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2011-04-13T20:46:00.000-07:00

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Aishwarya to play Hema Malini in 'Satte Pe Satta' remake

2011-04-12T02:07:00.000-07:00

As per the latest reports Sanjay Dutt who is producing the new version of the1982 blockbuster 'Satte Pe Satta' is very keen to rope in Aishwarya Rai to reprise the role that was initially played by Hema Malini.

sanjay is however adamant that only Ash fits the role but reportedly, Aishwarya is playing hard to get for the schedule of the film. It has been about two months now but she is yet to give a definite answer.

A source informed, "Soham has given her a two-and-half hour narration of the script. She seemed interested and promised to get back. But after that, she has still not given a confirmed response."

The source further added, "It's time that Aishwarya clearly tells Sanjay and Soham if she is interested in doing the film or not. Only then can they arrange the dates of every other actor in the film. Sanjay and Soham are very much keen to have her on board." Apparently, Dutt is in a tight situation currently, as he doesn't want to offend Mrs. Rai Bachchan by approaching any other actress unless and until she turns down the offer.

Meanwhile, Bipasha Basu has been roped in to essay the crippled character of Seema that was played in the original by actress Ranjeeta and Arshad Warsi would be playing one of the seven brothers in the flick.

Salman demands ‘Character Dheela Hai’ song to be re-shot

2011-04-12T02:04:00.000-07:00

Aneez Bazmee’s upcoming film ‘Ready’ is scorching all the headlines prior to its release and the hype surrounding this salman khan- Asin starrer movie continues.

Now the news is pouring in that Salman who is known to roll out super hit songs in his films wants to re- shoot ‘Pyaar Ke Naam Pe Doosre Karen Toh Raasleela Hai, Main Karoon Toh Character Dheela Hai’ track. Initially the number was choreographed by Raju Khan but salman was not too happy with the outcome so he thought to rope in his good friend Farah khan to choreograph the song sequence again.

The ‘Dabangg’ actor has been seriously involved in this project and is supervising all the activities himself. Following the suite of Aamir khan, salman also wants to raise the bar with every film he does.

A source close to the film reveals, "The film Ready has worked out very well. Everybody from the cast and crew is extremely happy with it. And when you see everything after the shoot is over, there is always scope for improvement. After Dabangg, Ready should be a case of sone pe suhaga."

The re-shoot will take place at Film City (Goregaon) over a span of three days. Says a source, "Since Salman is busy with the shoot of Bodyguard at the same place, it would only be convenient to shoot it at the same venue. These days, Salman has become so workaholic and nothing seems to distract him."

Explaining the scene, director Aneez Bazmee, said, 'Well, it was a unanimous call. Kuch portions re-shoot karne hain. Kabhi kabhi aisa hota hai ki hum jo shoot karte hain, baad mein nahin jamta. we haven't finalised that yet. We have zeroed down on a couple of names, so let's see."

A source very close to the film said, "The cost of the reshoot will be anything between Rs 50-75 lakh."

But contrary to the buzz that surrounds, Producer of Ready, Bhushan Kumar maintained that no reshoot was being done on the Character Dheela Hai song. "We are only shooting a music video and that would cost Rs 1 crore," he states.

Grazia Magazine get brightened up with Kareena’s smile

2011-04-12T01:24:00.000-07:00

Size zero hottie Kareena Kapoor is on a roll at the moment. The ‘Ra.One’ actress will be seen adorning the cover of the popular magazine Grazia.

Although this hottie is used to striking sexy poses on the cover of fashion magazines but this time she will be scorching the cover page donning a simple summerish look.

Kareena is looking stunning in white Dolce & Gabbana attire. She has accessorized herself with Louis Vuitton leather bracelet and crystal finger rings. The actress is flaunting her uber cool attitude with her 100 watt smile and is wearing minimal makeup giving a refresh summery look to the cover.

In their new issue Grazia will reveal the secret of “Why we love Kareena Kapoor?”. They will disclose the story of Bebo before she became the numero uno of B’town. The magazine talks about her arduous climb to the top.
Kareena recapitulates her childhood and reveals it to Grazia, saying “ I'm going to be a huge movie star, you wait and watch. I'll make chhutti of everyone.”

This year Kareena Kapoor has an impressive bunch of films on her plate right from her boyfriend Saif’s Agent Vinod to Bodyguard, Ra. One, Short Term Shaadi and My Love Story.

