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iCourt: Season 2?

2012-09-23T03:26:00.003-07:00

*Samsung calls for new trial, Apple seeks $707 million more in damages

By Kim Yoo-chul, Cho Mu-hyun

Samsung Electronics has officially requested a U.S. court to throw out a decision by a San Jose jury, which found the Korean technology giant guilty of copying the look and feel of Apple’s iPhones and iPads.

In legal papers submitted to U.S. Federal Judge Lucy Koh late Friday (local time), Samsung claimed the need for a new trial because it believes the jury’s verdict to award $1.05 billion to Apple in damages wasn’t backed sufficiently by testimony and evidence. Apple wasn’t pulling any punches either as it filed for an additional $707 million from Samsung in damages and interest.

``Because the jury verdict form didn’t allow identification of damages on a claim-by-claim basis (per Apple’s request), if even one patent infringement or trade dress issue is overturned on a judgment as a matter of law (JMOL), then the Court needs to vacate the entire damages amount,’’ read Samsung’s letters, which were exclusively obtained by The Korea Times.

``Because the jury verdict form awarded Apple by totaling a single damages number for each product found for patent infringement and/or trade dilution and failed to distinguish reasonable royalty, lost profits and Samsung’s profits, the jury’s award is unclear and therefore should be reversed.’’

Samsung argued that Apple representatives failed to provide sufficient evidence to support the company’s claims of patent infringement and damages over trade dress dilution. It also said that the claims that Samsung gained $950 million from infringing on Apple’s patents and Apple lost $91 million from it were never supported by clear-cut evidence or testimony. Samsung is also demanding Apple to prove it lost $9 million in royalties income.

``Over 90 percent of the jury’s total damages award is attributable to the jury taking 40 percent of what Apple claimed were Samsung’s profits, but Apple failed to show that the infringing features were worth 40 percent of total profits,’’ Samsung said.

According to Samsung, some of Apple patents such as the rounded corners of D’677, black surface of D’087 and GUI of D’305 are minor features among many functions and sophisticated technology that make up today’s smartphones.

``Apple at most has the right to these minor features, rather than to the entire smartphone,’’ it said, adding Apple’s own study showed that only 1 percent of iPhone users said that design and color is the reason they chose a phone and just 5 percent of respondents to the JD Power study identified visual appeal for why they purchased a phone.

``Apple failed to show that the patented features drive consumers to buy the accused’s products rather than the many other functions and sophisticated technology of Samsung’s smartphones. Apple failed to show enough capacity to make additional iPhones and iPads … Apple’s expert provided only one lost profits number per accused product assuming that each and every Samsung product infringed all of Apple’s patents and diluted all its trade dress.’’

Apple lowers damage demand

In a separate filing, Apple has lowered the additional damages it seeks from rival Samsung Electronics from trebling the initial damages ordered by a San Jose court to an additional $707 million.

``They lowered the damage at the last minute on Friday after deliberations,’’ said a Samsung official who declined to be named Sunday.

``Apple is flagrantly and cleverly trying to push Samsung into a corner while trying to prove to the contrary that they are not a patent troll,’’ he said. “But adding any amount of additional damages just shows that is exactly what they are.”

The iPhone maker filed a motion Friday to the court for the additional damages and an order for a permanent ban on infringed products and other products of the Suwon-based firm that resemble them.

Out of the additional $707 million, $535 million was for trade dress and other patent violations, while the rest was a calculation by Apple for unaccounted damages it has incurred and or expects to by the end of the year due to Samsung’s infringement.

The new sales ban will likely include the Galaxy S3, Samsung’s latest flagship phone which was excluded in the trial. The handset has sold over 20 million globally since its launch in May. The date of the final verdict is yet to be decided, but both parties expect it to be out by December.

Apple and Samsung have been clashing in a legal tug-of-war over patents that span 10 countries. A recent verdict in Seoul slapped both companies with fines for infringement, while one in Tokyo said Samsung didn’t infringe on Apple’s designs.

The American company started sales of its flagship handset iPhone 5 on Friday (local time) which is expected to be the firm’s biggest hit ever. It also has long-term evolution (LTE) connectivity, which Samsung has patents on and vowed to sue its rival over. Korea has one of the widest dissemination of LTE networks and other countries have been progressively shifting to the next-generation connectivity from third generation.

The two companies are also the world’s biggest sellers of smartphones, currently the most lucrative sector in the information technology industry, and have been fighting for supremacy.

‘Breaking Bad’ 2012 finale recap: Walter White pays old partner Jesse Pinkman a visit

2012-09-02T23:46:00.003-07:00

Walter White (Bryan Cranston) in 'Breaking Bad.'

Toward the end of the 2012 finale of AMC’s “Breaking Bad” Sunday night, Walter White (Bryan Cranston) dropped in on his old partner Jesse Pinkman (Aaron Paul).

Now Walter White randomly “drops in” on people these days about as often as Barbra Streisand sings for spare change on the 7 Train.

But Walt seemed to be genuinely enjoying the visit, because he and Jesse are the only ones who can appreciate all those special moments they shared when they were struggling to build their crystal meth business.

They have great stories, great moments, great memories. Just not the kind you can share with random people at the Christmas party. So once in a while it’s fun to talk about it with someone you know understands, someone who was also in the fraternity and knows the secret handshake.

When they ran out of laughs about the good times, Walter turned to leave and told Jesse he had left “something” for him.

Viewers watched Jesse open it, unsure if it was cash or something that would go “boom” like the thing the late Gus Fring didn’t see coming last year.

It didn’t go boom. Yet. It was a handful of money and a gun, which Jesse quickly understood came with the unspoken warning, “Do the right thing.”

Or someone will do it for you.

Jesse has apparently been drifting since he told Walter he was quitting the meth game because it had become too amoral for him.

Jesse’s not about to rat anyone out. But Walter keeps lowering his tolerance for loose ends at the same time he keeps elevating his ability to deal with them and seemingly face no consequences.

It’s been that kind of year for Walter, who in eight episodes has vaulted from a man in danger on many fronts to a man confident he has outsmarted everyone and has the rewards to show for it.

In a remarkable scene, his wife Skyler (Anna Gunn) takes him to a storage locker to see the stack of money he has made in just three months.

It’s about two feet high and six feet square. “It’s more than we could spend in 10 lifetimes,” she says, and then she asks the real question, which is, “How much is enough?”

She doesn’t know this is like asking Walter, “How high is up?”

She considers it a reasonable question, since she’s pretty sure that unless he extricates himself from the production of crystal meth, someone someday is going to come around and do very bad things to Walter and, worse, his family.

That’s why she arranged several weeks ago to have Uncle Hank the DEA agent and his wife Marie take care of Walter’s and Skyler’s kids.

