Chairman and CEO of Universal Music Group Lucian Grainge (left) and Roger Faxon, the CEO of EMI Group, testify during a Senate Judiciary subcommittee hearing on Universal's proposed merger with EMI.
It's been a tough decade for the music industry. Revenues have tumbled — from more than $14 billion in 1999 down to $7 billion last year. EMI, one of the big four record labels, was taken over by venture capitalists and then taken over again, after they defaulted, by Citigroup. Now, Universal Music Group wants to buy the recorded music division of EMI for $1.9 billion. But critics say if the two companies merge it will create a superlabel that will dominate the music industry.
President Obama is flanked Friday by congressional sponsors and officials with the American Israel Public Affairs Committee at a signing ceremony in Washington, D.C., for legislation increasing U.S. security aid to Israel.
It may have just been a coincidence that on the eve of Republican presidential candidate Mitt Romney's visit to Israel, President Obama signed legislation that increases U.S. military and security aid to the Jewish state.
But the timing was nonetheless fortuitous for the president, and showed once again the benefits of incumbency in an election year.
"You've been condomized!" said Joy Lynn Alegarbes, of The Condom Project, which promoted safe sex at the 19th International AIDS Conference. The group handed out more than 850,000 condoms this week.
Credit Benjamin Morris / NPR
"You've been condomized!" said Joy Lynn Alegarbes, of The Condom Project, which promoted safe sex at the 19th International AIDS Conference. The group handed out more than 850,000 condoms this week.
Credit Benjamin Morris / NPR
Getting the word out about HIV was a major goal of the Global Village. Helena Nangombe from Namibia holds up a sign written by her friend during a session that aimed to promote communication about HIV.
Credit Benjamin Morris / NPR
The International AIDS Conference is one of the only medical meetings that invites the public to come and share ideas through art, music and debates.
Credit Benjamin Morris / NPR
Choirs from churches and schools around the District of Columbia joined together on Thursday afternoon to perform a concert in the Global Village.
Credit Benjamin Morris / NPR
Music and dancing filled the Global Village from morning to evening, often spilling out into other parts of the convention center. Khadijan High, a member of the Dance Institute of Washington, performed a hip-hop routine for The Condom Project.
Credit Benjamin Morris / NPR
Cris Thomas, a teacher in Washington school system, said she came to the AIDS conference with a friend.
Credit Benjamin Morris / NPR
A fashion show on Tuesday evening featured dresses decorated with female condoms. Here Olwin Manyanye from Zimbabwe prepared backstage for the show, which raised awareness for the growing need of female condoms.
Credit Benjamin Morris / NPR
On Tuesday afternoon, thousands of people marched from the Washington Convention Center to protest several issues related to AIDS, including high prices of HIV drugs and inequalities for women.
Credit Benjamin Morris / NPR
At a booth dedicated to people living with HIV, Michel Bourrelly from France handed the mic to Roger Yves from Cameroon to lead the group in an African song on Thursday afternoon.
Credit Benjamin Morris / NPR
Women's garments hang from a clothesline at the Women's Network Area in the Global Health. The area promoted the diversity and pride of woman around the world.
Credit Benjamin Morris / NPR
Sophia (left) and Sarah Denison-Johnston of Berkeley, Calif., are 16-year-old twins, who are HIV-negative even though their mother was HIV-positive while pregnant with them. Their mother took part in one of the first clinical trials testing whether anti-retroviral drugs could successful block HIV transmission from mother to infant.
Credit Benjamin Morris / NPR
A lubricant tasting booth in the Global Village set up by The Condom Project. The booth offered a variety of fruit flavors, as well as vegan and sugar-free options.
Credit Benjamin Morris / NPR
Safe, Stupid or What? The Ashe Performing Arts Company, based in Kingston, Jamaica, performed a musical television game on Thursday in the Global Village. The show used song and dance to explain how HIV is transmitted.