Suicide bomber kills 18 in Afghanistan

2009-02-02T02:13:00.000-08:00

At least 18 people were killed in Afghanistan suicide attack. According to the officials of the Interior Ministry, a man wrapped in explosives walked into a compound filled with Afghan police officers.

Monday’s attack was the second in as many days. On Sunday, a man drove a car filled with explosives into a convoy carrying French and Afghan soldiers on the southwestern edge of Kabul, killing himself and injuring three others, including one a French soldier.

The attacker struck in Tirin Kot, the capital of Oruzgan Province, the birthplace of Mullah Mohammad Omar, the founder of the Taliban movement.

The Interior Ministry said the attacker was dressed in a police uniform and set off the explosives during a training exercise in the compound. Eight officers were also wounded.

In 2007, about 140 suicide bombers struck Afghanistan; 2008, the number dropped to about 80.

Israel not planning new Gaza attack, says Barak

2009-02-02T02:11:00.000-08:00

Israel Defense Minister Ehud Barak has said that his country is not planning another attack over Hamas-ruled Gaza Strip.

Barak said in an interview with the YNet news Web site, using Israel’s name for its recent 22-day offensive in Gaza, “It is not our intention to have an Operation Cast Lead 2.”

“We said there would be a response and there was a response last night,” he added.

His comments clashed with statements on Sunday by Foreign Minister Tzipi Livni who said that, if necessary, Israel would mount a new offensive in the Gaza Strip to choke off cross-border rocket fire.

Both Barak, head of the center-left Labor Party, and Livni, chairman of the ruling, centrist Kadima party, are candidates for prime minister in Israel’s February 10 election.

Flash for iPhone is not so easy!

2009-02-02T02:03:00.000-08:00

Adobe Chief Shantanu Narayen has said that the company is trying make flash working for iPhone, though, he asserted that it’s not a easy thing.

In an interview with Bloomberg media at the Davos, Switzerland event, Shantanu said “It’s a hard technical challenge, and that’s part of the reason Apple and Adobe are collaborating,” he says. “The ball is in our court. The onus is on us to deliver.”

In the mean time, Apple co-founder Steve Jobs has maintained since nearly a year ago that the real obstacle is the nature of Flash itself.

While desktop Flash is too resource-heavy for the small processor and low memory of smartphones like the iPhone, Jobs has warned that Flash Lite is too feature-limited and doesn’t do many of the things users expect Flash to do — such as playing video on the web or showing complex animations on websites.

Taylor Swift’s first headlining tour

2009-02-02T00:58:00.001-08:00

Taylor Swift – has announced her first headlining tour, which will take her to 52 cities over six months.

The singer has topped the Billboard chart for the past eight weeks with her second album, Fearless.

The singer’s show will feature multiple costume changes and an illuminated fairy-castle – and the new country group Gloriana.

Despite the extravagant set, the singer – who just launched a line of affordable dresses at Wal-Mart – says she’s mindful of the tough economy, so she plans to start ticket prices at around $20 in most markets.

Swift, 19, will officially kick off her Fearless Tour 2009, which she calls “a dream come true,” on April 23 in Evansville, Ill., immediately followed by Jonesboro, Ark., and St. Louis, Mo. (Tickets go on sale Feb. 6 at 10 a.m. PST.)

Be the “Hero of the Hudson” in online game

2009-02-02T00:57:00.000-08:00

You’ve a chance to save the jet plane moving into the Hudson River.
Links are quickly being spread on the Internet of “Hero on the Hudson” - a game where you have to use your left and right arrow keys to land a jet onto the river.

This particular game is not offensive when people are clamoring for someone’s head, but it’s completely unnecessary.

The game is about as primitive as you can get, as many of the games are on Addictinggames.com. Of the 3,117 votes received, 75% give it a thumbs down.

Most of the comments below the game hit it on the head. It’s boring, stupid and offensive.

Nobody died or no serious injuries occurred when Flight 1549 had an emergency landing on the Hudson earlier this month.

The game is the latest in a chain of humorless acts that makes little sense to me. Stuff like this only perpetuates and sensationalizes similar schtick in the wake of tragic events.

Rain in weekend forecast!

2009-02-02T00:56:00.001-08:00

The National Weather Service is forecasting the possibility of rain through the weekend in Riverside.

At the same time, a slight chance of rain and snow is predicted for the mountains Thursday, with the possibility of snow continuing through the weekend.

According to the National Weather Service, rain could move into the Inland area by Thursday.

