Angelina Jolie is believed to have told Azharuddin Mohammed, young star of ‘Slumdog Millionaire’, that she may soon adopt a child from India.
At last month’s Oscars, the ten-year-old asked the actress if she planned to adopt an Indian orphan, reports the Sun.
She reportedly replied: “Well, I’ll let you into a little secret, we will soon.”
She met Azharuddin and Rubina Ali, nine, backstage in Los Angeles after ‘Slumdog Millionaire’ won eight Oscars.
According to onlookers, Jolie was very impressed by the pair and talked freely with them.
The 33-year-old actress and her partner/actor Brad Pitt already have three adopted kids: Maddox, eight, from Cambodia; Pax, five, from Vietnam and Zahara, four, from Ethiopia.
They also have three biological kids - Shiloh, two, and eight-month-old twins Vivienne and Knox.
source:http://www.thaindian.com/newsportal/entertainment/angelina-jolie-may-soon-adopt-an-indian-child_100173448.html
Monday, March 30, 2009
Laxman steers India to last day safety
An unbeaten 124 from VVS Laxman in tandem with a painstaking 137 from Gautam Gambhir made sure India saved the second Test against New Zealand at Napier on Monday.
India were always battling for a draw after being forced to follow-on some 314 runs behind the Kiwis, but eventually declared on 476 for four wickets late on the fifth day.
With no positive result possible the game was called off as a draw, a disappointment for the home side, who dominated for three days at McLean Park.
But they ran into the insurmountable obstacle of Gambhir, whose innings lasted over 10 and a half hours, facing 436 balls.
He shared vital partnerships with Rahul Dravid and Sachin Tendulkar on the fourth day and with the freerer-scoring Laxman on the final day.
The New Zealanders had an early success when Chris Martin removed Test cricket's leading run scorer Tendulkar with the Indians still trailing overall, but Gambhir and Laxman snuffed out victory hopes.
Laxman needed 187 balls to bring up his 14th Test ton while Gambhir, who added just 35 runs to his overnight score, went just before tea, trapped leg before wicket to Jeetan Patel.
Yuvraj Singh was unbeaten on 54 in partnership with Laxman when the game was called off.
India will take a 1-0 series lead to Wellington for the final Test on Friday.
In other international cricket action, England drew level with West Indies in their best-of-five one-day series with a nine-wicket win in Barbados.
England captain Andrew Strauss led from the front with an unbeaten 79 off 61 balls as they successfully chased a victory target of 135 from 20 overs under the Duckworth/Lewis method.
Earlier they restricted West Indies to 239 for nine in 50 overs before rain intervened.
The two teams are tied at two wins apiece ahead of the series decider in St. Lucia on Friday
source:http://edition.cnn.com/2009/SPORT/03/30/cricket.draw/
India were always battling for a draw after being forced to follow-on some 314 runs behind the Kiwis, but eventually declared on 476 for four wickets late on the fifth day.
With no positive result possible the game was called off as a draw, a disappointment for the home side, who dominated for three days at McLean Park.
But they ran into the insurmountable obstacle of Gambhir, whose innings lasted over 10 and a half hours, facing 436 balls.
He shared vital partnerships with Rahul Dravid and Sachin Tendulkar on the fourth day and with the freerer-scoring Laxman on the final day.
The New Zealanders had an early success when Chris Martin removed Test cricket's leading run scorer Tendulkar with the Indians still trailing overall, but Gambhir and Laxman snuffed out victory hopes.
Laxman needed 187 balls to bring up his 14th Test ton while Gambhir, who added just 35 runs to his overnight score, went just before tea, trapped leg before wicket to Jeetan Patel.
Yuvraj Singh was unbeaten on 54 in partnership with Laxman when the game was called off.
India will take a 1-0 series lead to Wellington for the final Test on Friday.
In other international cricket action, England drew level with West Indies in their best-of-five one-day series with a nine-wicket win in Barbados.
England captain Andrew Strauss led from the front with an unbeaten 79 off 61 balls as they successfully chased a victory target of 135 from 20 overs under the Duckworth/Lewis method.
Earlier they restricted West Indies to 239 for nine in 50 overs before rain intervened.
The two teams are tied at two wins apiece ahead of the series decider in St. Lucia on Friday
source:http://edition.cnn.com/2009/SPORT/03/30/cricket.draw/
Obama talks up his budget to House Democrats
President Obama made a strong pitch for his budget to House Democrats in a closed-door meeting on Monday night, arguing that the budget includes key components to turning around the ailing economy, according to several Democratic sources who took verbatim notes in the meeting.
Emphasizing that voting for the measure also was good politics for Democrats on the Hill, the president told members, "I need your vote in passing the budget. If we do that, we will create a sense of momentum that will allow us to do health-care reform and education."
But he warned, "If we don't pass the budget, it will empower those critics who don't want to see anything getting done," according to the sources.
Two Democratic House leadership aides also said Obama made a political case to members that they need to stay united to support his major agenda items, and now is the time to press for them.
The president said, "We are all in this together," and warned Democrats they will not be able to separate themselves from him or Democratic leaders such as Speaker Nancy Pelosi. Gesturing to the House Democratic leaders at the meeting, Obama said, "If you think that you're going to run away from us, I'm sorry, that's not the way it works."
Those aides noted the president acknowledged that the bad economic situation could present Democrats as the majority party with a tough election fight next cycle. But he argued that working together to pass major initiatives such as those in the budget was the best strategy for showing voters that they are acting on solutions to major challenges facing the country.
The House and Senate are both voting on the budget later this week.
Pelosi told reporters after the meeting, "Yes, we will pass a budget this week." But leadership aides admit that there are still some undecided House Democrats, and they are still working to secure the votes.
One leadership aide said getting a push from the popular president was part of the whip operation. "He's our closer. He always will be," the aide said, referring to Obama.
In the session Monday night, Obama acknowledged that the size of the deficit was one argument that critics raised to oppose his policies. According to several Democratic sources, he said, "I'm serious as a heart attack about going after it.
And in his opening remarks, the president refuted the argument that it the economic downturn was a reason not to make major investments in health care, energy and education, saying, "The only way to get out of the economic mess we are in is to grow our way out of it. If we do not have growth, we will not succeed."
The president fielded eight questions during the session on a range of issues, including farm subsidies, foreign aid, and finding a way for banks to get rid of toxic assets.
According to a senior leadership aide, when Rep. Peter DeFazio, D-Oregon, got up to urge the president to devote more money for infrastructure projects -- noting he had voted against the economic stimulus bill because he thought it fell short in this area -- Obama said he was well aware of DeFazio's vote against the measure and joked, "Don't think we're not keeping score, brother
source:http://www.cnn.com/2009/POLITICS/03/30/house.democrats.obama.budget/
Emphasizing that voting for the measure also was good politics for Democrats on the Hill, the president told members, "I need your vote in passing the budget. If we do that, we will create a sense of momentum that will allow us to do health-care reform and education."
But he warned, "If we don't pass the budget, it will empower those critics who don't want to see anything getting done," according to the sources.
Two Democratic House leadership aides also said Obama made a political case to members that they need to stay united to support his major agenda items, and now is the time to press for them.
The president said, "We are all in this together," and warned Democrats they will not be able to separate themselves from him or Democratic leaders such as Speaker Nancy Pelosi. Gesturing to the House Democratic leaders at the meeting, Obama said, "If you think that you're going to run away from us, I'm sorry, that's not the way it works."
Those aides noted the president acknowledged that the bad economic situation could present Democrats as the majority party with a tough election fight next cycle. But he argued that working together to pass major initiatives such as those in the budget was the best strategy for showing voters that they are acting on solutions to major challenges facing the country.
The House and Senate are both voting on the budget later this week.
Pelosi told reporters after the meeting, "Yes, we will pass a budget this week." But leadership aides admit that there are still some undecided House Democrats, and they are still working to secure the votes.
One leadership aide said getting a push from the popular president was part of the whip operation. "He's our closer. He always will be," the aide said, referring to Obama.
In the session Monday night, Obama acknowledged that the size of the deficit was one argument that critics raised to oppose his policies. According to several Democratic sources, he said, "I'm serious as a heart attack about going after it.
And in his opening remarks, the president refuted the argument that it the economic downturn was a reason not to make major investments in health care, energy and education, saying, "The only way to get out of the economic mess we are in is to grow our way out of it. If we do not have growth, we will not succeed."
The president fielded eight questions during the session on a range of issues, including farm subsidies, foreign aid, and finding a way for banks to get rid of toxic assets.
According to a senior leadership aide, when Rep. Peter DeFazio, D-Oregon, got up to urge the president to devote more money for infrastructure projects -- noting he had voted against the economic stimulus bill because he thought it fell short in this area -- Obama said he was well aware of DeFazio's vote against the measure and joked, "Don't think we're not keeping score, brother
source:http://www.cnn.com/2009/POLITICS/03/30/house.democrats.obama.budget/
Thursday, March 19, 2009
Natasha Richardson mourned as a 'wonderful woman
Tributes have begun to pour in from across the show business generations for Natasha Richardson, the Tony Award-winning actress who died after suffering a head injury on a ski slope.
"She was a wonderful woman and actress and treated me like I was her own," said Lindsay Lohan, who as a preteen starred with Richardson in a remake of "The Parent Trap" in 1998. "My heart goes out to her family. This is a tragic loss."