Jay-Z Gets Assist From Kanye at Made in America

2012-09-02T08:36:00.000-07:00

"You've been so good to me, Philadelphia," Jay-Z said moments after wrapping a monumental hour-long headlining performance at his own Budweiser Made in America Festival. "Now I'm gonna be good to you." The rapper’s gift? A seven-song encore from his frequent partner-in-crime, Kanye West, and members of the Chicago emcee’s G.O.O.D. Music crew, which on Saturday included Big Sean, Pusha T, Common and 2 Chainz. The unexpected concert-within-a-concert, which included West hits "Can't Tell Me Nothing" and the crew's latest collaborations, “Mercy," "Way Too Cold" and "New God Flow," was capped off with Jay returning onstage to perform Watch The Throne’s "N***as in Paris" with West as fireworks lit up the Philly sky.

The night, however, was all Jay's. It’s debatable how much curatorial influence the rapper had over the two-day affair, but from the moment he sauntered onstage, bobbing up and down à la Rocky Balboa, and donning a black fitted t-shirt emblazoned with an Egyptian portrait, matching jeans and red-and-black Jordans, Jigga appeared ecstatic to be playing host. In fact, it was often hard for him to contain his elation: at one point in the show he stopped a song mid-verse to admire the throngs of people spread across Fairmount Park. He also made sure to pay his respects to the host city several times throughout the night. ("I have a long love affair with Philadelphia,” he said.)

Fans expecting a setlist heavy on deep cuts may have left feeling slighted: Jay, backed by a seven-piece crack band, stuck to a career-spanning greatest-hits set, dropping turn-of-the-century cuts like "Big Pimpin'" and "Izzo (H.O.V.A.)," as well as contemporary smashes such as "99 Problems" "Empire State of Mind" and "On To The Next One," featuring assistance from Swizz Beats. He did slip in rarities: Memphis Bleek emerged for the Philly-honoring anthem "Murder Marcyville (South Philly N***az)" and Ruff Ryders-compilation classic "Jigga My N***a" also popped up.

Skrillex, who boarded his now-well-known stage starship and launched off into a practically unabating, hour-long frenzy of his typically wub-centric fare, preceded Jay-Z on a side stage. The show’s captivating 3D projectors and bizarre visuals – think crazed Bollywood dancers and screaming Santas – made for a performance that took the phrase "Festival of Lights" and gave it an epileptic, 21st century update. The set’s only analog moment came near the end, when the DJ waved a lighter during his remix of Benny Benassi’s "Cinema." The crowd, naturally, mimicked him with their cell phones.

Unlike the relentlessly-touring Skrillex, D’Angelo’s set was a rare treat. Aside from a July appearance at Essence Music Festival and a surprise jam session at Bonnaroo with Questlove, the reclusive R&B master hadn’t played a show in the US in over a decade. "It feels so good, Philadelphia," the neo-soul singer said midway through his amped-up set, which he topped off with an extended take on his new funk number "Sugar Daddy." Backed by a 10-piece band, the singer let his frighteningly-fierce falsetto fly and fluttered about the stage armed with a monogrammed, silver-lined flying-V guitar. The highlight came mid-set when he took the stage alone, sitting down at the keyboard for a tender take on his signature hit "Untitled (How Does It Feel)."

With the festival's very first set, Gary Clark Jr. brought his distortion-heavy, up-tempo Southern rock to the parkway, soloing early and often. Festivalgoers who braved peak sunlight were duly rewarded as the Austin-bred songwriter played a new song, "Ain't Messing Around," off an album due out this fall. Clark closed his high-energy and technically sound set with an extended version of his hit song "Bright Lights" that lasted nearly eight minutes.

The day’s first true spectacle came courtesy of Rick Ross’s Maybach Music Group. The recent Rolling Stone cover star, who unleashed his trademark bark nearly two dozen times over 45 minutes, was joined by his labelmates – Wale, Meek Mill, Rockie Fresh, Stalley – for a mass display of wealth and excess. Each shared the spotlight: Ross charged through cuts new ("Hold Me Back") and old ("Hustlin’"); Philly native Mill cut loose on "House Party"; and Wale got things underway with "Chain Music."

The dance tent came alive when fans took shelter from the sun for an early-evening performance from Scottish DJ Calvin Harris. A festival fixture, Harris has his 90-minute set down pat: the EDM star let pop-infused kicks, whooshes and thuds rain down on spazzed-out fans, more than one of them wearing a hat that read: "I don't get drunk. I get awesome."

Once Janelle Monae shed the cloak she was wearing when she came onstage mid-afternoon, everyone – the crowd, Monae, and her 13-person, black-and-white-clad backing band – went more than a little nuts. Monae flew through an impeccably-choreographed set that included an inspired cover of the Jackson 5's "I Want You Back." At set's end, she played "Electric Lady," a bouncy, bongo-infused groove off of her forthcoming second album.

Kindle Fire is so successful, we aren't making any more

2012-08-30T13:04:00.002-07:00

I've seen some desperate bone-headed, PR moves before, but Amazon's newest is one to long remember. When Apple announces a press event, the InterWebs erupt with speculation about what it can be. When product inventory is low in stores on some fruit-logo product, rumors explode about something new in the pipeline. Amazon has to work harder, issuing today a press release that Kindle Fire has sold out, ahead of next week's press event. Could the retailer be any less subtle, while revealing sales data that is absolutely nothing but meant to be something.

BetaNews founder Nate Mook nails exactly what's wrong with Amazon's gambit to drum up excitement ahead of the September 6 event. Earlier today he forwarded the Kindle-Fire sell-out email, writing: "It's SOOOO successful. So we're not making any more". That sums it up.

From the press release: "Today, Amazon announced that Kindle Fire is sold out, and that in just nine months, Kindle Fire has captured 22 percent of tablet sales in the US". Amazon CEO Jeff Bezos drops the big hint -- just so you won't miss what's coming next week: "Kindle Fire is sold out, but we have an exciting roadmap ahead -- we will continue to offer our customers the best hardware, the best prices, the best customer service, the best cross-platform interoperability, and the best content ecosystem".

Cough, cough, I must wipe a tear for Amazon's tablet, taken away from us after just 48 weeks of sales. Kindle Fire extinguished before its time.

Is the Fire out? Is that what Amazon really means, ahead of the new tablet we surely know must come next week. Kindle Fire flamed out in the Wilcox home. I gave my wife the tablet for Christmas 2011, and she loved it. Nothing could be better. That is until she spent seconds with the Nexus 7 I brought back from Google I/O in June. I ordered hers the next day. She loves Nexus 7 more. I was supposed to Craigslist her Kindle Fire weeks ago. Now that Amazon is sold out, perhaps this weekend will prove worth waiting to post.

Amazon announced Kindle Fire in September 2011 (well, there's another "hint, hint" about what's coming on the 6th) and started selling (beyond preorders) in early November. Amazon claims that Kindle Fire is the top-selling item on the retail site, but doesn't say how many. Then there's the 22 percent tablet sales figure, for which there is no cited source. I wouldn't let one of our writers throw out that kind of data without sourcing it. Says whom?

The sales figures are typical Amazon. Top-selling this or percentage-more that without any hard data by which to measure it. If Bezos goes to the doctor complaining about bladder problems and says he peed five times more today than yesterday or more today than any day this year, the practitioner will want to know how many times previously to make a diagnosis. There needs to be a frame of reference, and Amazon provides nothing.