The report said that the prediction for the valleys also calls for a slight chance of showers Thursday and the possibility of rain through
the weekend.

Temperatures in the mountains are predicted to hit highs in the 40s and lows in the 20s by the end of the week.

Peanut product recall is the largest ever

2009-02-02T00:55:00.001-08:00

The Peanut product recall, said to be the largest ever, started with bulk peanut butter, spread to crackers and cookies and has engulfed products as diverse as kettle corn, pad Thai and trail mix.

The FDA said Friday that some boutique peanut butters, made from peanuts ground in stores, may be affected because of the wider recall.

The recall’s breadth has the $1 billion peanut farming industry on edge, says Emory Murphy, assistant executive director of the Georgia Peanut Commission. “This could affect demand,” he says.

In the mean time, the Department of Justice on Friday joined in the investigation of Peanut Corp. of America, raising the possibility of criminal charges. PCA’s Blakely, Ga., plant has been linked to a salmonella outbreak that’s sickened 529 and may have contributed to eight deaths.

The GMA says PCA supplied less than 1% of peanut products sold in the U.S. Still, the FDA says the company has more than 300 customers, many of whom used PCA’s products as an ingredient.

Indian Prime Minister discharged from AIIMS

2009-02-02T00:53:00.000-08:00

Prime Minister Manmohan Singh has been discharged from the All India Institute of Medical Sciences on Sunday,after spending a week in hospital following a bypass surgery.

He was admitted on January 24, and on January 25, he successfully underwent the beating heart bypass surgery.

The 11-hour surgery was performed by a team of doctors from AIIMS and the Asian Heart Institute. He is now back home at 7 Race Course Road.

The PM had multiple blockages in the heart. This was his second bypass. A team of doctors will closely monitor his progress at his residence.

Iraq vote: Al-Maliki allies ahead

2009-02-01T23:05:00.000-08:00

Nouri al-Maliki, the Iraqi prime minister, has strengthened his position as the country’s leader in Iraq voting.

The leaders of rival Shia parties acknowledged on Monday that al-Maliki’s State of Law coalition appeared to be heading for a strong win.

According to the reports, if confirmed, the results in the second major election since the 2003 fall of Saddam Hussein would overturn six years of provincial rule by mostly religious parties and give al-Maliki strong momentum in his bid to hold on to power in a general election due this year.

Nobody has expected that they would achieve this in Basra, in Nassiriya, in Samawa, in Kut. In this government, nobody had expected they could achieve such a result, an official said.

Hundreds of thousands of eligible voters out of the 15 million eligible to vote in 14 of the country’s 18 provinces were reported to have been left off ballot lists. Election officials have said they will investigate.

Nadal defeats Federer in Australian Open final

2009-02-01T23:04:00.001-08:00

In a truly remarkable and gutsy performance, Rafael Nadal shook down Federer 7-5, 3-6, 7-6 (3), 3-6, 6-2 in the final of the Australian Open on Sunday. It’s now Nadal’s sixth Grand Slam title at the same time he’s now the first man since Andre Agassi in 1999 to win majors on three different surfaces.

Nadal, the first Spaniard to win the Australian Open said here, “It’s a dream win here, one Grand Slam on hard court.”

“I worked very hard all my life to improve the tennis outside of clay. I’m very happy for the title. Today was really a lot of emotions on court.”

For all the talk of Federer’s automatic ascension to the accolade of the greatest of all-time, it has been the much-improved Nadal who has been the more ambitious and resourceful player over the past 13 months.

“Roger can’t be called the greatest ever yet,” said U.S. Davis Cup captain Patrick McEnroe.

Since June, Nadal has won three of the last four majors as well as the Olympic gold medal. He torched Federer in the 2008 French Open final for his fourth straight Roland Garros crown, stopped Federer’s five-title Wimbledon streak in a five-set classic.

South Korean exports hit in global recession

2009-02-01T23:01:00.000-08:00

South Korea’s exports lost one-third of their value in January from a year ago. The exports is said to be the biggest engine of the country’s economy has seen a sharper drop than expected.

According to a preliminary government data showed Sunday, the fall of 32.8% is far more than drops of 19% in November and 17.9% in December.

With exports accounting for nearly half of South Korea’s economic output, the plunge represents the biggest challenge that South Korea has faced so far in the global economic downturn that began more than a year ago with the housing crisis in the U.S.

The latest export data appeared on the Web site of the Korea Customs Service on Sunday. Reuters first reported the news. The Ministry of Knowledge Economy officially released the data on Monday morning Asia time.

