Cole, has died at the age of 65.

She passed away on Thursday evening from ongoing health issues at Cedars-Sinai Hospital in Los Angeles, her family said.
TMZ reports she died from congestive heart failure. Cole had a kidney transplant in 2009 after contracting hepatitis C, which she blamed on her past intravenous drug abuse.

Natalie's parents, Nat King Cole (R) and singer Maria Ellington

"Natalie fought a fierce, courageous battle, dying how she lived ... with dignity, strength and honor," read a statement from her son, Robert Yancy, and sisters, Timolin and Casey Cole.
"Our beloved Mother and sister will be greatly missed and remain UNFORGETTABLE in our hearts forever."

Cole, who was married three times, followed her father into the music business with hits like This Will Be (An Everlasting Love).
The Grammy winner topped the charts in 1991 with Unforgettable, a virtual duet with her late father, who died in 1965 when she was 15.
In 2000, Cole released an autobiography, Angel on My Shoulder, which chronicled her abuse of heroin and crack cocaine.
She was born in 1950 to Nat King Cole and his wife, Maria Ellington Cole, a singer with the legendary Duke Ellington band.
With her parents' pedigree, not to mention musical mentors such as Frank Sinatra and Sammy Davis Jr, she seemed destined for the stage.
Cole began performing with her father when she was just 11 years old, before embarking on a career that embraced R&B, pop and jazz.
She faced racism while growing up in Los Angeles' overwhelmingly white, upmarket Hancock Park area.
When told residents didn't want "undesirable" neighbours, the young starlet said: "Neither do I, and if I see (any), I'll be the first to complain."
Her 1991 album, Unforgettable, which reworked some of her father's best-known hits, sold 14 million copies and won six of her nine Grammys.
Cole also took television acting roles, appearing on Grey's Anatomy and Touched by an Angel, a supernatural drama.

Chris Brown Accused Of Las Vegas Hotel Attack

 

The musician's publicist says the woman's allegations are "unequivocally untrue" and his accuser was "out of control".

R&B singer Chris Brown has denied claims he punched a woman who took a photo of him in a Las Vegas hotel.

Police have said they are investigating an allegation of battery against the 26-year-old musician.
Officers received a call on Saturday morning about the alleged attack at the Palms Casino Resort.
The alleged altercation took place in a room at the resort when the victim tried to take a picture of Brown.
Police said the woman told them she was struck by the Grammy winner and that he had taken her mobile phone.

Brown admitted attacking his then-girlfriend, Rihanna, in 2009

Detectives tried to speak with Brown at his hotel room, but the singer left before police had arrived.
Police have not named the alleged victim, but she was identified by celebrity news website TMZ as a Brazilian model.
Investigators said Brown has been listed as a suspect for misdemeanor theft and misdemeanor battery in the case.
But Nicole Perna, publicist for Brown, issued a statement on Saturday night calling the charges "unequivocally untrue".

Brown served 108 days in jail after punching a man in 2013

The accuser "was escorted out of the private after party at the Palms Casino Resort for being disruptive and out of control", Ms Perna told the AP.
"Once she was in the hallway, while waiting for Chris Brown's security to bring out her phone, she had a total meltdown - throwing her purse to the ground and claiming that she 'could buy everyone in the hotel'.
"Her claim that she had her phone in her possession inside the after party and was able to take a photo causing an altercation with Chris Brown is a complete fabrication," Ms Perna added.
Brown performed on Friday at Drai's nightclub at the Cromwell Las Vegas, where he appears regularly.
In 2009, the singer pleaded guilty to felony assault in a case involving his then-girlfriend, Rihanna.
He pleaded guilty to a separate misdemeanor assault in Washington DC in 2013, while serving five years' probation in the Rihanna case.

Mark Zuckerberg Reveals Plan For A.I. Butler

 

The Facebook boss wants an artificial intelligence system in his home which could let friends in when they ring the doorbell.

Facebook founder Mark Zuckerberg has said he wants to build an artificially intelligent assistant to help him at home and work.

Mr Zuckerberg, who commits to a new personal challenge every year, revealed his plan in a Facebook post.
"You can think of it kind of like Jarvis in Iron Man," he wrote, referring to the artificially intelligent butler who appears in the Marvel comic books and films.
Mr Zuckerberg said he would start the project by exploring existing technology, and then begin teaching the technology to understand his voice so it can learn to control everything in his home, such as music, lights and temperature.
His plan also includes teaching the assistant to let his friends into his home by looking at their faces when they ring the doorbell.

Video: Zuckerberg On Hollywood Portrayal

Mr Zuckerberg also wrote in the post that he wants the assistant to visualise data to support him at work.
He said: "This should be a fun intellectual challenge to code this for myself.
"I'm looking forward to sharing what I learn over the course of the year."

Video: Zuckerberg Inspired By New Baby

Other challenges Mr Zuckerberg has taken on in recent years have included reading two books every month and learning Mandarin.