I like Amazon and frequently shop there. But, geez Louise, today's press release stinks of desperation to drum up something -- even a hint of excitement -- before the big day.

The Real Housewives of New Jersey Recap: Hot Tub of Sour Grapes

2012-08-29T02:39:00.002-07:00

The Real Housewives of New Jersey's California vacation finally came to an end and it was all "Hot Tub of Sour Grapes" as Caroline and Teresa went at it.

When Teresa left Kathy out of her toast last week, was it an unintentional slight or a purposeful shun. In the end it doesn't matter as Kathy turns the focus onto someone else.

Instead of dealing with her own issues, Kathy throws Caroline under the bus. Minus 12. Of course she swears she has the best of intentions but is Kathy really that naive?

With everyone listening in on Teresa and Kathy's conversation, am I the only one who hoped that Caroline really would walk over and dunk Teresa's head in the hot tub? Plus 15. That could have been awesome but unfortunately we never got to see it.

Instead what we got was a lot of name calling and finger pointing as Caroline says all the things she's waited all season to say. She calls Teresa a liar, a fraud, and a disgrace. Plus 10 for not pulling any punches. She wants nothing to do with Teresa and she's pretty darn clear about it.

At first Teresa keeps insisting that she loves Caroline. Apparently in the fabulicious haze that is Teresa world it's OK to slander the people you love in the tabloids. Minus 11.

And what's up with Jacqueline. She lies there and pretends to be asleep like a ten year old. Minus 8. At least get up and walk away like a grown up.

As the fight spills over to the boys table Kathy starts to think that maybe she made a mistake getting in the middle of Caroline and Teresa. Duh! Minus 13.

At first I loved it when Chris pulled out his smartphone and called out Joe Guidice on his bullsh*t but he still let him weasel out of it so minus 12. Joe and Teresa are making a lot of money bad mouthing their friends in the press and Caroline seems to be the only one who has had enough.

Teresa tells the ladies she doesn't know how to lie. Ha! Plus 5 simply because I can't stop laughing.

But minus 10 because I'm tired of continually going over what Teresa wrote in her stupid cookbook. She'll swear to her grave that what she wrote was a joke. She's said that so often I wonder if she now believes it.

Plus 7 to Lauren for trying to jump in and help her mom but I really don't know that Caroline needed the help. Caroline's right. Teresa's not family so she has the luxury of walking away.

Melissa and Kathy aren't quite that lucky. I couldn't believe it when Teresa kept grabbing Kathy's face over and over again to make her point. She really deserved to get smacked for that. Minus 10. Sometimes Kathy's just too damn nice.

And as Caroline wondered when this night would end I couldn't help thinking the same thing.

Will the Gorga / Guidice alliance hold once everyone gets back to Jersey?

Jerry Nelson, Count of 'Sesame Street,' dies at 78

2012-08-26T12:36:00.002-07:00

LOS ANGELES – Jerry Nelson, the puppeteer behind a delightful menagerie of characters including Count von Count on "Sesame Street" and Gobo Fraggle on "Fraggle Rock," has died. He was 78.

Nelson, who suffered from emphysema, died Thursday night in his Massachusetts home on Cape Cod, the Sesame Workshop said Friday.

"Every description of his characters describes Jerry as well," said "Sesame Street" executive producer Carol-Lynn Parente.
"Silly, funny, vulnerable, passionate and musical, for sure. That voice of his was superb."

Although he'd been in declining health for some time "his attitude was never bad," Parente said Friday. "He was always so grateful for what he had in his life."

"We're having a rough day on the Street," she said.

In a tribute posted online by the nonprofit Sesame Workshop, Nelson was lauded for his artistry and the "laughter he brought to children worldwide" with the Count and other Muppet puppets including Sherlock Hemlock, Herry Monster and the Amazing Mumford.

Nelson was part of other projects featuring Jim Henson's Muppets, including the 1984 movie "The Muppets Take Manhattan" and TV series including the 1980s "Fraggle Rock" and 1990s "Muppets Tonight."

In recent years, Nelson gave up the physically demanding job of operating the Count and other puppets on "Sesame Street" but still voiced the characters, the workshop said. The show's new season launches in September and Nelson's voice will be heard.

In 2010, he released the album "Truro Daydreams," the title that referred to the Massachusetts town.

Survivors include Nelson's wife, Jan, Parente said. Funeral plans were not immediately available.

Liverpool draws 2-2 vs. Manchester City at Anfield

2012-08-26T12:32:00.001-07:00

LIVERPOOL, England: Manchester City twice came from behind to secure a hard-earned 2-2 draw against Liverpool in the Premier League at Anfield on Sunday.

Martin Skrtel gave Liverpool the lead with a powerful header from a Steven Gerrard corner in a first half in which Brendan Rodgers' team edged the defending champions.

Yaya Toure equalized for Roberto Mancini's side in the 63rd after Pepe Reina failed to claim a cross that Martin Kelly could not control, allowing Toure to finish from close range.

Luis Suarez restored Liverpool's lead with a perfectly executed low free kick into the corner of Joe Hart's goal.

Skrtel was at fault for City's second with an under-hit pass back toward Reina, which Carlos Tevez ran on to, rounding Liverpool's goalkeeper and slotting into an empty net.

Dangerous inmate tries to escape Lebanon prison

2012-08-26T12:31:00.002-07:00

BEIRUT: A dangerous Yemeni inmate, who belongs to the radical Qaeda-inspired Fatah al-Islam group, tried to escape Lebanon’s largest prison, security sources said Saturday.

The sources said prison guards thwarted an attempt Friday by two former Fatah Islam inmates to smuggle out Yemeni prisoner Salim Saleh.

The ex-prisoners, identified as Palestinians Wassim Qambaz and Mahmoud Abdel-Qader, had presented their IDs at the entrance along with a third one that bears the photo of Saleh under the name Hasan Osman.

The Palestinians told the guards that the third man would join them shortly.

However, when the IDs were being photocopied, in line with jail regulations, the prison wardens recognized Saleh’s picture and arrested the two former prisoners.

The detained men confessed that they had been planning to smuggle out Saleh.

Dozens of Islamist prisoners have been held for several years without trial over suspected links to Fatah al-Islam, which fought the Lebanese Army in the Palestinian refugee camp of Nahr al-Bared in 2007.

Following Fatah al-Islam’s defeat, security services sought the arrest of 570 people for involvement with the group.
Since 2007, 147 of the detainees have been released, leaving 98 in custody, according to judicial sources.

Seven of the Islamist detainees were released on bail in June.

Arsenal still goalless in absence of van Persie

2012-08-26T12:30:00.002-07:00

LONDON: Both Stoke City and Arsenal remained in search of their first Premier League win of the season after a goalless draw at the Britannia Stadium on Sunday.

A share of the spoils left Stoke 11th and Arsenal 12th in the table, after they had each played two league games.