The magnitude of the drop in demand for South Korean products outside the country started to become apparent two weeks ago when the customs agency reported that the value of exports through the first 20 days of January fell by nearly 29%.

Israel bombs Hamas targets

2009-02-01T22:15:00.000-08:00

Amid the cease-fire Israel bombed Hamas targets in the Gaza Strip Sunday. Hamas has not taken responsibility for, or condemned, the new attacks. Some of them have been claimed by members of the militant al-Aqsa Martyrs Brigades.

The Hamas militant group that runs Gaza said Israeli aircraft bombed an unoccupied police station and at least six tunnels used to smuggle weapons and goods from Egypt into the Palestinian enclave. There were no reported casualties in the air strikes.

Hamas demanded that Israel open its border crossings with Gaza as part of a cease-fire.
Israel said that will not happen until Hamas releases a captive Israeli soldier held in Gaza for 2.5 years.

Meanwhile, the Egyptian government is trying to hammer out a long-term truce acceptable to both sides.

Michael Phelps apologizes for marijuana pipe Picture

2009-02-01T22:14:00.002-08:00

Michael Phelps has officially apologized for smoking marijuana after a picture was published in the United Kingdom’s News of the World, the New York Daily News reported.

The picture of the famous swimmer was shot during a Nov. 6 party at the University of South Carolina in Columbia, where he was visiting a co-ed.

Phelps was asked if he wanted to smoke marijuana. He said yes and was then led to a back room, the newspaper writes.

Phelps said yesterday he was sorry for his actions, issuing a public apology. “I engaged in behavior which was regrettable and demonstrated bad judgment,” Phelps said.

“I’m 23 years old and despite the successes I’ve had in the pool, I acted in a youthful and inappropriate way, not in a manner people have come to expect from me.”

He continued by saying he was “sorry” and vowing to his fans that this was a one-time mistake. “I promise my fans and the public it will not happen again.”

Indian filmmaker Priyadarshan slams Slumdog…!

2009-02-01T22:14:00.001-08:00

Film maker Priyadarshan has slammed Danny Boyle’s underdog saga Slumdog Millionair, saying the film a “cheap trashy mediocre version” of erstwhile Bollywood hits. He is surprised that Mumbai is celebrating a film that shows only the city’s underbelly.

Priyadarshan said, “Slumdog Millionaire is nothing but a cheap trashy mediocre version of those commercial films about estranged brothers and childhood sweethearts that Salim-Javed used to write so brilliantly in the 1970s.”

“Why are we taking this treatment? Just because a white man has made ‘Slumdog Millionaire’, we’re so happy with it? I’ve read Vikas Swarup’s novel ‘Q&A’. It should have been made by Mani Ratnam. Then you’d have seen what he would have done with Mumbai.”

Priyadarshan asked, “Why has Danny Boyle not taken one shot of Marine Drive? Do his slumdwellers exist only within their slums?”

Gaza militants strike rocket into Israel, says military

2009-02-01T22:13:00.001-08:00

Gaza militants have launched two rockets into southern Israel, said Israel military.

Before this, Israel halted the operation after saying its goals had been achieved. But Hamas declared victory and militants have kept up sporadic attacks.

Sunday morning’s rockets demonstrated the fragility of a cease-fire that ended Israel’s devastating Gaza offensive on Jan. 18.

Police spokesman Micky Rosenfeld says one landed near a kindergarten, but that there was no damage and no one was injured.

Since the cease-fire, militants have fired rockets into Israel and killed one soldier in a border attack. Israel has conducted retaliatory strikes and pounded tunnels Hamas uses to smuggle in weapons from Egypt.

Israeli forces have also killed three men Palestinians identified as farmers in violence along the Gaza-Israel border.

TechCrunch founder to take a break

2009-02-01T21:07:00.001-08:00

TechCrunch founder Mike Arrington would be taking a break from his work. In an uncommonly personal post from Europe, Arrington reported Wednesday that he is going to take some time off and reconsider his future.

The decision, he said, was prompted by an encounter he had as he was leaving a tech conference Tuesday in Munich, Germany.

Arrington, whose Web site had more than 2.2 million unique visitors in December, according to comScore, is the major-domo for startup showcase events and hands out “Crunchie” awards for companies.

The incident, as Arrington portrays it, represented a culmination of harassment that has come with TechCrunch’s success in its business niche.

