Facebook makes privacy changes

Facebook has announced it is to overhaul its privacy settings to make it clearer for users to know who has access to their personal data. The news follows an investigation into the privacy policy of the social networking site by Canada’s Privacy Commissioner

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After Kennedy’s Death: Silence from the Pope

There was a poignant footnote to President Obama’s historic July 10 meeting with Pope Benedict XVI at the Vatican. Behind closed doors in the papal library, Obama handed Benedict a letter that Senator Edward Kennedy had asked him to personally deliver to the pontiff. White House spokesman Robert Gibbs later told reporters that nobody — not even the President — knew the contents of the sealed missive.

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Chris Brown sentenced for Rihanna assault

Pop singer Chris Brown was sentenced Tuesday to serve five years probation and more than 1,400 hours in "labor-oriented service" for assaulting his pop star girlfriend, Rihanna. Los Angeles Superior Court Judge Patricia Schnegg said in the sentencing she wants to see Brown conduct “actual physical labor, as opposed to some type of community service.” The sentencing was delayed earlier this month because documents detailing Brown’s proposed community service plan in Virginia, where he maintains a legal residence and wants to serve his sentence, had not arrived in time for Schnegg to review them. Brown’s probation will be overseen by the state of California, the judge said

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Katey Sagal: Peg Bundy to motorcycle mama

Don’t confuse Katey Sagal for Peg Bundy — it’s a common mistake. While her infamous alter ego was uneducated, Katey is thoughtful and well-spoken; Peg’s fashion is time-warped (hello, bouffant!), Katey’s is earthy; for every ounce of laziness in Peg’s body, Katey has a multitasking one to match

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Nigeria agency pushes marriage to control HIV spread

The young man’s call echoed throughout the remote village in northern Nigeria — the marriage ceremony was about to begin. Under the dusty sun, the fathers of the bride and groom agreed to the marriage and this ancient Muslim tradition proceeded as it has for hundreds of years. But unknown to the gathered villagers, the couple is hiding a modern secret.

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Lolcats: Building a Media Empire Around ICanHasCheezburger.com

Ben Huh is the first to admit his company could easily have wound up on FAIL Blog. For the uninitiated, that’s his wildly popular website to which users submit photos and videos documenting such colossally stupid moves as writing a billboard partly in Braille and using a trash can as a bike helmet. Like the rest of the 20-odd websites Huh owns, FAIL Blog was added to his empire for no more specific reason, he says, than “Dude, I think it’s funny.” These spellbindingly inane blogs were built with the kind of user-generated content that has made Facebook and YouTube tremendously popular

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Schumacher’s turmoil over failed F1 comeback

A dejected Michael Schumacher described his aborted return to Formula One as his "toughest moment" after a neck injury left him unable to drive for Ferrari in the European Grand Prix as a replacement for Felipe Massa. The seven-time world champion told a televised press conference on Wednesday that he was so disappointed that he was unable to even think about reviving his comeback hopes later this season. Massa, who suffered serious head injuries in a qualifying crash at the Hungarian Grand Prix, is set to be sidelined for at least four races, with test driver Luca Badoer now drafted in for the next grand prix in Valencia next week.

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