Richardson, who fell during a private ski lesson Monday at a ski resort in Quebec, was seemingly fine afterward. But about an hour later she complained that she didn't feel well.
The 45-year-old actress was hospitalized Tuesday in Montreal and later flown to a hospital in New York. Alan Nierob, the Los Angeles-based publicist for Richardson's husband, Liam Neeson, confirmed her death Wednesday without giving details on the cause.
Neeson and Richardson's sister, actress Joely Richardson, were seen leaving Lenox Hill hospital Wednesday. Actress Lauren Bacall also visited the hospital.
Richardson's career highlights included the film "Patty Hearst" and a Tony-winning performance in a stage revival of "Cabaret."
Descended from at least three generations of actors, Richardson was a proper Londoner who came to love the noise of New York, an elegant blonde with large, lively eyes, a bright smile and a hearty laugh.
Jane Fonda on Wednesday recalled meeting a young Richardson on the set of "Julia," the 1977 film Fonda starred in opposite Richardson's mother, Vanessa Redgrave.
"She was a little girl but already beautiful and graceful. It didn't surprise me that she became such a talented actor," Fonda recalled on her blog. "It is hard to even imagine what it must be like for her family. My heart is heavy."
As an actress, Richardson was equally adept at passion and restraint, able to portray besieged women both confessional (Tennessee Williams' Blanche DuBois) and confined (the concubine in the futuristic horror of "The Handmaid's Tale").
Like other family members, she divided her time between stage and screen. On Broadway, she won a Tony for her performance as Sally Bowles in a 1998 revival of "Cabaret." She also appeared in New York in a production of Patrick Marber's "Closer" (1999) as well as 2005 revival of Tennessee Williams' "A Streetcar Named Desire," in which she played Blanche opposite John C. Reilly's Stanley Kowalski.
She met Neeson when they made their Broadway debuts in 1993, co-starring in "Anna Christie," Eugene O'Neill's drama about a former prostitute and the sailor who falls in love with her.
The New York Times critic Frank Rich called her "astonishing" and said she "gives what may prove to be the performance of the season."
Her most notable film roles came earlier in her career. Richardson played the title character in Paul Schrader's "Patty Hearst," a 1988 biopic about the kidnapped heiress for which the actress became so immersed that even between scenes she wore a blindfold, the better to identify with her real-life counterpart.
Richardson was directed again by Schrader in a 1990 adaptation of Ian McEwan's "The Comfort of Strangers" and, also in 1990, starred in the screen version of Margaret Atwood's "The Handmaid's Tale."
She later co-starred with Neeson in "Nell" and with Mia Farrow in "Widow's Peak." More recent movies, none of them widely seen, included "Wild Child," "Evening" and "Asylum."
Richardson was born in London in 1963, the performing gene inherited not just from her parents (Redgrave and director Tony Richardson), but from her maternal grandparents (Michael Redgrave and Rachel Kempson), an aunt (Lynn Redgrave) and an uncle (Corin Redgrave). Her younger sister, Joely Richardson, also joined the family business. She also is survived by two sons, Micheal, 13, and 12-year-old Daniel.
Friends and family members remembered Natasha as an unusually poised child, perhaps forced to grow up early when her father left her mother in the late '60s for Jeanne Moreau. (Tony Richardson died in 1991).
Interviewed by The Associated Press in 2001, Natasha Richardson said she related well to her family if only because, "We've all been through it in one way or another and so we've had to be strong. Also we embrace life. We are not cynical about life."
Her screen debut came at age 4 when she appeared as a flower girl in "The Charge of the Light Brigade," directed by her father, whose movies included "Tom Jones" and "The Entertainer." The show business wand had already tapped her the year before, when she saw her mother in the 1967 film version of the Broadway show "Camelot."
"She was so beautiful. I still look at that movie and I can't believe it. It still makes me cry, the beauty of it," Richardson said.
She studied at London's Central School of Speech and Drama and was an experienced stage actress by her early 20s, appearing in "On the Razzle," "Charley's Aunt" and "The Seagull," for which the London Drama Critics awarded her most promising newcomer.
She and her mother acted together, most recently on Broadway to play the roles of mother and daughter in a one-night benefit concert version of "A Little Night Music," the Stephen Sondheim-Hugh Wheeler musical.
Before meeting up with Neeson, Richardson was married to theater and producer Robert Fox, whose credits include the 1985 staging of "The Seagull" in which his future wife appeared.
She sometimes remarked on the differences between her and her second husband — she from a theatrical dynasty and he from a working-class background in Northern Ireland.
source:http://www.google.com/hostednews/ap/article/
"She was a wonderful woman and actress and treated me like I was her own," said Lindsay Lohan, who as a preteen starred with Richardson in a remake of "The Parent Trap" in 1998. "My heart goes out to her family. This is a tragic loss."
Richardson, who fell during a private ski lesson Monday at a ski resort in Quebec, was seemingly fine afterward. But about an hour later she complained that she didn't feel well.
The 45-year-old actress was hospitalized Tuesday in Montreal and later flown to a hospital in New York. Alan Nierob, the Los Angeles-based publicist for Richardson's husband, Liam Neeson, confirmed her death Wednesday without giving details on the cause.
Neeson and Richardson's sister, actress Joely Richardson, were seen leaving Lenox Hill hospital Wednesday. Actress Lauren Bacall also visited the hospital.
Richardson's career highlights included the film "Patty Hearst" and a Tony-winning performance in a stage revival of "Cabaret."
Descended from at least three generations of actors, Richardson was a proper Londoner who came to love the noise of New York, an elegant blonde with large, lively eyes, a bright smile and a hearty laugh.
Jane Fonda on Wednesday recalled meeting a young Richardson on the set of "Julia," the 1977 film Fonda starred in opposite Richardson's mother, Vanessa Redgrave.
"She was a little girl but already beautiful and graceful. It didn't surprise me that she became such a talented actor," Fonda recalled on her blog. "It is hard to even imagine what it must be like for her family. My heart is heavy."
As an actress, Richardson was equally adept at passion and restraint, able to portray besieged women both confessional (Tennessee Williams' Blanche DuBois) and confined (the concubine in the futuristic horror of "The Handmaid's Tale").
Like other family members, she divided her time between stage and screen. On Broadway, she won a Tony for her performance as Sally Bowles in a 1998 revival of "Cabaret." She also appeared in New York in a production of Patrick Marber's "Closer" (1999) as well as 2005 revival of Tennessee Williams' "A Streetcar Named Desire," in which she played Blanche opposite John C. Reilly's Stanley Kowalski.
She met Neeson when they made their Broadway debuts in 1993, co-starring in "Anna Christie," Eugene O'Neill's drama about a former prostitute and the sailor who falls in love with her.
The New York Times critic Frank Rich called her "astonishing" and said she "gives what may prove to be the performance of the season."
Her most notable film roles came earlier in her career. Richardson played the title character in Paul Schrader's "Patty Hearst," a 1988 biopic about the kidnapped heiress for which the actress became so immersed that even between scenes she wore a blindfold, the better to identify with her real-life counterpart.
Richardson was directed again by Schrader in a 1990 adaptation of Ian McEwan's "The Comfort of Strangers" and, also in 1990, starred in the screen version of Margaret Atwood's "The Handmaid's Tale."
She later co-starred with Neeson in "Nell" and with Mia Farrow in "Widow's Peak." More recent movies, none of them widely seen, included "Wild Child," "Evening" and "Asylum."
Richardson was born in London in 1963, the performing gene inherited not just from her parents (Redgrave and director Tony Richardson), but from her maternal grandparents (Michael Redgrave and Rachel Kempson), an aunt (Lynn Redgrave) and an uncle (Corin Redgrave). Her younger sister, Joely Richardson, also joined the family business. She also is survived by two sons, Micheal, 13, and 12-year-old Daniel.
Friends and family members remembered Natasha as an unusually poised child, perhaps forced to grow up early when her father left her mother in the late '60s for Jeanne Moreau. (Tony Richardson died in 1991).
Interviewed by The Associated Press in 2001, Natasha Richardson said she related well to her family if only because, "We've all been through it in one way or another and so we've had to be strong. Also we embrace life. We are not cynical about life."
Her screen debut came at age 4 when she appeared as a flower girl in "The Charge of the Light Brigade," directed by her father, whose movies included "Tom Jones" and "The Entertainer." The show business wand had already tapped her the year before, when she saw her mother in the 1967 film version of the Broadway show "Camelot."
"She was so beautiful. I still look at that movie and I can't believe it. It still makes me cry, the beauty of it," Richardson said.
She studied at London's Central School of Speech and Drama and was an experienced stage actress by her early 20s, appearing in "On the Razzle," "Charley's Aunt" and "The Seagull," for which the London Drama Critics awarded her most promising newcomer.
She and her mother acted together, most recently on Broadway to play the roles of mother and daughter in a one-night benefit concert version of "A Little Night Music," the Stephen Sondheim-Hugh Wheeler musical.
Before meeting up with Neeson, Richardson was married to theater and producer Robert Fox, whose credits include the 1985 staging of "The Seagull" in which his future wife appeared.