Of the more recent incident, Arrington declared: “I draw the line at being spat on. It’s one step away from something far more violent.”

Such harassment may be interpreted as a dubious validation for TechCrunch, a high-profile part of the nonstop dialogue in the business of digital technology.

Jessica Simpson looks hot, says Kim Kardashian

2009-02-01T21:06:00.001-08:00

Kim Kardashian has praised all the way for Jessica Simpson. In an exclusive interview with PEOPLE Wednesday, Kardashian, 28, said, “Call me crazy, but when I saw the picture of Simpson performing Jan. 25 in Pembroke Pines, Florida, I was like, ‘Oh my God, Jessica looks hot!’ ”

“I actually love the outfit. I think she looks amazing. I love high-waisted jeans, I loved that belt, and her hair looked fabulous,” Kim added.

Adds Kardashian, who’s attending the Super Bowl this weekend with football player beau Reggie Bush of the New Orleans Saints, “I get that she does look curvier, but to me, there’s nothing wrong it.”

No stranger herself to barbs about her own curvy physique, Kardashian says, “It doesn’t really bother me anymore. I love curves.”

NYT to sell share in Boston Red Sox

2009-02-01T21:05:00.001-08:00

The New York Times would be selling its share of the Boston Red Sox baseball team. The company has revealed late yesterday that its income for the last three months of 2008 fell by nearly 48% year on year.

Janet L Robinson, the president and chief executive for the NYT’s parent company, warned that the rate of decline in print advertising revenue in January had accelerated from December.

The company said this was due to weakness in print advertising, its main source of income, across all of its major properties. Revenue from its digital businesses were also down year on year, the firm said.

However, circulation revenue was up 3.7% after prices increases were introduced for the New York Times and the Boston Globe.

Robinson said the publisher was responding to the present realities in its markets by looking to reduce costs and improve the financial position by completing the Slim transaction.

Roddick ousted from Australian Open semis, Federer moves on

2009-02-01T21:04:00.001-08:00

Andy Roddick is out from Australian Open where as Roger Federer moved within one victory of his 14th Grand Slam title with another dominating victory. Federer ousted Roddick 6-2, 7-5, 7-5 Thursday to reach the Australian Open final.

Federer, seeking his fourth Australian title, will face the winner of Friday’s semifinal between Nadal and fellow Spaniard Fernando Verdasco.

Roddick, who undertook a rigorous offseason training regime designed to help him beat Federer and top-ranked Rafael Nadal, was in good form.

The women’s final matchup was set earlier in the day. Serena Williams was calm, collected and cool — with the Rod Laver Arena roof closed to keep out Melbourne’s oppressive heat wave — to end Olympic champion Elena Dementieva’s 15-match winning streak with a 6-3, 6-4 victory.

All that stands between her and a 10th Grand Slam title is third-seeded Dinara Safina, who is hungry to take home her first major trophy to go along with the two that brother Marat Safin has earned.

Safina ousted fellow Russian Vera Zvonareva 6-3, 7-6 (4) in the other semifinal.

House passes $819Billion

2009-02-01T21:03:00.001-08:00

The House passed an $819 billion economic stimulus package. It was passed on a 244-188 vote.

The House stimulus package includes aid to states and localities to help them avoid cuts in Medicaid coverage and school funding.

Businesses would get $20 billion in tax cuts under the legislation. The bill would extend provisions enacted for 2008 that allow businesses of all sizes to depreciate 50 percent of investments in new equipment immediately.

The bill also would extend unemployment benefits and give unemployed workers subsidies for health care coverage. The legislation also would fund infrastructure improvements and investments in energy efficiency and alternative energy projects.

Most of the tax relief in the bill would go to individuals, including a $500 refundable tax credit for low- and middle-income workers.

Women’s armpits more unpleasant than men

2009-02-01T21:02:00.001-08:00

A team of testers have now found that women smell of onions while men smell of cheese, and these findings have challenged as it is often suggested that there’s natural smell in females that arouse males.

A team of independent testers recruited by the scientists found the smell from women’s armpits was more unpleasant.

Men had relatively high levels of an odourless fatty acid which turned into a cheesy odour when exposed to the same types of bacteria, the researchers said.

Christian Starkenmann of Firmenich, a company in Geneva that researches flavours and perfumes for food and cosmetics companies said that “Men smell of cheese, and women of grapefruit or onion.”

