Jodie Foster comes out as gay at Golden Globes

BEVERLY HILLS, California (Reuters) – Hollywood actress Jodie Foster confirmed long-running speculation that she is gay by coming out at the Golden Globes awards on Sunday, but joked she wouldn’t be holding a news conference to discuss her private life.The notoriously private Foster stunned the audience of stars and Hollywood powerbrokers as she accepted a life-time achievement awarded by announcing...

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Hospitals crack down on workers refusing flu shots

CHICAGO (AP) — Patients can refuse a flu shot. Should doctors and nurses have that right, too? That is the thorny question surfacing as U.S. hospitals increasingly crack down on employees who won't get flu shots, with some workers losing their jobs over their refusal."Where does it say that I am no longer a patient if I'm a nurse," wondered Carrie Calhoun, a longtime critical care nurse in suburban...

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Gay community hails Foster's halting Globes speech

NEW YORK (AP) — Was it a proud revelation, or an impassioned case for privacy? A coming-out speech, or a why-SHOULD-I-come-out speech? Too little and too late, or just enough?Jodie Foster's rambling, fascinating and intensely personal remarks at the Golden Globes were not merely the watercooler moment of the ceremony. They were a big moment for the gay community, and many advocates — though not all...

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Grounded 787 Dreamliner leaks fuel in tests by Japanese airline

The FAA stepped in Friday to assure the public that Boeing's new 787 "Dreamliner" is safe to fly. The AP spoke with Kevin Hiatt, Flight Safety Foundation CEO & President, who says mechanical issues with new aircrafts are not uncommon. (Jan. 11) ...

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Oracle updates Java, security expert says it still has bugs

BOSTON (Reuters) - Oracle Corp released an emergency update to its widely used Java software for surfing the Web on Sunday, days after the U.S. government urged PC users to disable the program because of a bug it said made computers vulnerable to attack by hackers. Java security expert Adam Gowdiak, who has discovered several bugs in the software over the past year, said that the update...

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Vereen's 2 TDs lead Pats to 17-13 halftime lead

FOXBOROUGH, Mass. (AP) — Shane Vereen scored two touchdowns, Wes Welker had 120 yards receiving and the New England Patriots overcame a 94-yard return by Danieal Manning on the opening kickoff to take a 17-13 lead over the Houston Texans at halftime of their AFC divisional playoff game Sunday.Shayne Graham kicked a 55-yard field goal on the final play of the half after a short punt by Zoltan Mesko...

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NBC Sports Network will sponsor gun show despite Newtown School shootings

LOS ANGELES (TheWrap.com) – The NBC Sports Network is staying on target with its sponsorship of a major gun show that will take place a little more than a month after the Newtown, Conn., school shootings that left dozens, most of them children, dead.A spokesman for NBC Sports told TheWrap on Friday that the cable outlet NBC Sports Network will continue to sponsor the Shooting, Hunting, Outdoor Trade...

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Flu more widespread in US; eases off in some areas

NEW YORK (AP) — Flu is now widespread in all but three states as the nation grapples with an earlier-than-normal season. But there was one bit of good news Friday: The number of hard-hit areas declined.The flu season in the U.S. got under way a month early, in December, driven by a strain that tends to make people sicker. That led to worries that it might be a bad season, following one of the mildest...

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Stars begin arriving at Golden Globes Awards

BEVERLY HILLS, Calif. (AP) — Looking beautiful but feeling frigid, stars from film and television began arriving Sunday for the Golden Globes ceremony, battling crisp temperatures on the red carpet.Debra Messing from "Smash" came in a strapless black gown and goosebumps. Asked how she was coping with the cold, she replied, "Not well." Melissa Rauch of "The Big Bang Theory" also shivered in her strapless...

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Illinois' 'fracking' future fractured

Thousands of landowners downstate have sold their rights to drill for oil and natural gas for upfront fees ranging from $50...

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