Credit Benjamin Morris / NPR
Small steps forward and international cooperation are ingredients in the fight against AIDS. Elizabeth C. Otieno of Allentown, Pa., embodies this spirit. She was born in Kenya but is now an HIV case manager in the U.S.
Credit Benjamin Morris / NPR
Colorful flags and candies decorate the LGBT Networking Zone. More than 120 groups from around the world set up booths in the Global Village to distribute information about the AIDS epidemic.
Federal Reserve Chairman Ben Bernanke appears before the House Financial Services Committee July 18. Economists expect Fed policymakers to consider further steps to boost growth when they meet next week.
Credit John Moore / Getty Images
A worker at a Colorado National Guard construction site funded by federal stimulus funds in 2010 in Lakewood, Colo. Economists say the latest gross domestic product report shows the recession was less severe than previously thought. That's because government spending helped prop up the economy. Now, eyes are turning to the Federal Reserve to boost growth.
Joe Jackson is well known as the writer of the 1979 hit "Is She Really Going Out With Him?" and for his biggest single, "Steppin' Out." Jackson — who grew up in Portsmouth, England and attended the Royal Academy of Music — has also had five Grammy nominations over his illustrious four-decade career.
Originally published on Mon October 22, 2012 9:33 am
The Olympics begin this afternoon, and the stores are filling up with school supplies, meaning that you only have a few more weeks to fit in a summer vacation. And if you'd like to add a quirky food-themed museum to your getaway plans, The Salt has compiled a few suggestions that are certainly off the beaten path.
As we've reported, there were no public events on the Olympic sporting schedule today, the day of the opening ceremony. But we must note that two world records were set at the London 2012 Games this morning. That's when South Korean archer Im Dong-hyun scored a record 699 points.
Police in Prince George's County, Md., "have arrested a man who [they say] referred to himself as 'a joker' and threatened to shoot people at his former workplace," The Washington Post's The Crime Scene blog writes.
Dr. Lisa Sterman holds Truvada pills at her office in San Francisco. The drug was recently approved by the Food and Drug Administration to prevent infection in people at high risk of infection with HIV. The pill, already used to treat people with HIV, also helps reduce the odds they will spread the virus.
Dr. Rochelle Walensky thinks the 19th International AIDS Conference will be remembered as the moment when the world began to mobilize to end the pandemic.
The Harvard researcher probably speaks for many of the 23,000 scientists, activists and policy mavens who came to the Washington conference. But they're going home with a big question on their minds: Can the world afford it?
Fast food's Chick-fil-A has been at the center of the culture wars in recent days because of company President Dan Cathy's outspoken opposition to gay marriage.
The Olympic torch is delivered by row boat to the royal barge, Gloriana, on the River Thames, near Tower Bridge in London ahead of the opening ceremony on Friday.
Credit Kyodo/Landov
The Olympic torch is delivered by rowboat to the royal barge, Gloriana, on the River Thames, near Tower Bridge in London ahead of the opening ceremony Friday.
Credit Emilio Morenatti / AP
People cross the Westminster bridge to watch the Olympic flame being delivered.
Credit Sang Tan / AP
Four-time Olympic rowing gold medalist Matthew Pinsent poses with the torch at the courtyard of Hampton Court Palace in London on the final day of the torch relay.
Credit Alpha/Landov
A statue of Wenlock, one of the Olympic mascots, stands near the Golden Hinde boat in Southwark. Statues of the mascots can be seen around London.
Credit Matt Cardy / Getty Images
The seaside town of Weymouth, England, will host the Olympic sailing events.
Credit Jim Hollander / EPA/Landov
Volunteers wipe up water after a light rain at the equestrian stadium in Greenwich Park.
Originally published on Fri July 27, 2012 11:46 am
The London 2012 Summer Games are set to begin in earnest, with today's opening ceremony kicking off a weekend of gold-medal competitions. But if you're in America and you hope to watch the Opening Ceremony live, I'm afraid you'll be disappointed: NBC is tape-delaying its broadcast until Friday night.