According to the results, which appear in Chemical Senses, women’s armpit sweat contained relatively high levels of an odourless sulphur-containing compound - 5 milligrams per millilitre of sweat versus 0.5 milligrams in men, the New Scientist magazine reported today.

Aishwarya to contest loksabha polls from Madhepura seat!

2009-02-01T21:01:00.001-08:00

Actress Aishwarya Rai would be contesting loksabha polls against Pappu Yadav from Madhepura seat on Samajwadi Party ticket.

If we believe the sources, the actress has been contacted by the senior SP leaders.

It’s being said that SP leaders of Bihar unit are trying hard to make Aishwarya a candidate against Pappu Yadav, a Rashtriya Janta Dal MP, who’s in jail, facing several charges.

Senior leader and Janta Dal-U President Sharad Yadav would be contesting from this seat in the next coming polls, sources said.

Australian Open: Bhupathi-Knowles in men’s doubles final

2009-02-01T21:00:00.001-08:00

Mahesh Bhupathi and Mark Knowles reached to the men’s doubles final in the Australian Open. The pair thrashed Lukasz Kubot and Oliver Marach 6-3, 6-1 to reach the final.

Bhupathi now has a chance to grab his fifth men’s doubles Grand Slam title, first Australian Open title and 11th overall.

The winners improved on their last year’s performance here as they had lost the semi-finals. This is also for the second time that Bhupathi has reached the final of the Australian Open.

Last time he made the finals of the men’s doubles at Australian Open was in 1999 with his estranged partner Leander Paes.

It’s been a long time that he won a men’s doubles title at a Grand Slam event. It was way back in 2002 that he annexed the title at the US Open with Max Mirnyi.

Britain give $3.2 Billion to carmakers

2009-02-01T20:59:00.001-08:00

British government has given $3.2 billion to its carmakers. the business secretary, Peter Mandelson, told Parliament on Tuesday that the government offered automakers and suppliers access to £1.3 billion in loan guarantees from the European Investment Bank, topped off with another £1 billion from the Treasury.

The plan came a month after the United States pumped billions of dollars into General Motors and Chrysler, and France and Germany announced aid packages to support their automakers.

He said the government would also increase the amount that it spent on the training of employees. “There is no blank check on offer, no operating subsidies,” Mr. Mandelson said.

The opposition Conservative Party criticized the measures are “too little, too late” and accused the government of dithering while other nations moved swiftly to support their automakers.

Any aid to auto manufacturers in Britain is potentially more controversial than in those other countries. Though the industry adds about £10 billion to Britain’s economy and employs more than 800,000, most of the British manufacturers are owned by foreign companies.

Oil prices drops below $42

2009-02-01T20:53:00.000-08:00

Oil prices dropped below $42 a barrel in Asia as rising US crude inventories.

The US House of Representatives passed an $819-billion stimulus plan last night aimed at spurring growth amid the worst recession in decades.

Light, sweet crude for March delivery fell 54 cents to $41.64 a barrel by midday in Singapore in electronic trading on the New York Mercantile Exchange. The contract rose 58 cents overnight to settle at $42.16.

The US Energy Department’s Energy Information Administration on Wednesday said commercial crude oil inventories jumped 6.2 million barrels from the previous week, almost twice what was expected.

Crude inventories have grown by more than 20 million barrels in the last month, stoking investor fear that consumer demand is suffering amid huge job losses in recent months.

Jets get a fiery innovator in Rex Ryan

2009-01-22T21:42:00.002-08:00

The Jets have got a fiery innovator in Rex Ryan. The Jets reached an agreement with Rex Ryan, the former Baltimore Ravens defensive coordinator.

Ryan will be introduced at the team’s Florham Park, N.J., headquarters on Wednesday at 10 a.m. Ryan signed a four-year contract worth about $12 million.

Acording to a Jets employee who spoke on condition of anonymity said that Woody Johnson, the Jets’ owner, and General Manager Mike Tannenbaum flew to Baltimore on Monday morning to make the expected move official.

The Jets employee said the deal was in place shortly after the Ravens lost to the Pittsburgh Steelers in the American Football Conference championship game Sunday night. It came three weeks after the Jets fired Eric Mangini after three seasons.

The Ryan boys are the sons of Buddy Ryan, the longtime coach who invented the 46 defense used by the Bears in the 1980s.

“We object the Slumdog name”

2009-01-22T21:42:00.001-08:00

Calling the film’s title insulting, several dozen Mumbai slum residents protested the award-winning film “Slumdog Millionaire” on Thursday. Mumbai’s slum residents were not happy, even the movie has won several Golden Globe award and is in race to win Oscar.