She sometimes remarked on the differences between her and her second husband — she from a theatrical dynasty and he from a working-class background in Northern Ireland.
source:http://www.google.com/hostednews/ap/article/
Fritzl met Elisabeth's eyes - that changed his mind says lawyer
Josef Fritzl's sudden guilty plea to charges of rape and murder was explained in court by his lawyer today: his resistance crumbled after he caught sight of his daughter Elisabeth during her secret visit to the courtroom.
Rudolf Mayer, who has received repeated death threats for his decision to defend the elderly Austrian engineer, told jurors: "It was a meeting of eyes that changed his mind.
"Josef Fritzl recognised that Elisabeth was in court and, from this point on, you could see Josef Fritzl going pale and he broke down."
The eight members of the jury withdrew this morning to decide whether the 73-year-old was guilty as charged of murder, incest, rape, sequestration, grievous assault and enslavement.
ritzl, who kept his daughter locked up in a cellar for 24 years and fathered seven children through repeated rapes, had pleaded not-guilty to the most serious charges - of murder and enslavement - in the apparent hope that he could get out of prison within a few years.
Yesterday, he changed his mind and told the court in St Pölten that he was guilty of all the charges against him - including one of negligent homicide for the death of a boy, Michael, who died soon after his birth in 1996. Under the Austrian judicial systemm, however, the jurors still have to agree on his guilt.
Fritzl today offered his first clear public apology for his crimes. "I am sorry from the bottom of my heart," he told the jury. "I cannot take back what I did."
In his closing statement to the trial, Mr Mayer said that the jurors should reject the murder charge despite Fritzl's change of mind because his client "didn't choose the way he is".
“Regarding the charge of murder, I don’t believe it was,” he said. “Attenuating circumstances must be taken into consideration. My client was responsible for his actions, but his personality has psychological abnormalities. He didn’t choose to be the way he is."
But the chief prosecutor, Christiane Burkheiser, warned jurors not to be taken in by Fritzl's contrition and asked that they recommend the maximum sentence of life in jail.
“Don’t believe him,” Ms Burkheiser said.“He’s shown his true face in trying to exploit people’s gullibility... It was murder by neglect and that demands the maximum sentence."
Mr Mayer, defending, told the court that Fritzl expected to spend the rest of his life in prison, even though under Austrian law a confession can lead to a reduced sentence.
source:http://www.timesonline.co.uk/tol/news/world/europe/article5937416.ece
Rudolf Mayer, who has received repeated death threats for his decision to defend the elderly Austrian engineer, told jurors: "It was a meeting of eyes that changed his mind.
"Josef Fritzl recognised that Elisabeth was in court and, from this point on, you could see Josef Fritzl going pale and he broke down."
The eight members of the jury withdrew this morning to decide whether the 73-year-old was guilty as charged of murder, incest, rape, sequestration, grievous assault and enslavement.
ritzl, who kept his daughter locked up in a cellar for 24 years and fathered seven children through repeated rapes, had pleaded not-guilty to the most serious charges - of murder and enslavement - in the apparent hope that he could get out of prison within a few years.
Yesterday, he changed his mind and told the court in St Pölten that he was guilty of all the charges against him - including one of negligent homicide for the death of a boy, Michael, who died soon after his birth in 1996. Under the Austrian judicial systemm, however, the jurors still have to agree on his guilt.
Fritzl today offered his first clear public apology for his crimes. "I am sorry from the bottom of my heart," he told the jury. "I cannot take back what I did."
In his closing statement to the trial, Mr Mayer said that the jurors should reject the murder charge despite Fritzl's change of mind because his client "didn't choose the way he is".
“Regarding the charge of murder, I don’t believe it was,” he said. “Attenuating circumstances must be taken into consideration. My client was responsible for his actions, but his personality has psychological abnormalities. He didn’t choose to be the way he is."
But the chief prosecutor, Christiane Burkheiser, warned jurors not to be taken in by Fritzl's contrition and asked that they recommend the maximum sentence of life in jail.
“Don’t believe him,” Ms Burkheiser said.“He’s shown his true face in trying to exploit people’s gullibility... It was murder by neglect and that demands the maximum sentence."
Mr Mayer, defending, told the court that Fritzl expected to spend the rest of his life in prison, even though under Austrian law a confession can lead to a reduced sentence.
source:http://www.timesonline.co.uk/tol/news/world/europe/article5937416.ece
Sunday, March 8, 2009
Civilians die' in S Lanka battle
There have been fresh reports of civilian casualties as ferocious battles continue in Sri Lanka between soldiers and Tamil Tiger rebels.
A senior government heath official in rebel-held territory told the BBC at least 15 civilians had been killed in shell attacks in the past two days.
The military has strongly denied being responsible for the incident, in which more than 100 people were injured.
The Liberation Tigers of Tamil Eelam (LTTE) have not yet commented.
The Tigers have been driven from most of the territory they held by an army offensive over recent months, and are now cornered in a small patch of jungle and coastal area in the Mullaitivu district.
It is estimated that between 70,000 and 200,000 civilians are caught up in the conflict in the north-east and aid agencies have expressed concern over their safety and security.
See map of the region
Recently, the International Committee of the Red Cross "warned of an impending humanitarian catastrophe unfolding in the Vanni region" in north-eastern Sri Lanka and called for a mass evacuation of civilians and for far more aid to be allowed in.
Meanwhile, a senior health official working inside Tamil Tiger-held areas in Mullaitivu district has told the BBC by telephone from a makeshift hospital in the war zone that "shells continue to fall inside government-designated safe zone and outside the area, causing civilian casualties".
The official, Dr T Varatharaja, said "at least 15 civilians were killed in the attacks in the past two days", adding that he believed the artillery fire came from an area dominated by security forces.
He also said there was a severe shortage of essential medicines required for surgery and food inside rebel-controlled territory.
Allegation denied
The military has strongly denied being responsible for the shelling. Sri Lankan military spokesman Brigadier Udaya Nanayakkara told the BBC the army had no need to fire at civilians and that it had stopped using heavy weapons in the current fighting.
This health official is under pressure from the rebels to talk up civilian casualties. So, we cannot believe his version," Brigadier Udaya Nanayakkara said.
He in turn accused the rebels of firing from inside the safe zone for civilians.
Neither of these versions can be independently confirmed as journalists are not allowed to report from inside the conflict zone.
A recent statement from the Sri Lankan Health Ministry said that "the government has taken all possible measures to provide enough food and medicines to the people kept by the LTTE as human shield".
The United Nations has also accused the rebels of preventing the civilians from leaving the war zone, saying there were credible reports that Tamil Tigers were shooting at those who were attempting to flee the area.
The rebels deny the accusation that they were holding the civilians against their will and that they were firing at civilians.
Escalation
Earlier, the army said it had beaten back a series of rebel counter-attacks in the north-east, killing more than 100 rebels in recent days.
A military spokesman said they had recovered bodies of more than 50 rebels. He said the army too had suffered casualties but the number was comparatively very low.
The Tamil Tigers have not officially reacted to the military's claims but pro-rebel websites said the rebels had thwarted the army's offensive and killed more than 400 soldiers.
The two warring sides tend to exaggerate enemy casualties while downplaying their own.
The latest escalation in the fighting comes days after the UN said that thousands of civilians had been killed and wounded in the fighting in recent months.
The government, meanwhile, has rejected calls for a temporary ceasefire to allow time for the tens of thousands of civilians to leave the war zone safely, saying it would only give the rebels time to regroup.
Sri Lankan officials are confident that the entire north-east can be brought under government control soon
source:http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/south_asia/7931319.stm
A senior government heath official in rebel-held territory told the BBC at least 15 civilians had been killed in shell attacks in the past two days.
The military has strongly denied being responsible for the incident, in which more than 100 people were injured.
The Liberation Tigers of Tamil Eelam (LTTE) have not yet commented.
The Tigers have been driven from most of the territory they held by an army offensive over recent months, and are now cornered in a small patch of jungle and coastal area in the Mullaitivu district.
It is estimated that between 70,000 and 200,000 civilians are caught up in the conflict in the north-east and aid agencies have expressed concern over their safety and security.
See map of the region
Recently, the International Committee of the Red Cross "warned of an impending humanitarian catastrophe unfolding in the Vanni region" in north-eastern Sri Lanka and called for a mass evacuation of civilians and for far more aid to be allowed in.
Meanwhile, a senior health official working inside Tamil Tiger-held areas in Mullaitivu district has told the BBC by telephone from a makeshift hospital in the war zone that "shells continue to fall inside government-designated safe zone and outside the area, causing civilian casualties".
The official, Dr T Varatharaja, said "at least 15 civilians were killed in the attacks in the past two days", adding that he believed the artillery fire came from an area dominated by security forces.
He also said there was a severe shortage of essential medicines required for surgery and food inside rebel-controlled territory.
Allegation denied
The military has strongly denied being responsible for the shelling. Sri Lankan military spokesman Brigadier Udaya Nanayakkara told the BBC the army had no need to fire at civilians and that it had stopped using heavy weapons in the current fighting.
This health official is under pressure from the rebels to talk up civilian casualties. So, we cannot believe his version," Brigadier Udaya Nanayakkara said.
He in turn accused the rebels of firing from inside the safe zone for civilians.
Neither of these versions can be independently confirmed as journalists are not allowed to report from inside the conflict zone.
A recent statement from the Sri Lankan Health Ministry said that "the government has taken all possible measures to provide enough food and medicines to the people kept by the LTTE as human shield".