The Gunners had the best of the chances but, in the absence of star striker Robin van Persie -- sold to Manchester United -- they failed to find the back of the net in a second successive goalless draw.

"It is not good enough," Arsenal midfielder Mikel Arteta told Sky Sports.

"We had some really good chances but at the moment we are not taking them. The same thing happened last week."

But whereas Stoke have sometimes bullied Arsenal at the Britannia, the Gunners stood up to the hosts' physical threat
on Sunday.
"You know if you concede fouls and throw-ins, they can put you in trouble because they get the ball in the box and are really organised at set pieces," Arteta added.

"We didn't concede many chances and were well organised."

Meanwhile, Arteta said it was just a matter of time before new Arsenal signings Olivier Giroud and Lukas Podolski became fully integrated into the Londoners' set-up.

"We need three, four, five games together... They have the quality."

Arsenal manager Arsene Wenger was pleased by his side's defensive performance but said he was looking to bring in more players before Friday's transfer deadline.

"Our back four did well, our goalkeeper did well," he said. "They (Stoke) are a handful for anyone that comes here.

"I'm pleased with what I have, but yes, I anticipate that we will do something still. We are still in the market. Defensive midfielder, it depends on the quality of the players available."

The Frenchman's Stoke counterpart, Tony Pulis, said: "It was a good result, (but) there are things we are not happy with and can do better.

"We were playing a team on a different level. We have played two difficult games and we are still unbeaten."

Liverpool, bottom of the table after a shock 3-0 defeat by West Bromwich Albion last weekend, are at home to champions Manchester City later on Sunday.

Charbel: no political reasons behind abduction of Kuwaiti national

2012-08-26T12:28:00.002-07:00

Interior Minister Marwan Charbel said the kidnapping of a Kuwaiti national in east Lebanon was not politically-motivated, and that the security forces and Army intelligence are working relentlessly to secure his release, in remarks published Sunday.

Speaking to An-Nahar, Charbel said “preliminary investigation indicates no political reasons” behind the kidnapping of the Kuwaiti citizen.

Issam al-Houty was kidnapped by gunmen in Hawsh al-Ghanam in the eastern Bekaa region outside his house.

Reports said his wife informed the Kuwaiti Embassy of the abduction.

Meanwhile, Kuwait's Ambassador to Lebanon told the Kuwait-based Al-Anbaa newspaper that no party has announced responsibility for the kidnapping yet, denying rumors that a $500,000 ransom was asked in exchange of al-Houty.

Following a spate of kidnappings of Syrian and Turkish nationals along with threats by local groups to target Gulf citizens in tit-for-tat abductions, Kuwait and several other countries issued travel advisories, asking its citizens to avoid traveling to the country.

Kuwait has also said that most of its citizens have been evacuated.

An-Nahar also reported Sunday that 50,000 Kuwait nationals have left the country due to safety concerns.

Hezbollah says March 14 party implicated Lebanon in Syria's crisis

2012-08-26T12:27:00.002-07:00

Hezbollah figures Sunday accused Arab regimes of fueling tensions in Lebanon and Syria, adding that the March 14 coalition has brought the country into Syria’s crisis.

In a graduation ceremony in the southern village of Blida, Loyalty to the Resistance MP Mohammad Raad said: “Influential Arab regimes finance what strife is being sowed in Lebanon, Yemen and Syria for the U.S. and Europe.”

He added that the West “seeks to affiliate Lebanon with the organization of Arab regimes that want to pave the way for reconciliation with the Israeli enemy based on conditions set by the Jewish State.”

Raad also said his rivals have changed their agenda to satisfy the U.S. and Europe and to build animosity with Iran, Hezbollah’s main ally in the region.

He cited an example of Iran’s offer to help Lebanon with its electricity crisis, saying the “state did not even dare to consider the offer since that would anger the U.S.”

Meanwhile, Sheikh Nabik Qaouk, the deputy head of Hezbollah's Executive Council, accused the March 14 party of involvement in the course of the 17-month-old conflict in Syria which he said had automatically brought the whole country into the conflict.

“The presence of Syrian gunmen in Lebanon implicates our country in the crisis and the March 14 forces have already been involved and become partners in the aggression against that country,” he told supporters during a ceremony celebrating the six anniversary of “Hezbollah’s victory over Israel in 2006,” in south Lebanon.

Qaouk also said that the party provides both political and security cover for the alleged Syrian gunmen in Lebanon to launch attacks and carry out operations against Syria.

He also targeted the U.S. Embassy in Beirut, saying it harms civil peace in the country.

“The military and security wing of the U.S. Embassy threatens civil peace and the security of the resistance, as well as threatening Syria from Lebanon via its Lebanese tools,” Qaouk said.

Tevez tames Liverpool as battling City get draw

2012-08-26T12:25:00.001-07:00

LONDON : Reigning champions Manchester City twice came from behind in a 2-2 draw away to Liverpool that denied Brendan Rodgers his first Premier League win as Reds manager.
Martin Skrtel went from hero to villain in the course of an exciting match at Anfield on Sunday, heading Liverpool in front before his loose back-pass set up the goal for Carlos Tevez that saw City make it 2-2 ten minutes from time.

A much-improved Liverpool, shock 3-0 losers to West Bromwich Albion last week, took the lead when Skrtel powered in a header from Steven Gerrard's 34th minute corner.

But City, who came through a see-saw clash to beat newcomers Southampton 3-2 in their league opener, were level in the 63rd minute when Yaya Toure capitalised on the failure of Liverpool's Martin Kelly to clear a Tevez cross.

However, parity lasted for just three minutes until, following a Jack Rodwell handball, Liverpool striker Luis Suarez curled the ensuing 20-yard free-kick round the wall and beyond the despairing dive of City and England goalkeeper Joe Hart.

But Argentina striker Tevez, with his 100th goal in English football, drew City level again in the 80th minute when he seized on a stray back-pass from defender Skrtel and then calmly rounded Pepe Reina before slotting home.

Nevertheless, Rodgers told Sky Sports: "My glass is very nearly full.

"I thought it was a brilliant performance. We were asked a lot of questions and I thought the players were incredible. Some times the best team doesn't win.

"Let's remember we were playing a good side."

And Rodgers, renowned when in charge of Swansea for his emphasis on passing football, absolved Skrtel of blame for City's second goal.

"He was brave enough to play it and that's the development of the team. As a group we will only get better," Rodgers said.

This was the fourth game in a row where City had conceded two goals and manager Roberto Mancini said: "This is the time to finish conceding two goals every game.

"But we have taken one point when we went down two times," the Italian added.

Earlier, Arsenal failed to score for the second league match in a row following the departure of star striker Robin van
Persie to Manchester United as they were held to a goalless draw away to Stoke.

"It is not good enough," said Arsenal midfielder Mikel Arteta after the Gunners' second straight 0-0 stalemate.

"We had some really good chances but at the moment we are not taking them. The same thing happened last week."

Arsenal manager Arsene Wenger was pleased by his side's defensive performance but said he was looking to bring in more players to the London club before Friday's transfer deadline.