The film, a rags-to-riches romance set in Mumbai’s notorious slums, has been tapped a favorite for several Oscar nominations after it swept its four categories at the Golden Globes, including the prize for best drama.

Nicholas Almeida, a social activist who organized the protest, said he planned to file a lawsuit on Friday to get the name changed.

The film, which tells the story of Jamal Malik, a poor youth who becomes the champion of India’s “Who Wants to Be a Millionaire” television program as he searches for his lost love, has also been criticized for focusing on India’s poverty.

On Wednesday the cast and director spoke to the media in New Delhi about the film, and the controversy it has sparked.

Malaysia starts probe into salmonella scare

2009-01-22T21:41:00.001-08:00

Malaysia government has said that it has started the probe into salmonella scare in the country. The Famous Amos cookie chain has withdrawn dough from several of its outlets amid fears it was contaminated by the salmonella bacterium.

The action followed an outbreak of salmonella poisoning in the U.S., which has made at least 474 people sick since September as a result of infected peanut- butter and peanut-paste dough, according to the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, or CDC, Web site.

Famous Amos company representatives said the company did use peanut butter in cookies in Malaysia but that all its cookies were safe for consumption.

The salmonella bacterium is spread most often by the consumption of food contaminated by animal fecal matter, according to health experts.

The microbe usually flourishes within the intestinal tracts of fowl and mammals.

An estimated 1.4 million human salmonella infections occur each year, causing about 15,000 hospitalizations and 400 deaths.

Obama to be allowed to keep his BlackBerry

2009-01-22T21:36:00.000-08:00

President Barack Obama is allowed to keep his BlackBerry phone with him. Obama is a Self-confessed BlackBerry addict.

President George W. Bush was forced to give up using e-mail when he took charge, while President Bill Clinton sent just two e-mails during his administration.

There are also concerns that mobile devices such as BlackBerries, which contain built in GPS technology, could be hacked into, revealing the president’s location within a few feet.

But Obama may have pushed his Secret Service handlers’ technological patience far enough. Ambinder also reports that instant messaging in the White House will still be a definite no-no.

Nominees for Oscar announced

2009-01-22T21:35:00.000-08:00

The Dark Knight and Gran Torino were crashed out from the race of Oscar’s top prize. Instead, the far more serious Holocaust-themed The Reader took the fifth berth and its director, Stephen Daldry, also managed to slip into his category.

In the mean time, The Curious Case of Benjamin Button managed to get 13 nominations. While romantic crowd-pleaser Slumdog Millionaire is said to be the favorite.

As expected, Heath Ledger’s vividly twisted take on the villainous Joker in The Dark Knight scored a supporting nomination for the Australian actor, who died a year ago today at age 28 after suffering an accidental prescription-drug overdose.

After her two Golden Globe wins, Kate Winslet was expected to earn a supporting nomination for her tormented concentration-camp guard in The Reader as well as a lead spot as a distraught suburban housewife in Revolutionary Road.

The Oscar ceremony will air Feb. 22 on ABC with Hugh Jackman stepping into the host spot for the first time.

Microsoft to cut 5,000 jobs

2009-01-22T21:34:00.000-08:00

IT giant Microsoft announced Thursday it will cut up to 5,000 jobs in the next year and a half. It would be the 5.5% of its global workforce.

Microsoft will slash 1,400 positions immediately, with the rest of the cuts coming by June 2010.

The company said it will save about $1.5 billion in operating expenses and $700 million in 2009 capital expenditure.

Shares of the company fell 7% in early trading on the news.

Microsoft also announced second-quarter net income of $4.17 billion, down 11% from a year earlier

The software maker said sales of its Vista operating system slumped 8% on weak PC sales as well as a continued shift toward lower-priced laptop computers.

IBM begins layoffs

2009-01-22T21:32:00.000-08:00

It’s time of layoff in the IBM. The IT giant began a series of layoffs across the company in North America on Wednesday. However, a spokesperson declined to provide specific numbers or to identify what IBM locations were affected by the cuts.

There have been rumors of layoffs hitting as many as 16,000 – a number predicted by one Wall Street analyst. An unknown number of layoffs were at IBM’s Research Triangle Park campus, which is Big Blue’s largest with more than 11,000 employees.

Despite a global economic slowdown, IBM beat Wall Street expectations with a quarterly profit of $3.28 per share, the company said after the markets closed Tuesday.