The United Nations has also accused the rebels of preventing the civilians from leaving the war zone, saying there were credible reports that Tamil Tigers were shooting at those who were attempting to flee the area.
The rebels deny the accusation that they were holding the civilians against their will and that they were firing at civilians.
Escalation
Earlier, the army said it had beaten back a series of rebel counter-attacks in the north-east, killing more than 100 rebels in recent days.
A military spokesman said they had recovered bodies of more than 50 rebels. He said the army too had suffered casualties but the number was comparatively very low.
The Tamil Tigers have not officially reacted to the military's claims but pro-rebel websites said the rebels had thwarted the army's offensive and killed more than 400 soldiers.
The two warring sides tend to exaggerate enemy casualties while downplaying their own.
The latest escalation in the fighting comes days after the UN said that thousands of civilians had been killed and wounded in the fighting in recent months.
The government, meanwhile, has rejected calls for a temporary ceasefire to allow time for the tens of thousands of civilians to leave the war zone safely, saying it would only give the rebels time to regroup.
Sri Lankan officials are confident that the entire north-east can be brought under government control soon
source:http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/south_asia/7931319.stm
International Women's Day statement from Carol Hughes
Many events are being held across Canada today to celebrate International Women’s Day.
While the wage gap between men and women has narrowed since the 1970s, we are fighting the same battles we did 30 years ago.
On average, a woman today working full time, all year long, earns 70.5 percent that of a man’s wages, if she is a woman of colour it drops to 64 percent, and if she is an aboriginal woman it drops even further to 46 percent.
Using the cover of a fiscal crisis, the government has stripped the right of women to challenge pay-equity decisions.
Combined with the past decisions that ended the court challenges program and removed equality from the mandate of Status of Women Canada, this government has done all it can to ensure the ‘pink ghetto’ of underpaid and undervalued work will continue.
This is not to say that Canada has not done a reasonable job of ensuring pay equity in our public service, but there is still a mountain to be climbed in terms of bringing the private sector up to standard on this issue.
Pay equity is not as simple as equal pay for doing the same job as a man.
What equity implies is that work of equal value receives similar compensation.
It is not as cut and dry, and often requires third-party intervention to settle disputes – the courts.
This is where the budget is failing women horribly.
There are women who have been waiting 10-plus years to have their cases heard.
These people can stay in under-paying jobs for long periods, confident that they will make their case in a legal setting and be compensated for their work.
Not any longer.
Now that the Conservative Government of Canada and the Liberal Opposition have no interest in moving the equity agenda ahead, these women are left to their own devices.
These are very political decisions and point to a genuine lack of respect for women.
As a country, Canada demands more from those we provide aid to than we do of ourselves.
The Canadian International Development Agency (CIDA) demands that funding is tied to a budget that reflects gender issues.
So it is important for Canada that developing countries address these concerns.
This is what makes the actions of our government all the more confusing.
Canada sits 49th in the world for the ratio of women elected to parliament and are at the bottom of the list for child care programs among Organisation for Economic Cooperation and Development (OECD) countries.
Issues like representation, child-care, and pay equity are central to women’s rights.
They allow us to take meaningful roles in government, the workplace and to make choices such as raising a family while holding down a job.
The economy is certainly reeling, but a full and vital role for women will be a large part of any recovery we embark on.
Using crisis to strip hard-won battles of their significance is a step backwards at the most inopportune time.
source:http://www.sootoday.com/content/news/full_story.asp?StoryNumber=38054
While the wage gap between men and women has narrowed since the 1970s, we are fighting the same battles we did 30 years ago.
On average, a woman today working full time, all year long, earns 70.5 percent that of a man’s wages, if she is a woman of colour it drops to 64 percent, and if she is an aboriginal woman it drops even further to 46 percent.
Using the cover of a fiscal crisis, the government has stripped the right of women to challenge pay-equity decisions.
Combined with the past decisions that ended the court challenges program and removed equality from the mandate of Status of Women Canada, this government has done all it can to ensure the ‘pink ghetto’ of underpaid and undervalued work will continue.
This is not to say that Canada has not done a reasonable job of ensuring pay equity in our public service, but there is still a mountain to be climbed in terms of bringing the private sector up to standard on this issue.
Pay equity is not as simple as equal pay for doing the same job as a man.
What equity implies is that work of equal value receives similar compensation.
It is not as cut and dry, and often requires third-party intervention to settle disputes – the courts.
This is where the budget is failing women horribly.
There are women who have been waiting 10-plus years to have their cases heard.
These people can stay in under-paying jobs for long periods, confident that they will make their case in a legal setting and be compensated for their work.
Not any longer.
Now that the Conservative Government of Canada and the Liberal Opposition have no interest in moving the equity agenda ahead, these women are left to their own devices.
These are very political decisions and point to a genuine lack of respect for women.
As a country, Canada demands more from those we provide aid to than we do of ourselves.
The Canadian International Development Agency (CIDA) demands that funding is tied to a budget that reflects gender issues.
So it is important for Canada that developing countries address these concerns.
This is what makes the actions of our government all the more confusing.
Canada sits 49th in the world for the ratio of women elected to parliament and are at the bottom of the list for child care programs among Organisation for Economic Cooperation and Development (OECD) countries.
Issues like representation, child-care, and pay equity are central to women’s rights.
They allow us to take meaningful roles in government, the workplace and to make choices such as raising a family while holding down a job.
The economy is certainly reeling, but a full and vital role for women will be a large part of any recovery we embark on.
Using crisis to strip hard-won battles of their significance is a step backwards at the most inopportune time.
source:http://www.sootoday.com/content/news/full_story.asp?StoryNumber=38054
Vigil held after Antrim murders
Church goers have held a vigil following the killing of two soldiers at an army base in Antrim.
Roman Catholic, Church of Ireland, Presbyterian and Methodist members were among those who prayed for the victims of the attack on Sunday afternoon.
Traffic was brought to a halt as they gathered at the police cordon near the murder scene at Massereene army base.
Two soldiers died and four other people were injured in the attack on Saturday night.
On Sunday, a number of local people laid flowers at the scene of the murder.
Local Catholic priest Fr Tony Devlin said the community was united in shock and sorrow.
"We don't want to go back to this," he said. "Nobody wants to go back to this in any way at all. None of us want it in any way at all and we pray that those who engage in this will just stop it. "
The regimental chaplain from Massereene barracks, Reverend Philip McCormack, said the troops were bearing the loss of their colleagues in a professional way.
"It's a very close-knit unit," he said. "People care a tremendous amount, they spent weeks and months training and preparing (for Afghanistan) and so anything like this will obviously have a profound impact.
"But they are very professional and we still have a job to do and we will mourn and deal with this and then we will do our job."
Sympathy
Church leaders across Northern Ireland have expressed their revulsion at the shootings.
The Presbyterian Moderator, Dr Donald Patton, described the attack as shocking.
"This is an attack on our whole society and on the process in which we are engaged that is moving us into the future and which nothing must be allowed to hinder," he said.
The Church of Ireland Bishop of Connor, the Right Reverend Alan Abernethy, said the attack was "an evil act that cannot be justified".
The President of the Methodist Church in Ireland, the Rev Aian Ferguson, also expressed his sympathy and said he prayed that the attack did not "herald the approach of darker days for our country
source:http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/northern_ireland/7931288.stm
Roman Catholic, Church of Ireland, Presbyterian and Methodist members were among those who prayed for the victims of the attack on Sunday afternoon.
Traffic was brought to a halt as they gathered at the police cordon near the murder scene at Massereene army base.
Two soldiers died and four other people were injured in the attack on Saturday night.
On Sunday, a number of local people laid flowers at the scene of the murder.
Local Catholic priest Fr Tony Devlin said the community was united in shock and sorrow.
"We don't want to go back to this," he said. "Nobody wants to go back to this in any way at all. None of us want it in any way at all and we pray that those who engage in this will just stop it. "
The regimental chaplain from Massereene barracks, Reverend Philip McCormack, said the troops were bearing the loss of their colleagues in a professional way.
"It's a very close-knit unit," he said. "People care a tremendous amount, they spent weeks and months training and preparing (for Afghanistan) and so anything like this will obviously have a profound impact.
"But they are very professional and we still have a job to do and we will mourn and deal with this and then we will do our job."
Sympathy
Church leaders across Northern Ireland have expressed their revulsion at the shootings.
The Presbyterian Moderator, Dr Donald Patton, described the attack as shocking.
"This is an attack on our whole society and on the process in which we are engaged that is moving us into the future and which nothing must be allowed to hinder," he said.
The Church of Ireland Bishop of Connor, the Right Reverend Alan Abernethy, said the attack was "an evil act that cannot be justified".
The President of the Methodist Church in Ireland, the Rev Aian Ferguson, also expressed his sympathy and said he prayed that the attack did not "herald the approach of darker days for our country
source:http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/northern_ireland/7931288.stm
Friday, March 6, 2009
‘Lathmar Holi’ celebrated in Barsana
With traditional gaiety and fervour, the residents in Barsana celebrated the ‘Lathmar Holi’.The ‘Lathmar Holi’ is also a curtain-raiser for Holi that is due to be celebrated on March 11,and to participate in this unique festival, people from far and near visit Barsana.