"I'm pleased with what I have, but yes, I anticipate that we will do something still," Wenger said.

"We are still in the market. Defensive midfielder, it depends on the quality of the players available."

R&B singer Usher wins primary custody of sons

2012-08-26T12:23:00.002-07:00

ATLANTA : Grammy-winning R&B singer Usher on Friday was awarded primary physical custody of his two sons, ending a long legal fight with his ex-wife.
Fulton County Superior Court Judge Bensonetta Tipton Lane ruled that the singer, 33, will have primary custody of 4-year-old Usher Raymond V and 3-year-old Naviyd Ely Raymond, according to Cherrise Boone, spokeswoman for the court clerk's office. His custody will start Sept. 1.

Boone said Usher and his ex-wife Tameka Foster Raymond will have joint legal custody. The type of visitation hasn't been determined yet for Tameka Raymond.

Usher's lawyer, Ivory Brown, did not immediately return a call on Friday. Lisa West, a lawyer for Tameka Raymond, did not immediately return an email seeking comment.

Usher, whose real name is Usher Raymond IV, married Tameka Raymond in 2007. They divorced two years later. He said the couple had been separated since July 2008 and claimed there was "no reasonable hope of reconciliation" and the marriage was "irretrievably broken."

In May, Usher testified that Tameka Raymond spit at and tried to fight with his girlfriend during one visit and that his ex-wife hit him during the dispute. He said he didn't press charges because: "I didn't want the boys to know that their father put their mother in jail," he said.

Tameka Raymond's attorney claimed that Usher provoked her client and that his account is exaggerated.

The custody decision comes after Tameka Raymond's 11-year-old son Kile Glover died last month after he was critically injured in a boating accident. The boy was run over July 6 by a personal watercraft on Lake Lanier northeast of Atlanta, according to the Georgia Department of Natural Resources.

Milan want Kaka loan, Real holding out for sale-Galliani

2012-08-26T12:21:00.001-07:00

MADRID : AC Milan are trying to persuade Real Madrid to give them Kaka back on loan before the transfer window closes on Friday but the La Liga club are holding out for a sale, Milan vice-president Adriano Galliani said on Sunday.

"The situation is clear: Real want to sell Kaka while we want him on loan," Galliani told Sky Sport.

"If Real change their stance I'll rush over there but if on the other hand they insist on a loan there's nothing more to be done."

Real coach Jose Mourinho left Kaka out of his squad for both Thursday's Spanish Super Cup first leg at Barcelona and Sunday's La Liga match at Getafe, apparently confirming the 2007 World Player of the Year no longer features in his plans.

The Spanish champions are attempting to complete the signing of Luka Modric from Tottenham Hotspur, a similar player to Brazilian playmaker Kaka, who has shown only flashes of his former brilliance since moving to La Liga three years ago.

Real may be reluctant to loan the 30-year-old back to Milan given that they paid the Serie A side around 65 million euros ($81.36 million) for him.

Kaka has also been linked in media reports with a move to Paris St Germain, the Ligue 1 club coached by his former boss at Milan Carlo Ancelotti.

Microsoft revamps logo for 1st time in 25 years

2012-08-26T12:18:00.002-07:00

SAN FRANCISCO : Microsoft's corporate logo has a new look, setting the stage for a wave of products designed to cast the world's largest software maker in a new light.
The makeover unveiled Thursday marks the first time that Microsoft Corp. has revamped its logo since February 1987. The Internet was barely around then, and cellphones were considered a luxury.

At the time, Microsoft was putting the finishing touches on the second version of its Windows operating system. Two of Microsoft's biggest nemeses - Google Inc. co-founders Larry Page and Sergey Brin - were just 13 years old. And Apple Inc. co-founder Steve Jobs was just in the second year of an 11-year exile from the company that went on to invent the iPod, iPhone and iPad after he returned.

By revamping its logo, Microsoft is trying to signal that it has changed its thinking and its products to cater to people who are interacting with technology much differently than just a decade ago, let alone a quarter century.

Now, more computing tasks are being done on touch-based devices such as smartphones and tablets instead of personal computers tethered to keyboards and mice. Many software applications are now supplied over high-speed Internet connections for a monthly fee instead of being installed on individual computers.

Microsoft believes a radical change to Windows will ensure that the company survives the technological upheaval. Windows 8, due to hit the market Oct. 26, displays software applications in a mosaic of tiles and has been engineered so it works on both touch-based tablets and traditional PCs. The company also is releasing its own Windows 8-powered tablet to compete against the iPad, accompanied by a new version of Office applications tailored for such devices. There also will be a Windows 8 operating system for smartphones.

The new logo ushers in "one of the most significant waves of product launches in Microsoft's history," Jeff Hansen, the company's general manager of brand strategy, wrote in a blog post Thursday.

The redesign features the Microsoft name in a lighter, straight font called Segoe to replace the italic bold type used in the old standby. The new logo also includes the familiar red, blue, yellow and green colors used in the flag on Microsoft's Windows operating system, but the colors will be in a square box instead of the curvy template that has been in place for years. Those color boxes invoke the tiles that will be central to Windows 8.

"The ways people experience our products are our most important 'brand impressions,'" Hansen wrote. "That's why the new Microsoft logo takes its inspiration from our product design principles while drawing upon the heritage of our brand values, fonts and colors."

The new logo made its debut Thursday on Microsoft's websites, as well as three of its stores in Boston, Bellevue, Washington and Seattle, which is located near the company's Redmond, Washington, headquarters.

This is Microsoft's fifth logo since Bill Gates and Paul Allen founded the company 37 years ago. When it last changed its logo in 1987, Microsoft had been a publicly traded company for less than a year and boasted a market value of about $2 billion. It peaked at more than $600 million in 1999. Now, Microsoft's market value stands at $254 billion - less than half of Apple's market value of $623 billion.

Massa says Ferrari future depends on results

2012-08-26T12:15:00.003-07:00

SAO PAULO: Felipe Massa says he will need to significantly improve his results in the second half of the Formula One season to have a real shot at renewing his contract with Ferrari next year.

Massa says he feels he performed better in recent races but acknowledges that only good results will help him in his attempt to stay with the Italian team after his contract ends this year.

The Brazilian driver said Wednesday that "in the end the result is what matters the most."

Massa is 14th in the drivers' championship, 139 points behind leader Fernando Alonso, his teammate at Ferrari.

Roddick crashes out of Winston-Salem

2012-08-26T12:14:00.002-07:00

WINSTON-SALEM, North Carolina: American Andy Roddick suffered a third-round loss Wednesday at the $550,000 ATP Tour’s Winston-Salem Open, losing in straight sets to Belgium’s Steve Darcis.
Darcis, who made it to the third round of the London Olympics, outlasted fifth-seeded Roddick in a pair of tiebreak sets, 7-6 (8/6) 7-6 (7/3) at the Wake Forest University facility.
The 28-year-old Darcis, ranked 81st in the world, was the last player to make the cut for the main draw.
“I didn’t expect this when I came here – I wasn’t playing well,” Darcis said. “I’ve played two good first matches and now I have played well, serving well and trying to be aggressive when I could. Of course, it is a good win before the U.S. Open.”
He faces second-seeded Tomas Berdych of the Czech Republic next, who advanced with a 6-3, 6-2 win over Finland’s Jarkko Nieminen.

