 |  | 
January 27, 2014 | | BLACK ICE The $50 billion Sochi Olympics cost more than the previous 21 Winter Games combined. A new report details the sweet deals given to Vladimir Putin's friends that pushed costs sky-high, Michael Weiss reports. For example, state-owned Russian Railways built a rail-and-motorway for $8.7 billion, more than the entire total cost of the 2010 Vancouver Olympics. MAN ON THE RUN In a move that is sure to further endear Edward Snowden to Americans, the former NSA contractor claimed on a German television show that the U.S. government actively wants him murdered. "These people, and they are government officials, have said they would love to put a bullet in my head or poison me when I come out of the supermarket and then watch me die in the shower," Snowden said. He also stoked German tensions, saying "I'd say that it's not very likely that anyone who was watching the German government was only watching Merkel—and not her advisers nor other government officials nor ministers, heads of industries, or even local government officials." TIN EAR From the winners to the performances, there was little to celebrate at the 56th annual Grammy Awards, writes Marlow Stern. Taylor Swift, David Bowie, Kanye West, Kendrick Lamar, Drake, and Nine Inch Nails failed to win a single award. CBS didn't even show the same-sex couples who got married during Macklemore and Ryan Lewis's "Same Love" kiss on television. Oh, and Cory Monteith's name was misspelled for the in memoriam tribute. CRISIS NOT AVERTED Although President Viktor Yanukovich began to offer some political concessions this weekend, anti-government protests continued in Kiev and civilians clashed with police. On Sunday, protesters stormed the justice ministry, breaking windows and making barricades from furniture and snow packed into bags. The minister, Olena Lukash, threatened to call a state of emergency and end talks with the opposition. "I will be forced to ask the president of Ukraine to stop the talks if the building is not freed immediately and negotiators are not given a chance to find a peaceful solution to the conflict," Lukash told Ukraine's Inter news channel. Two months of clashes marks Ukraine's most violent period since it won independence in 1991 during the Soviet Union's collapse. At least six people have been killed. SAME LOVE A night that prominently featured LL Cool J and light-up cowboy boots actually managed to have some emotional gravity, at least for 34 couples. During Macklemore and Ryan Lewis's performance of their Grammy-nominated, pro-gay "Same Love," Queen Latifah officiated a mass wedding of 34 couples. As she pronounced them married, Madonna came on stage to sing her 1986 hit "Open Your Heart." Gay and straight couples took part in the ceremony. Latifah said "I look forward to the day when presiding over a historic wedding ceremony like this is just the norm—normal special, not extra, extra special," she said. | | 
GET The Cheat Sheet A speedy, smart summary of news and must-reads from across the Web. You'll love the featured original stories on politics, entertainment, and more from The Daily Beast's diverse group of contributors.  GET Culture Beast Weekly cultural recommendations from The Daily Beast.
| |
No comments:
Post a Comment