Men and women in traditional costumes, spraying and sprinkling colours at each other took out a colourful procession through the streets of town.
The revellers sang folk songs and danced in groups to celebrate the legendary ‘Rasaleela’ or romance of Lord Krishna with Radha.‘Lathmar Holi’ played at Barsana, 50 kilometres from Mathura, is unique in a sense as women chase away men by beating them with sticks.
Of course, the men folk are beaten on a wooden shield like thing above their heads with which they protect themselves.
Celebrating an age-old tradition, thousands of enthusiasts from neighbouring villages participate, singing provocative songs to taunt women and prompt them to beat!
The women go on the offensive and use long sticks or staves called ‘lathis’ to thrash the men revellers, all to the amusement of the onlookers.
“We come here to play Holi in Barsana. We play Holi in memory of the Holi played by Radha and Krishna,” said Puroshottam Goswami, a visitor from Amritsar.“We enjoy a lot. We don’t enjoy so much on any other occasion,” added Hemant Goswami, another visitor fom Punjab.
Legend has it that Lord Krishna visited his beloved Radha’s village on this day and playfully teased her and her friends. Taking offence at this, the women of Barsana chased him away.Since then, men from Krishna’s village, Nandgaon, visit Barsana to play Holi in the town which has the distinction of having the only temple dedicated to Radha in India. By Brijesh Kumar Singh (ANI)
source:http://www.littleabout.com
Karma aur Holi
Now this film's a teaser that leaves you completely foxed. While it's easy to understand about the Holi bit in the title -- everybody gets together to sing Rang Barse in sparkling white -- there's just nothing to explain the Karma adjunct. Whose karma? Good karma? Bad karma? Or just karma because it has an Indian zing to it and sounds more hip than stereotyping the Orient in the usual snake charmer-meets-elephant imagery.
But then, confusion and incoherence seems to be running through the entire film about a motley crowd of Indians and Americans who assemble at a party to celebrate the festival of Holi. Hosts, Sushmita and Randeep, are themselves a bewildered NRI couple who may be living the suburban dream in New Jersey, but really don't know whether they are happy or sad; whether they should visit a doctor for their childless state or keep trying intermittently. Small wonder then, all their guests are pareshan (unhappy) people too. Like Suchitra Krishnamurty who has a chauvinistic husband and a permissive kid sister (Deepal Shaw); like Rati Agnihotri who is a helicopter mom, obsessing about her teenage son and his puberty demands; like Naomi Campbell, the struggling starlet, who chooses to remain silent most of the time, since her struggling film maker boyfriend doesn't give her too much bhav; like Drena DeNiro pulling out her tarot cards to predict terrible futures for all and sundry. It's an endless list of Amrika-settled confused desis who are trying to blend in with the Amrika-born confused videshis, desperately seeking the India fix.
Sadly, no one gets a high with this lacklustre potion. The Holi party may have ended with Nirvana for most of the on screen revellers, but the bechara viewer is left high and dry after this dismal affair.
source:http://timesofindia.indiatimes.com/moviereview/4236355.cms
But then, confusion and incoherence seems to be running through the entire film about a motley crowd of Indians and Americans who assemble at a party to celebrate the festival of Holi. Hosts, Sushmita and Randeep, are themselves a bewildered NRI couple who may be living the suburban dream in New Jersey, but really don't know whether they are happy or sad; whether they should visit a doctor for their childless state or keep trying intermittently. Small wonder then, all their guests are pareshan (unhappy) people too. Like Suchitra Krishnamurty who has a chauvinistic husband and a permissive kid sister (Deepal Shaw); like Rati Agnihotri who is a helicopter mom, obsessing about her teenage son and his puberty demands; like Naomi Campbell, the struggling starlet, who chooses to remain silent most of the time, since her struggling film maker boyfriend doesn't give her too much bhav; like Drena DeNiro pulling out her tarot cards to predict terrible futures for all and sundry. It's an endless list of Amrika-settled confused desis who are trying to blend in with the Amrika-born confused videshis, desperately seeking the India fix.
Sadly, no one gets a high with this lacklustre potion. The Holi party may have ended with Nirvana for most of the on screen revellers, but the bechara viewer is left high and dry after this dismal affair.
source:http://timesofindia.indiatimes.com/moviereview/4236355.cms
SEBI allows Satyam to sell 51%
The government-appointed board of Satyam Computer Services is set to invite expressions of interest (EoI) from potentialbidders next week, after the market regulator allowed it to invite bids from strategic investors for buying management control in the company.
The Securities & Exchange Board of India (SEBI) gave its approval for an international bidding process that will allow a strategic investor to acquire 51% of the company. The field will now be open to global technology firms including IBM, Fujitsu, Oracle, besides engineering firm L&T, Tech Mahindra, BK Modi-promoted Spice group and Hinduja Global Solutions. Satyam shares rose 19.94% on Friday on the Bombay Stock Exchange
to close at Rs 42.10.
“Several MNCs will bid for Satyam, as it can provide them a low-cost operational base in India. Besides, the valuation of Satyam will also be attractive if they are willing to take the risk of fighting legal battles abroad,” said an IT analyst who declined to be named.
Domestic firms which have expressed interest in acquiring Satyam were guarded in their response. “We are waiting for more clarity on information that Satyam will provide on its financial situation,” said CP Gurnani, president, international operations Tech Mahindra.
The sale process will start with the selection of a strategic investor through a competitive price-bid auction. The reserve or floor price will be fixed by the board. The strategic investor, once finalised, will be allowed to acquire up to 31% of Satyam’s share capital through a preferential allotment and the balance 20% through an open offer. The open offer will be made at the same share price as the one paid by the investor for the subscription of newly-issued equity shares.
If the investor fails to acquire 51% through the open offer, he would have the right to subscribe to additional newly-issued equity (or a second preferential allotment). This would, however, not be followed by an open offer.
Back-of-the-envelope calculations show that the investor could infuse around Rs 1,212 crore of capital if the price for the preferential allotment is Rs 40 per share. If shareholders fully subscribe to the 20% open offer, the investor would have to pay them around Rs 780 crore.
The Securities & Exchange Board of India (SEBI) has already eased pricing norms for the proposed preferential offering in Satyam.
source:http://economictimes.indiatimes.com/Infotech/Software
The Securities & Exchange Board of India (SEBI) gave its approval for an international bidding process that will allow a strategic investor to acquire 51% of the company. The field will now be open to global technology firms including IBM, Fujitsu, Oracle, besides engineering firm L&T, Tech Mahindra, BK Modi-promoted Spice group and Hinduja Global Solutions. Satyam shares rose 19.94% on Friday on the Bombay Stock Exchange
to close at Rs 42.10.
“Several MNCs will bid for Satyam, as it can provide them a low-cost operational base in India. Besides, the valuation of Satyam will also be attractive if they are willing to take the risk of fighting legal battles abroad,” said an IT analyst who declined to be named.
Domestic firms which have expressed interest in acquiring Satyam were guarded in their response. “We are waiting for more clarity on information that Satyam will provide on its financial situation,” said CP Gurnani, president, international operations Tech Mahindra.
The sale process will start with the selection of a strategic investor through a competitive price-bid auction. The reserve or floor price will be fixed by the board. The strategic investor, once finalised, will be allowed to acquire up to 31% of Satyam’s share capital through a preferential allotment and the balance 20% through an open offer. The open offer will be made at the same share price as the one paid by the investor for the subscription of newly-issued equity shares.
If the investor fails to acquire 51% through the open offer, he would have the right to subscribe to additional newly-issued equity (or a second preferential allotment). This would, however, not be followed by an open offer.
Back-of-the-envelope calculations show that the investor could infuse around Rs 1,212 crore of capital if the price for the preferential allotment is Rs 40 per share. If shareholders fully subscribe to the 20% open offer, the investor would have to pay them around Rs 780 crore.
The Securities & Exchange Board of India (SEBI) has already eased pricing norms for the proposed preferential offering in Satyam.
source:http://economictimes.indiatimes.com/Infotech/Software
Security stepped up for ‘very high risk' Sonia, Advani
Suspecting an audacious demonstrative terror attack by Lashkar-e-Toiba, the Centre has decided to step up the security
of Sonia Gandhi and L K Advani to an all-time high till the end of general elections.
Analysing intelligence inputs from various centres and sectors, the Multi- Agency Centre under Intelligence Bureau has put the top national leaders under “very high risk’’ during rallies and programmes of public interface.
Leaving nothing to chance, agencies have got down making security changes at every step of campaigning from erection of platforms to installation of CCTVs at every major election rally to constantly monitor
any suspicious movements, sources said.
The Special Protection Group (SPG) that provides security to the Prime Minister, all former prime ministers and the Gandhi family has also been roped in to chalk out the overall strategy. The prepared plan will be strictly adhered to by agencies in charge of outer security ring of these leaders, sources said.
Fresh security analysis states that there is no let-up in the activities of LeT, especially in Uttar Pradesh, after the Mumbai attack, and the outfit along with other terror groups could target the top leaders during public rallies and even attempt targeting general public in big rallies.
The Railways have been specifically told to protect trains, particularly Rajdhanis and Jan Shatabdis passing through Delhi, Uttar Pradesh and Bihar.
Most of the middle rung leaders use these trains during their election campaigns.