The tournament serves as a warm-up event for next week’s U.S. Open.
Roddick, a former world No. 1 and ex-U.S. Open champion, is struggling heading into the last Grand Slam of the year at Flushing Meadows.
“I served okay, but I didn’t return too well,” Roddick said. “I didn’t hit the ball clean and he played better when he had to. I wanted to play better here.”
Roddick lost early at last week’s Cincinnati Masters tournament, where he complained of back problems, and he has now lost three of his last four matches after winning five straight, including a title in Atlanta.

Fourth-seeded Alexandr Dolgopolov of Ukraine moved into the quarterfinals with a 6-3 6-4 win over Argentina’s David Nalbandian.
Seventh-seeded American Sam Querrey continued his run of good form with a 6-3 6-4 victory over Spaniard Feliciano Lopez. Querrey will meet Dolgopolov in the quarterfinals Thursday. Defending champion John Isner overcame two rain delays to advance in straight sets. The third-seeded Isner, ranked 10th in the world, needed only 71 minutes to beat 13th-seeded Jurgen Melzer of Austria 6-4, 6-3 in the third round.
In the WTA’s New Haven Open, reigning champion Caroline Wozniacki and second seed Petra Kvitova advanced to the quarterfinals with straight-set victories.
Kvitova, last year’s Wimbledon runner-up, easily defeated American Nicole Gibbs, 6-2 6-4, to advance to Thursday’s quarters.
She will face eighth-seeded Czech Lucie Safarova next, who crushed China’s Zheng Jie, 6-4 6-0.
Former world No. 1 Wozniacki, who is seeded third and seeking her fifth straight title at the event, improved to 19-0 lifetime in New Haven with a 7-6 (7/4) 6-2 victory over Sweden’s Sofia Arvidsson.

Denmark’s Wozniacki, who defeated Czech Petra Cetkovska in last year’s New Haven final, will meet Slovakia’s Dominika Cibulkova in Thursday’s quarterfinal.
Sixth-seeded Cibulkova won 6-4 6-1 over German Andrea Petkovic, who has battled injuries for most of the year.
This was Petkovic’s first tournament in nearly four months and only her fourth event of the season after entering 2012 ranked 10th in the world. Petkovic said it was going to take some time to get her match conditioning back. Meanwhile, Cibulkova claimed she was ready to face Wozniacki, who leads their head-to-head series 7-3.
“We know each other really well,” Cibulkova said. “She’s a year younger but we traveled to all the same junior tournaments and played many matches against each other.
“I know the way she’s playing, and she knows how I’m playing. It’s two different styles as well – she’s the defensive player and I’m the offensive player going for my shots. It’s going to be a really good match.”

Lebanon lose again in William Jones Cup

2012-08-26T12:12:00.002-07:00

BEIRUT: Lebanon’s national team suffered its fourth consecutive defeat at the William Jones Cup Tuesday when they were beaten 74-81 by the hosts Chinese Taipei.
Having lost their first three games against Mahram of Iran (89-74), Anyang KGC of South Korea (94-78) and West Asian rivals Jordan (87-68), the Cedars needed a win to lift their side. As of yet the team have failed to justify the high expectations that followed them into the tournament, showing no resistance in the final moments of games despite being ahead in the early stages.

The Lebanese side relies on the pick-and-roll system offensively, a strategy that has served them well over the years. Yet they demonstrated an inability to adapt their style of play when they faced the Taiwanese’s zonal defense, with the East Asian side clinical in their 3-point shooting to extend the winning margin at the end of the match.

Chinese Taipei last beat Lebanon 60-58 in a memorable match at the 2011 Asian Championship in Wuhan.

The Jones Cup is mainly used as preparation for the FIBA ASIA Cup, scheduled to be held in Tokyo next month, with the Lebanese lineup missing important members of the side such as Fadi al-Khatib, Ali Mahmoud, Charles Tabet and Elie Rustom.

Jean Abdelnour led the scoring for Lebanon with 19 points, with Hussein al-Khatib adding 13 points and American Jarrid Famous notching 13 points and 9 rebounds.

Lebanon will hope to grab their first win when they face Chinese Taipei-B Wednesday at 10 a.m. Beirut time.

In other news, the Lebanese youth team also suffered a heavy loss against South Korea 95-63 in the second round of the Asian U18 Championship in Ulaan Bataar.

Lebanon had opened up the second round with a crucial win over West Asian rivals Syria (91-72), and they knew they would face a tough task against the South Koreans who are having a fantastic run in the tournament so far, winning their last four outings by at least 20 points.

Head Coach Salim Chemali decided to rest some of his best players, ahead of their important match against Japan Wednesday, which will decide the side’s fate in the tournament.

If Lebanon lose by less than 10 points in their fixture with Japan the Cedars will finish in third place in Group A, facing the Philippines in the quarterfinal stage.

A loss by more than ten points would see Lebanon drop down to fourth place, which would mean a tie with West Asian champions Iran in the knockout stage. In the worst-case scenario, Lebanon would be eliminated if they were to lose by more than 36 points.

“We just lost to a better team,” Chemali told The Daily Star.

“We were pretty tired after Monday’s game against the Syrians, which required a lot of energy from the players, especially since the other team was excessively aggressive and some of our players were injured.

“With this in mind, I did my best to rest the key players because we need them to be in their best shape today.”

Japan, who are currently in fourth place in the group, lost to Syria in the preliminary round (73-71), but might prove dangerous with their fast paced offensive game.

“The East Asian teams are always tough because of their fast rhythm. However, I do believe that we can beat them if we are focused. The good thing is that we have many opportunities – even if we lose by less than 10, we will stay third,” Chemali said.

Lebanon play Japan Wednesday at 1 p.m. Beirut time.

Lebanon claim emphatic win over Phillipines

2012-08-26T12:11:00.002-07:00

BEIRUT: Lebanon claimed an emphatic 91-72 victory over the Philippines on day six of the William Jones Cup, lifting their overall record to 2-4 in the tournament with just two games remaining.
Downbeat after four consecutive losses, the Cedars clearly had a point to prove against the unbeaten Philippines side. They didn’t disappoint. The victory will boost the team’s morale after fans had called for the resignation of head coach Ghassan Sarkis.

At the end of the first quarter the score stood at 22-15, but from then on Lebanon were rampant.

The Cedars, playing with a high tempo defense, found their way into the passing lanes and made the most of every scoring opportunity to net easy baskets.

It was also a great night for shooting, with Elie Stephan alone scoring seven 3-pointers, and Lebanon were on top (74-46) at the end of the third quarter, with naturalized American Jarrid Famous grabbing a great dunk to give Lebanon a 30-point lead at the beginning of the fourth quarter.

“We have new additions to the team and this tournament is great preparation,” Akl told The Daily Star. “We see the improvement every day. We have a greater passing game offensively and a smarter team tempo. Our defense is working better and players are feeling much better on court.”

Lebanon will play the U.S. Saturday.

Jersey Shore's Snooki reportedly gives birth to baby boy

2012-08-26T03:37:00.002-07:00

NEW YORK – Better get the gym membership ready.

"Jersey Shore" star Nicole "Snooki" Polizzi gave birth to a boy early this morning, according to reports.

According to MYV, Lorenzo Dominic LaValle was born before 3 a.m. Sunday, reportedly healthy and weighting 6 pounds, 5 ounces.

Snooki went into labor last night. Her father, Andy Polizzi, arrived at the St. Barnabas Hospital in Livingston wearing a black T-shirt with the words, "Team Snooki" written on the chest.

Oyako Don (Chicken and Egg Over Rice)

2012-08-26T03:36:00.005-07:00

Total Time : 35 min

Servings : 4

Never mind the chicken or the egg. How about the chicken and the egg?

Ingredients

4 Cup water
1 1/3-ounce packet powdered dashi*
1 Cup medium-grain white rice
1/4 Cup soy sauce
1 Pound boneless chicken thighs, cut into strips
1 Small onion, sliced thinly
2 Eggs, beaten, preferably organic or heirloom

Preparation

Step 1:

In a medium-sized saucepan, bring the water to a boil over high heat.

Step 2:

Add the powdered dashi and boil for 5 minutes. Remove the packet from the pot and discard. (Or make 4 cups dashi broth according to package directions.) Add the rice and 1 ½ cups of the dashi broth to another medium-sized saucepan.

Step 3:

Bring to a gentle boil over medium-high heat, reduce heat to low, and stir to make sure no grains are stuck to the bottom.

Step 4:

Cover the pot with a lid and simmer for 15 minutes. Once the rice is done, remove from heat and let stand, covered, for 10 minutes.

Step 5:

Meanwhile, return the remaining dashi broth in the other pot to a simmer over medium heat. Add the soy sauce and stir to combine. Add the chicken and cook for 5 minutes. Then, add the onion and cook for 3 minutes.

Step 6:

Reduce heat to low and stir in the eggs. Let cook for 2 minutes.

Step 7:

Remove the chicken, onion, and egg to a bowl using a slotted spoon, leaving only the broth in the pot. Return the broth to a boil over high heat and reduce to a glaze, about 15 minutes. Mix the glaze in with the accumulated juices in the bowl, and toss together well. Serve immediately over rice.

Spicy Deviled Eggs

2012-08-26T03:34:00.005-07:00

Total Time : 20 min
Servings : 6

Whether you're searching for a satisfying snack or a fuss-free dinner party appetizer, deviled eggs are a great go-to recipe to have under your belt. The trickiest part about making deviled eggs is the hard-boiling, because it takes some practice to figure out how to make sure the eggs don't get under or overcooked.

Ingredients

12 Hard-boiled eggs, preferably organic or heirloom
3/4 Cup sour cream
1/2 Cup plain yogurt
1 Teaspoon Sriracha
1/2 Teaspoon smoked sea salt
1 Tablespoon Dijon mustard
1/4 Cup fresh cilantro leaves, roughly chopped

Preparation

Step 1:

Cut the eggs in half lengthwise and remove the yolks with a spoon, adding them to a small mixing bowl. Set aside the egg whites.

Step 2:

Add the sour cream, yogurt, Sriracha, salt, mustard, and half the cilantro to the bowl and whisk together until smooth.

Step 3:

Fill the egg whites with the mixture and garnish with the remaining cilantro. Serve immediately.

Lawyer in Justin Bieber car chase case fights anti-paparazzi law

2012-08-26T01:20:00.001-07:00

LOS ANGELES – A paparazzo charged with recklessly pursuing Justin Bieber for photos will challenge the constitutionality of the law targeting aggressive celebrity-hounding tactics, his attorney said Friday.
Attorney David S. Kestenbaum filed a motion asking a judge to declare that the 2010 California statute penalizing those who drive recklessly in pursuit of commercial photos is unconstitutional.

The 17-page motion argues the law used to charge his client, Paul Raef, violates First Amendment protections for the press and is too broad.

Kestenbaum filed the motion during a brief hearing that neither Raef nor Bieber attended. The photographer was charged last month with four misdemeanor counts after a July 6 high-speed pursuit on a Los Angeles freeway involving the pop singer and other paparazzi.

Raef is the first person charged under the law.

The motion does not address the specifics of the incident, but rather challenges the law on constitutional grounds. It contends the law is vague because state vehicle codes do not adequately define what would be a photo taken for commercial purposes.

"First and foremost, the statute unconstitutionally singles out the press for a special penalty," the motion states.

A judge will hear the motion during a hearing on Sept. 24. Raef has not yet entered a plea in the case.

Raef, 30, was not arrested during the chase. However, his license plate was reported to police, who investigated and presented the case to city prosecutors. They charged Raef on July 25, but when the photographer appeared for booking, Kestenbaum said police were unaware of the new law and he was not processed.

Kestenbaum said he expects the case will likely end up in an appeals court, regardless of any ruling by a criminal court judge.

Raef has also been charged with more traditional reckless driving and for following other cars too closely.

Prosecutors allege he chased Bieber at more than 80 mph and forced other motorists to avoid collisions while Raef tried to get shots of the teen heartthrob.

Philadelphia prepares to host Jay-Z's music festival

2012-08-26T01:18:00.002-07:00

PHILADELPHIA – The city where America was made is gearing up for rapper Jay-Z's "Made In America" music festival, which officials estimate will attract 100,000 fans to Philadelphia over Labor Day weekend.

Construction of stages and tents began this week at the somewhat unusual venue, a tree-lined boulevard in the heart of downtown. It's the first show on the Benjamin Franklin Parkway to require paid admission. Rock stalwarts Pearl Jam are co-headliners of the two-day event.

Officials said there should be no problem handling the crowd considering the city's long tradition of staging much larger concerts at the same location.

"Every year, we have detailed plans for public safety, street access, trash removal and we successfully accommodate 400,000 to 500,000 visitors on the 4th of July," Mayor Michael Nutter said in a statement.

For those who can't make the festival on either Sept. 1 or 2, don't worry -- filmmaker Ron Howard will be directing a movie about the show.

Overall, city officials expect 50,000 paying fans each day for the bill curated by Jay-Z, whose real name is Shawn Carter. Musicians include Skrillex, Drake, Afrojack, Chris Cornell, Run-DMC and hometown favorite Jill Scott.

Concerts will run from 2-11 p.m. on three stages, one of which will be near the Museum of Art steps made famous in the film "Rocky."

"Thirty amazing acts are coming together to perform at one of Philadelphia's most iconic sites," Geoff Gordon, regional president for concert promoter Live Nation, said in a statement Friday.