Internally circulated reports in the Home Ministry also rate high threat perception for Prime Minister Manmohan Singh and ailing former Prime Minister A B Vajpayee.
Factoring in various inputs, the Home Ministry has asked all state Directors-General of Police to provide top security arrangements for their respective leaders, a source said.
source:http://www.expressbuzz.com/edition/story.aspx?
of Sonia Gandhi and L K Advani to an all-time high till the end of general elections.
Analysing intelligence inputs from various centres and sectors, the Multi- Agency Centre under Intelligence Bureau has put the top national leaders under “very high risk’’ during rallies and programmes of public interface.
Leaving nothing to chance, agencies have got down making security changes at every step of campaigning from erection of platforms to installation of CCTVs at every major election rally to constantly monitor
any suspicious movements, sources said.
The Special Protection Group (SPG) that provides security to the Prime Minister, all former prime ministers and the Gandhi family has also been roped in to chalk out the overall strategy. The prepared plan will be strictly adhered to by agencies in charge of outer security ring of these leaders, sources said.
Fresh security analysis states that there is no let-up in the activities of LeT, especially in Uttar Pradesh, after the Mumbai attack, and the outfit along with other terror groups could target the top leaders during public rallies and even attempt targeting general public in big rallies.
The Railways have been specifically told to protect trains, particularly Rajdhanis and Jan Shatabdis passing through Delhi, Uttar Pradesh and Bihar.
Most of the middle rung leaders use these trains during their election campaigns.
Internally circulated reports in the Home Ministry also rate high threat perception for Prime Minister Manmohan Singh and ailing former Prime Minister A B Vajpayee.
Factoring in various inputs, the Home Ministry has asked all state Directors-General of Police to provide top security arrangements for their respective leaders, a source said.
source:http://www.expressbuzz.com/edition/story.aspx?
Play with colour this Holi, sans all hassles
Holi is a festival of colours. People sprinkle coloured water on others and smear dry colour on the faces of one another. But fast colours, which soil one's cloth and are very difficult to remove from face and body, put many people's mood off. In fact, many people avoid playing Holi altogether for this reason.Such people now have a reason to cheer. Here is a colour that leaves no spots either on one's clothes or person, making it possible to celebrate Holi with gay abandon, without any associated hassles.
The specially made colour, available in the local market, has left Holi lovers amazed. Once this liquid, blue colour is sprinkled, one's clothes or face or body appears blue, but as soon as it gets dry the colour vapourises from skin and clothes.
Anilbhai, a wholesaler of colours at Dandia Bazar in Vadodara, demonstrated the colour. He sprinkled the blue color on his shirt, but after a few minutes the shirt had no spot of colour. He said, "This spotless colour is a new product in the market for Holi."
Another colour vendor, Piyush Patel, said, "Many people don't know about this new product. It is gradually getting popular. When customers come at our shop to buy colours for Holi, we give its demonstration to them. It is becoming popular as kids find it a magical way of playing Holi. I think it would be liked by the people who shun playing Holi because of the hassles associated with it.
source:http://www.dnaindia.com/report.asp?newsid=1236789
Thursday, March 5, 2009
American Idol Results Show, The Wild Cards
Tonight’s American Idol was an unusual event. Unusual because the judges, and not America, decided who went through to the top 12 out of this Wild Card group. I’m glad that they decided who would go through to the finals tonight instead of dragging this stage of the competition into another week. My only hope for tonight was that Megan and Matt made it through to the top 12, and that Tatiana didn’t.
“Tell Me Something Good,” by Chaka Khan, seemed like an awkward song for Jesse Langseth. It has a very funky beat and I don’t think she sang it enough in sync with the beat to make it sound good. She has a lot of potential but just didn’t show it these two performances.
This time I think Matt Giraud picked a good song, in singing “Who’s Lovin You?” by the Jackson 5, because in showed his bluesy side that I’ve grown to like. My only complaint is that it’s an older song that I don’t think would be on the radio nowadays, so it didn’t really give me an idea of what he’d actually perform today—but I liked it.
I think that “Black Horse and the Cherry Tree,” by KT Tunstall, was a good choice for Megan Joy Corkrey. I keep trying to think of a singer from the 40s that she reminds me of, but no one comes to mind, so I suppose she just reminds me of her and I should just look forward to what I hear from Megan in the future.
I didn’t remember Von Smith much from the audition weeks, but I liked his song that he sang when he was on last Tuesday. Tonight I wish he hadn’t sung “Sorry Seems To Be The Hardest Word” by Elton John. It’s such a slow emotional song that I don’t think it showed him in a very interesting vocal light, and actually revealed some pitch flaws—in my unmusically-trained opinion.
Christina Aguilera’s “Reflection” was definitely an appropriate song for someone Jasmine Murray’s age and I think she did a very good job, I just think that she needs more experience to refine her singing a little more.
Ricky Braddy did a really good job singing Stevie Wonder’s “Superstitious.” Although he’s good, I just worry that he might just not stand out from the others as much as he should. They’re all very good tonight.
Why did Tatiana Del Toro suddenly have an accent in her little bio movie? And why would she sing “Saving All My Love for You” when she already sang it a couple of weeks ago? It’s interesting that everyone seems to see how unstable Tatiana is because they all babied her so much, no doubt fearing she would crack. It was odd to watch.
Anoop Desai sang Bobby Brown’s “My Perogotive” in a very good and energetic performance. My wife loves him because he’s like a lovable computer nerd who can sing really well, so who am I to argue?
So the next three into the top twelve are: Jasmine Murray, which was a surprise to me. I thought there were more who were ready for the big show. Megan Joy Corkrey, yay! Matt Giraud, whom I’m really looking forward to see how well he does with his piano. And, surprise, surprise! Anoop Desai also made it through at the last minute to become the 13th contestant! Yes that’s right, there are a final 13 this year, not a final 12. My wife is very happy.
source:http://www.groundlings-review.com
“Tell Me Something Good,” by Chaka Khan, seemed like an awkward song for Jesse Langseth. It has a very funky beat and I don’t think she sang it enough in sync with the beat to make it sound good. She has a lot of potential but just didn’t show it these two performances.
This time I think Matt Giraud picked a good song, in singing “Who’s Lovin You?” by the Jackson 5, because in showed his bluesy side that I’ve grown to like. My only complaint is that it’s an older song that I don’t think would be on the radio nowadays, so it didn’t really give me an idea of what he’d actually perform today—but I liked it.
I think that “Black Horse and the Cherry Tree,” by KT Tunstall, was a good choice for Megan Joy Corkrey. I keep trying to think of a singer from the 40s that she reminds me of, but no one comes to mind, so I suppose she just reminds me of her and I should just look forward to what I hear from Megan in the future.
I didn’t remember Von Smith much from the audition weeks, but I liked his song that he sang when he was on last Tuesday. Tonight I wish he hadn’t sung “Sorry Seems To Be The Hardest Word” by Elton John. It’s such a slow emotional song that I don’t think it showed him in a very interesting vocal light, and actually revealed some pitch flaws—in my unmusically-trained opinion.
Christina Aguilera’s “Reflection” was definitely an appropriate song for someone Jasmine Murray’s age and I think she did a very good job, I just think that she needs more experience to refine her singing a little more.
Ricky Braddy did a really good job singing Stevie Wonder’s “Superstitious.” Although he’s good, I just worry that he might just not stand out from the others as much as he should. They’re all very good tonight.
Why did Tatiana Del Toro suddenly have an accent in her little bio movie? And why would she sing “Saving All My Love for You” when she already sang it a couple of weeks ago? It’s interesting that everyone seems to see how unstable Tatiana is because they all babied her so much, no doubt fearing she would crack. It was odd to watch.
Anoop Desai sang Bobby Brown’s “My Perogotive” in a very good and energetic performance. My wife loves him because he’s like a lovable computer nerd who can sing really well, so who am I to argue?
So the next three into the top twelve are: Jasmine Murray, which was a surprise to me. I thought there were more who were ready for the big show. Megan Joy Corkrey, yay! Matt Giraud, whom I’m really looking forward to see how well he does with his piano. And, surprise, surprise! Anoop Desai also made it through at the last minute to become the 13th contestant! Yes that’s right, there are a final 13 this year, not a final 12. My wife is very happy.
source:http://www.groundlings-review.com
Hollywood Nights: American Idol Results (Top 13) Chris Brown Charged in Rihanna Case
Hollywood nights is busy on a Thursday as Chris Brown has formally charged in the Rihanna case. On a more positive night across town, the American idol results are in and the finalists have been chosen and it appears it is an American idol baker's dozen. You can toss out that whole top twelve as they have added an extra spot right at the end of the show and now it is the top 13 for this season.
Four were chose tonight as the very young and quite talented Jasmine Murray and Megan Corkrey made it from the girls side while Matt Giraud and Anoop Desai sweated it out at the end of the show and were both given spots. Was it the right decision - it can't hurt.
In Touch has this for the ongoing soap opera of Chris and Rihanna. "Just two hours before facing felony charges in court, Chris Brown was spotted in The Beverly Hills Hotel. The singer, clad in a white button-down shirt, gray cardigan and black jeans, walked outside his hotel room door at 1:20 p.m. PT surrounded by three bodyguards. “They were laughing and joking around. Chris was in a great mood,” a hotel guest tells In Touch. According to the eyewitness, a bodyguard then asked the singer if he was nervous. “It’s all good. I’m not sweating it,” the onlooker says Chris responded. Chris is expected to arrive at the Los Angeles County Courthouse at 3:30 p.m. PT to face the charges stemming from the alleged assault on February 8 involving his girlfriend, Rihanna. In Touch
Off to reality TV, the Associated Press reports, "Previously picked finalists Kris Allen, Danny Gokey, Alexis Grace, Allison Iraheta, Adam Lambert, Scott MacIntyre, Jorge Nunez, Lil Rounds and Michael Sarver" were joined by the four above winners for this year's contestants on American idol.
source:http://www.nationalledger.com/ledgerpop
Four were chose tonight as the very young and quite talented Jasmine Murray and Megan Corkrey made it from the girls side while Matt Giraud and Anoop Desai sweated it out at the end of the show and were both given spots. Was it the right decision - it can't hurt.
In Touch has this for the ongoing soap opera of Chris and Rihanna. "Just two hours before facing felony charges in court, Chris Brown was spotted in The Beverly Hills Hotel. The singer, clad in a white button-down shirt, gray cardigan and black jeans, walked outside his hotel room door at 1:20 p.m. PT surrounded by three bodyguards. “They were laughing and joking around. Chris was in a great mood,” a hotel guest tells In Touch. According to the eyewitness, a bodyguard then asked the singer if he was nervous. “It’s all good. I’m not sweating it,” the onlooker says Chris responded. Chris is expected to arrive at the Los Angeles County Courthouse at 3:30 p.m. PT to face the charges stemming from the alleged assault on February 8 involving his girlfriend, Rihanna. In Touch
Off to reality TV, the Associated Press reports, "Previously picked finalists Kris Allen, Danny Gokey, Alexis Grace, Allison Iraheta, Adam Lambert, Scott MacIntyre, Jorge Nunez, Lil Rounds and Michael Sarver" were joined by the four above winners for this year's contestants on American idol.
source:http://www.nationalledger.com/ledgerpop
Dallas Cowboys release strong safety Roy Williams
The Dallas Cowboys released five-time Pro Bowl strong safety Roy Williams today.
Once one of the most popular Cowboys with the most visible jersey, Williams’ seven-year career ended far differently than it started. He leaves town as an oft-criticized target whose departure was more a matter of when than if because of his hefty price tag and glaring pass coverage deficiencies. Williams was the No. 8 overall selection in the 2002 draft out of Oklahoma. The Cowboys' shift to the 3-4 defensive scheme never seemed to fit Williams, who believed his style was much more suited for the 4-3. That’s the scheme he started his Dallas career in under former defensive coordinator Mike Zimmer, now with the Cincinnati Bengals.
Williams, 28, will save the Cowboys $2.2 million on the salary cap and he was due a $4.4 million salary this season. Cowboys owner/general manager Jerry Jones did not get the return on his investment with Williams. He signed a four-year, $25 million deal in 2006, which included an $11.1 million signing bonus and believed he would end his career with the Cowboys.
But Williams, formerly one of the most feared hitters in the NFL, became more and more of a target for opposing offenses which took advantage of his pass coverage limitations. Wade Phillips reduced Williams’ role to primarily first and second downs and used cornerback Anthony Henry to cover tight ends in sub packages. Williams’ concerns in the scheme became apparent and his projected impact of playing closer to the line of scrimmage with Phillips never appeared.
In 2008, Williams lost weight and vowed to find his old form that came with a change for No. 31 to 38 (which he starred in at Oklahoma). Yet, by the end of the season he was a forgotten player after fracturing his forearm twice and was placed on injured reserve Oct. 21 after the loss to St. Louis. He played just three games this season.
The 2008 season also ended Williams’ streak of Pro Bowl appearances at five.
Williams had five interceptions as rookie in 2002 (tied for team lead) and in 2006 (team high). However, his game-changing hits and plays began to fade under Bill Parcells and disappeared under Phillips in 2007. He went without a sack, forced fumble and had two interceptions in 2007.
Williams was also a highly sensitive player who often deflected blame and chided the media when his coverage skills were questioned. One potential landing spot for Williams could be in Cincinnati, allowing him to reunite with Zimmer. He finished his Cowboys career with 19 interceptions (three for a touchdown) and 6.5 sacks, but none since 2005.source:http://www.star-telegram.com/804/story/1240611.html
Once one of the most popular Cowboys with the most visible jersey, Williams’ seven-year career ended far differently than it started. He leaves town as an oft-criticized target whose departure was more a matter of when than if because of his hefty price tag and glaring pass coverage deficiencies. Williams was the No. 8 overall selection in the 2002 draft out of Oklahoma. The Cowboys' shift to the 3-4 defensive scheme never seemed to fit Williams, who believed his style was much more suited for the 4-3. That’s the scheme he started his Dallas career in under former defensive coordinator Mike Zimmer, now with the Cincinnati Bengals.
Williams, 28, will save the Cowboys $2.2 million on the salary cap and he was due a $4.4 million salary this season. Cowboys owner/general manager Jerry Jones did not get the return on his investment with Williams. He signed a four-year, $25 million deal in 2006, which included an $11.1 million signing bonus and believed he would end his career with the Cowboys.
But Williams, formerly one of the most feared hitters in the NFL, became more and more of a target for opposing offenses which took advantage of his pass coverage limitations. Wade Phillips reduced Williams’ role to primarily first and second downs and used cornerback Anthony Henry to cover tight ends in sub packages. Williams’ concerns in the scheme became apparent and his projected impact of playing closer to the line of scrimmage with Phillips never appeared.
In 2008, Williams lost weight and vowed to find his old form that came with a change for No. 31 to 38 (which he starred in at Oklahoma). Yet, by the end of the season he was a forgotten player after fracturing his forearm twice and was placed on injured reserve Oct. 21 after the loss to St. Louis. He played just three games this season.
The 2008 season also ended Williams’ streak of Pro Bowl appearances at five.
Williams had five interceptions as rookie in 2002 (tied for team lead) and in 2006 (team high). However, his game-changing hits and plays began to fade under Bill Parcells and disappeared under Phillips in 2007. He went without a sack, forced fumble and had two interceptions in 2007.
Williams was also a highly sensitive player who often deflected blame and chided the media when his coverage skills were questioned. One potential landing spot for Williams could be in Cincinnati, allowing him to reunite with Zimmer. He finished his Cowboys career with 19 interceptions (three for a touchdown) and 6.5 sacks, but none since 2005.source:http://www.star-telegram.com/804/story/1240611.html
Kevin Nealon, SNL Alum and Star of "Weeds" on Howard Stern
Kevin Nealon, SNL alumni and star of the Showtime hit series "Weeds" was on Howard Stern. Kevin Nealon was in the studio plugging his new movie "Remarkable Power!" Kevin Nealon is a long-time friend and frequent visitor o The Stern Show.
"Remarkable Power!" also staring Tom Arnold, is a small, independent film that opened last weekend at a small Myrtle Beach Film Festival.
The crew had a great time joking around with Kevin Nealon but things got a little serious when Howard asked Kevin if he thought Artie was going down the Chris Farley route. Chris Farley, another SNL alum, died of a drug overdose several years ago. Kevin Nealon said he had thought Artie was going down that dark Chris Farley path, but now that he sees him today in the studio, he doesn't think so. Nealon thinks Artie is going to be okay.
Kevin Nealon was on Saturday Night Live from 1986 - 1995. Some of Nealon's most memorable SNL characters include Mr. Subliminal, Franz of Hans and Franz , Mr. No Depth Perception, and the anchor of Weekend Update.
He also starred in the films All I Want For Christmas, Happy Gilmore, Anger Management, Daddy Daycare, and Good Boy! Currently Kevin Nealon also appears in the hit Showtime comedy, Weeds.
source:http://www.gather.com/viewArticle.jsp?articleId=281474977615095&grpId=3659174697244816&nav=Groupspace&memberId=216706
"Remarkable Power!" also staring Tom Arnold, is a small, independent film that opened last weekend at a small Myrtle Beach Film Festival.
The crew had a great time joking around with Kevin Nealon but things got a little serious when Howard asked Kevin if he thought Artie was going down the Chris Farley route. Chris Farley, another SNL alum, died of a drug overdose several years ago. Kevin Nealon said he had thought Artie was going down that dark Chris Farley path, but now that he sees him today in the studio, he doesn't think so. Nealon thinks Artie is going to be okay.
Kevin Nealon was on Saturday Night Live from 1986 - 1995. Some of Nealon's most memorable SNL characters include Mr. Subliminal, Franz of Hans and Franz , Mr. No Depth Perception, and the anchor of Weekend Update.
He also starred in the films All I Want For Christmas, Happy Gilmore, Anger Management, Daddy Daycare, and Good Boy! Currently Kevin Nealon also appears in the hit Showtime comedy, Weeds.
source:http://www.gather.com/viewArticle.jsp?articleId=281474977615095&grpId=3659174697244816&nav=Groupspace&memberId=216706
Indian diplomats work overtime as Otis sets condition for no auction
US collector James Otis has formally offered to withdraw possessions of Mahatma Gandhi from sale if India agrees to either spend more on healthcare for the poor or support educational events to promote non-violent resistance. Meanwhile, Indian diplomats worked overtime to prevent the articles from going under the hammer Thursday (early Friday in India).