Gary and Kristin Camp of Wilmington, Del., were enticed by the lineup and bought a pair of two-day passes. Though they have some questions about logistics and transportation, Gary Camp said they're prepared for a couple of long days and are looking forward to the show -- especially Pearl Jam.

"I think it's going to be an exciting event in a unique setting," Camp said.

Organizers say the blocks-long site will be enclosed by 8-foot-high double-fencing patrolled by security. Material woven into the chain-link barrier is designed to keep non-paying spectators from seeing the show.

It's a big change from previous parkway music events, which have been free. That includes annual Independence Day shows featuring performers like Sheryl Crow and The Roots, as well as the Live 8 concert for African poverty relief in 2005 and a Bruce Springsteen set in 2008.

As of Friday, two-day passes for "Made In America" cost $135 each, while a one-day ticket was $75. VIP passes, and travel packages with hotel rooms, ranged from $350 to nearly $2,200. Prices could go up closer to the concert date.

Mark Nevins, who lives in the nearby Fairmount neighborhood, is interested in seeing Pearl Jam. But he said sitting through an hourslong festival for one band seemed like a lot of time and effort.

"I'm hoping I can hear it from my house, or maybe head down toward the parkway and listen in from the outside," Nevins said.

It certainly wouldn't be surprising to see people trying to catch a few free tunes from outside the perimeter. But officials stress that fence-climbers will be prosecuted.

Also, Hollywood producers Howard and Brian Grazer ("A Beautiful Mind," "The Da Vinci Code") have signed on to make a film about the festival. The pair's 2007 movie "American Gangster," about a notorious Harlem drug lord, inspired Jay-Z's album by the same name.

"Made In America" is sponsored by Budweiser and will be held rain or shine. It benefits United Way organizations in greater Philadelphia and southern New Jersey; Lancaster, Pa., and New York City.

Van der Vaart close to quitting Tottenham in $15 million Hamburg deal

2012-08-26T01:15:00.003-07:00

Tottenham midfielder Rafael van der Vaart is on the brink of resigning for his former club Hamburg, in a deal estimated to be worth 9.5 million pounds ($15.08 million).

The Dutch international saw his playing time limited last season, and had to settle for a place on the bench when the north London club traveled to Newcastle last Sunday.

Van der Vaart has allegedly agreed to the move, with Dutch daily De Telegraaf reporting that Tottenham and Hamburg are still finalizing the details of the transfer fee.

The 29-year-old previously played for Hamburg from 2005-08, scoring 48 goals in 112 club appearances.

The player’s return to the Bundesliga has been mooted for some time, with van der Vaart believed to be keen to play in Germany where his wife is a successful media personality.

Since arriving from Real Madrid two years ago, van der Vaart has established himself as somewhat of a cult figure at

White Hart Lane, scoring 24 goals in just 62 league appearances.

New Tottenham manager Andre Villas-Boas has spent the summer overhauling his squad, with six players already having departed so far.

Sebastian Bassong, Vedran Corluka, Steven Pienaar, Niko Kranjcar, Ryan Nelson and Louis Saha have already been moved on by the Portuguese, with others close to leaving the club.

Defender Michael Dawson is also expected to leave north London after Spurs agreed a fee of around 10 million pounds with Queens Park Rangers, but Stoke and Sunderland have emerged as rivals for the England international’s signature.

The Daily Mail reports that both Stoke and Sunderland have expressed “firm interest” in the player, and will fight it out with QPR until a deal has been completed.

Sunderland have also stepped up their interest in Manchester City winger Adam Johnson after agreeing a fee with Wolverhampton Wanderers for forward Stephen Fletcher.

Johnson has been told he will not feature as much as he would like this season, after seeing his playing time limited during last year’s championship winning campaign.

Fletcher’s likely arrival at the Stadium of Light brings an end to Black Cats boss Martin O’Neil’s summerlong pursuit of the Scottish striker, with a 15 million pound transfer expected to be completed imminently.

O’Neil had been reluctant to pay in excess of 12 million pounds for the 25-year-old, but the forward will now travel to Wearside to agree personal terms after a compromise was reached.

Wolves have also accepted a 10 million pound bid from West Ham for winger Matt Jarvis.

The Hammers have been pursuing Jarvis for most of the summer, and have finally settled on a fee equaling the sum they paid Liverppol for Craig Bellamy in 2007.

The 26-year-old will now travel to London to agree personal terms on the deal, with West Ham manager Sam Allardyce hopeful that the deal will be completed in time for Jarvis to be included in his squad for Saturday’s tie with Swansea.

Liverpool will not consider letting England striker Andy Carroll leave the club on loan, with Reds boss Brendan Rodgers refusing to countenance the player’s departure unless the club receive a sizable offer.

Rodgers has said he would be a “nutcase” to let the 23-year-old leave on loan so soon after the club paid Newcastle 35 million pounds for his services.

“I need a minimum of three strikers – once the transfer window shuts that’s it until January,” Rodgers said.

“I have got [Luis] Suarez, Fabio Borini and Any Carroll. I would need to be a nutcase even to consider at this moment to let Carroll go out, unless there are solutions for that.

“There is absolutely no chance – and certainly not at Newcastle,” he said when asked about the prospects of a loan deal.

“Newcastle got 35 million pounds for this player last year. To even consider wanting to take him on loan is a liberty really.”

The transfer saga surrounding where Real Madrid midfielder Nuri Sahin will be playing this season seems to be changing by the day, with the player now believed to be heading to Liverpool on a season-long loan.

Arsenal and Liverpool have been battling it out for the Turkish international over the past weeks, after Real Madrid had made it clear that Sahin is free to leave the club should he wish.

It had looked Wednesday that the midfielder was certain to join up with the Gunners, but reports in the British media Thursday say that Sahin’s agent Reza Fazeli has traveled to meet with the Anfield side in order to push through a deal.

Arsenal have always been keen for any agreement to include an option to purchase the player at the end of the loan spell, but neither Real nor Sahin are understood to have been convinced by the north London side.

Liverpool are now believed to have stepped ahead of Arsenal, with Rodgers said to have guaranteed Sahin a position in the starting lineup.

Gunners boss Arsene Wenger has set his sights on alternatives, with Newcastle’s Cheick Tiote and Rennes midfielder Yann M’Vila being mentioned.

Reports in the Spanish media are also linking the club with a move for Sevilla winger Jesus Navas, after apparently being encouraged by summer signing Santi Cazorla to consider moving for the Spanish international.

The 26-year-old is said to have a 35 million pound buyout clause in his contract, but Sevilla are expected to be willing to consider offers for around half of that amount.

Spanish daily AS suggests that Navas is seen by Wenger as a possible replacement for Theo Walcott should the England winger refuse to extend his contract at the Emirates Stadium.

The Guardian reports that QPR are in talks to sign Inter Milan keeper Julio Cesar, after the Brazilian was told he could speak to other clubs following the arrival of Samir Handanovic from Udinese. Cesar was a key part of the Inter side that won the Champions League, Serie A and Coppa Italia treble under Jose Mourinho in 2010.