In a letter sent Wednesday night to the Indian Consulate General in New York, Otis said he would withdraw the Gandhi items from the Antiquorum Auctioneers' scheduled auction if the government of India agreed to either of his two proposals.
According to Otis, the authorities should "substantially increase the proportion of the Indian government budget spent on healthcare for the poor to shift priorities from military spending to the healthcare of the Indian people, specifically the poor".
Or it should "provide financial support and the good offices of Indian embassies and consulates, as well as other contacts in the Indian community, to support educational events that use the Gandhi items to promote Gandhian non-violent resistance in 78 countries around the world, one for each of the number of years Gandhiji graced us with his life on the planet".
They would, he said, "bring together concerned citizens, non-violent activists, civic and government leaders to grapple with the meaning of Gandhi's message for today's world".
"Educational programmes would accompany the exhibit for the schools and universities in the region that would encourage the study of Gandhian non-violence."
"We anxiously look forward to your reply and to working out details with you tomorrow (Thursday) if there is some agreement to either of these proposals," the letter stated.
Otis' latest proposal came after a meeting Wednesday morning with India's Consul General in New York Prabhu Dayal. He has agreed to meet Dayal again Thursday hours before the items go on sale at 3 p.m. (1.30 a.m. IST Friday).
The items set to go on sale include Mahatma Gandhi's iconic Zenith pocket watch, steel-rimmed spectacles, a pair of sandals and an eating bowl and plate. The collection has a reserve price of between $20,000 and $30,000.
Otis said details would be worked out with the Indian government's health ministry and experts in public health with measures for indicating over time the actual shift in the spending priorities.
"This dramatic gesture would demonstrate to the entire world the commitment of the Indian government to following the principles of Gandhi's historical message that is just as relevant today," Otis said.
On the second proposal for a 78-nation Gandhian non-violence tour, Otis said: "We have never needed the example and message of Mahatma Gandhi more than at this crucial point in human history."
"His emphasis on non-violent resistance to tyranny in any form and the use of non-violence as a means for engaging in creative conflict has inspired countless individuals and movements for civic improvement around the world, from Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr. and the US civil rights movement to contemporary human rights, pro-democracy movements and other struggles for the improvement of life on the planet.
"The shining example of the Indian freedom movement could help to light the path toward a better future on the planet."
Otis said he would not only donate to the government of India the items scheduled to go to auction, but also loan additional items from his collection regarding other non-violent heroes from around the world.
The consulate said it had requested the New York auction house Antiquorum Auctioneers to respect a Delhi High Court order staying the planned auction. The court had passed the restraint order in response to a petition filed by the Navjivan Trust, the legal heir of Mahatma Gandhi.
If the auction house still goes ahead with the auction Thursday, India will consider it not only a violation of the court order but also a violation of Mahatma Gandhi's will, informed sources here said.
As a back up plan, a group of NRI hoteliers led by Sant Singh Chatwal plans to bid for the items on behalf of the Indian government.
"The only aim is to buy them so that no one else can buy them," Chatwal said. "The idea is to have any Indian buy" the belongings of the Father of the Nation and ship the items back home.
The consulate in New York is also said to be ready to approach a New York court with the Delhi High Court stay order on the auction.
Indian diplomats told the auctioneers that if they don't go ahead with the auction, they would earn enormous goodwill and international publicity whereas by auctioning them they will be projecting themselves as materialistic and indifferent to the sentiments of the people of India.
A spokesperson of the auctioneers said that they would not consider settling the items at a negotiated price and that India could bid for them through its representative.
source:http://www.hindu.com/thehindu/holnus/000200903051221.htm
In a letter sent Wednesday night to the Indian Consulate General in New York, Otis said he would withdraw the Gandhi items from the Antiquorum Auctioneers' scheduled auction if the government of India agreed to either of his two proposals.
According to Otis, the authorities should "substantially increase the proportion of the Indian government budget spent on healthcare for the poor to shift priorities from military spending to the healthcare of the Indian people, specifically the poor".
Or it should "provide financial support and the good offices of Indian embassies and consulates, as well as other contacts in the Indian community, to support educational events that use the Gandhi items to promote Gandhian non-violent resistance in 78 countries around the world, one for each of the number of years Gandhiji graced us with his life on the planet".
They would, he said, "bring together concerned citizens, non-violent activists, civic and government leaders to grapple with the meaning of Gandhi's message for today's world".
"Educational programmes would accompany the exhibit for the schools and universities in the region that would encourage the study of Gandhian non-violence."
"We anxiously look forward to your reply and to working out details with you tomorrow (Thursday) if there is some agreement to either of these proposals," the letter stated.
Otis' latest proposal came after a meeting Wednesday morning with India's Consul General in New York Prabhu Dayal. He has agreed to meet Dayal again Thursday hours before the items go on sale at 3 p.m. (1.30 a.m. IST Friday).
The items set to go on sale include Mahatma Gandhi's iconic Zenith pocket watch, steel-rimmed spectacles, a pair of sandals and an eating bowl and plate. The collection has a reserve price of between $20,000 and $30,000.
Otis said details would be worked out with the Indian government's health ministry and experts in public health with measures for indicating over time the actual shift in the spending priorities.
"This dramatic gesture would demonstrate to the entire world the commitment of the Indian government to following the principles of Gandhi's historical message that is just as relevant today," Otis said.
On the second proposal for a 78-nation Gandhian non-violence tour, Otis said: "We have never needed the example and message of Mahatma Gandhi more than at this crucial point in human history."
"His emphasis on non-violent resistance to tyranny in any form and the use of non-violence as a means for engaging in creative conflict has inspired countless individuals and movements for civic improvement around the world, from Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr. and the US civil rights movement to contemporary human rights, pro-democracy movements and other struggles for the improvement of life on the planet.
"The shining example of the Indian freedom movement could help to light the path toward a better future on the planet."
Otis said he would not only donate to the government of India the items scheduled to go to auction, but also loan additional items from his collection regarding other non-violent heroes from around the world.
The consulate said it had requested the New York auction house Antiquorum Auctioneers to respect a Delhi High Court order staying the planned auction. The court had passed the restraint order in response to a petition filed by the Navjivan Trust, the legal heir of Mahatma Gandhi.
If the auction house still goes ahead with the auction Thursday, India will consider it not only a violation of the court order but also a violation of Mahatma Gandhi's will, informed sources here said.
As a back up plan, a group of NRI hoteliers led by Sant Singh Chatwal plans to bid for the items on behalf of the Indian government.
"The only aim is to buy them so that no one else can buy them," Chatwal said. "The idea is to have any Indian buy" the belongings of the Father of the Nation and ship the items back home.
The consulate in New York is also said to be ready to approach a New York court with the Delhi High Court stay order on the auction.
Indian diplomats told the auctioneers that if they don't go ahead with the auction, they would earn enormous goodwill and international publicity whereas by auctioning them they will be projecting themselves as materialistic and indifferent to the sentiments of the people of India.
A spokesperson of the auctioneers said that they would not consider settling the items at a negotiated price and that India could bid for them through its representative.
source:http://www.hindu.com/thehindu/holnus/000200903051221.htm
Air raids kill militants in Gaza
Separate Israeli air attacks have killed a commander and two other members of the Islamic Jihad militant group in the Gaza Strip, reports say.
Field commander Khalid Shaalan was attacked overnight because of his role in firing long-range rockets into Israel at the weekend, Israel said.
A second strike hit a group of Islamic Jihad militants, killing two and injuring one, Palestinian sources said.
Violence has flared sporadically since the truces called over Gaza in January.
Mr Shaalan was killed and his deputy commander was seriously injured in a missile attack on Wednesday evening in the north of the strip, Palestinian and Israeli sources report.
At least four people were also injured when a missile hit the two men's vehicle in the town of Beit Lahiya.
An Israeli army spokesman said Mr Shaalan had been "targeted and killed" for his involvement in recent rocket attacks on the Israeli city of Ashkelon.
An Islamic Jihad spokesman vowed to "avenge this aggression", AFP news agency reports.
Israel has not confirmed the later attack in the central part of the strip, close to the Israeli border.
The three men had been returning home together after a night spent on patrol along the border, Islamic Jihad was quoted as saying by the Associated Press.
source:http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/world/middle_east/7925254.stm
Field commander Khalid Shaalan was attacked overnight because of his role in firing long-range rockets into Israel at the weekend, Israel said.
A second strike hit a group of Islamic Jihad militants, killing two and injuring one, Palestinian sources said.
Violence has flared sporadically since the truces called over Gaza in January.
Mr Shaalan was killed and his deputy commander was seriously injured in a missile attack on Wednesday evening in the north of the strip, Palestinian and Israeli sources report.
At least four people were also injured when a missile hit the two men's vehicle in the town of Beit Lahiya.
An Israeli army spokesman said Mr Shaalan had been "targeted and killed" for his involvement in recent rocket attacks on the Israeli city of Ashkelon.
An Islamic Jihad spokesman vowed to "avenge this aggression", AFP news agency reports.
Israel has not confirmed the later attack in the central part of the strip, close to the Israeli border.
The three men had been returning home together after a night spent on patrol along the border, Islamic Jihad was quoted as saying by the Associated Press.
source:http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/world/middle_east/7925254.stm
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