Female student stabbed to death Fatally Stabbed

2009-01-22T21:31:00.000-08:00

A female graduate student was stabbed to death last night at a cafe inside a Virginia Tech dormitory. According to the authorities, police have nabbed a suspect and he was being questioned regarding this.

According to the reports, yesterday in the evening police responded to a 911 call reporting that a woman was being assaulted inside the Graduate Life Center at Donaldson-Brown.

It’s situated on the outskirts of the campus. Investigators believe the victim and the suspect knew each other, officials said. Police said they recovered a knife at the scene.

Male fertility linked to water pollution, says study

2009-01-22T21:30:00.000-08:00

Decline in male fertility is linked to water pollution, a British study has suggested.

The study, by Brunel University, the Universities of Exeter and Reading and the Centre for Ecology & Hydrology, shows for the first time how a group of testosterone-blocking chemicals is finding its way into UK rivers, affecting wildlife and potentially humans.

According to the Science Daily online, other studies have also suggested a link between this phenomenon and the increase in human male fertility problems caused by testicular dysgenesis syndrome.

Susan Jobling, who has been working intensively in this field for over ten years said “the new research findings illustrate the complexities in unraveling chemical causation of adverse health effects in wildlife populations and re-open the possibility of a human - wildlife connection in which effects seen in wild fish and in humans are caused by similar combinations of chemicals.”

Slumdog Millionaire bags 10 nominations at Oscars

2009-01-22T21:29:00.000-08:00

A. R. Rahman did India proud once again as he bagged a triple nomination at the 81 st Oscar Academy Awards for Slumdog Millionaire.

Slumdog Millionaire, bagged 10 nominations in all including Best Motion Picture category, Best Director — Danny Boyle and Best Adapted Screenplay — Simon Beaufoy. Other nominations include Best Cinematography, Best Sound Mixing, Best Sound Editing and Best Film Editing.

At the same time, the romantic fantasy “The Curious Case of Benjamin Button” led Academy Awards contenders with 13 nominations.

As expected, Heath Ledger had a supporting-actor nomination for “The Dark Knight” on the first anniversary of his death from an accidental overdose of prescription drugs.

Real-life couple Brad Pitt and Angelina Jolie will both go to the Oscars as nominees. Jolie had a best actress nomination for the missing-child drama “Changeling.”

Burris to occupy Obama Senate seat

2009-01-15T22:43:00.001-08:00

Former Illinois Attorney, Ronald W Burris, is set to occupy the senate seat vacated by President-elect Barack Obama.

Last week, Burris, was nominated by the controversial Illinois Governor, Rod R Blagojevich, to the Senate. Reports said Burris could be sworn in later this week.

Blagojevich was earlier arrested by FBI on charges of “selling” the Senate seat vacated by Obama. Later released on bail, Blagojevich, who was impeached by the state House of Representatives, has denied the charges.

On Thursday, Burris told an impeachment inquiry in the state legislature that he had made no deals with Blagojevich to secure the appointment to the seat of Obama.

Indiana businessman crashed plane to run away from investigation

2009-01-15T22:41:00.000-08:00

An Indiana businessman, whose financial management companies were under investigation crashed his small plane to runaway. The plane crashed in a Florida panhandle swamp.

Tom Britt received the e-mail Monday night from neighbor Marcus Schrenker. Authorities believe Schrenker let his plane crash in the Florida panhandle and apparently parachuted to safety.

His single-engine plane continued flying on autopilot and eventually crashed late Sunday more than 200 miles away in a swampy area of the Florida Panhandle, authorities believe.

Authorities believe Schrenker was last seen Monday morning in Childersburg, Ala., just south of Birmingham, when a man using his Indiana driver’s license told police that he’d been in a canoe accident.

Israel tightens grip on Gaza

2009-01-15T22:39:00.000-08:00

Israel has tightened its grip on Gaza City. Israeli tanks rolled into Gaza City approaching the headquarters of Hamas’ preventative security building.

The tanks rolled in al-Karramah neighborhood in the northwest and the Tel al-Hawa neighborhood in the northeast. But after the respite, the explosive sounds that punctuated the nighttime hours underscored a resumption in offensive operations.

In the mean time, Hamas Prime Minister Ismail Haniya remained defiant, however, declaring in a speech Monday, “I say to our people that by God, we are closer to victory that ever. These precious bloods will not be wasted for nothing.”

The Israeli military on Monday paused for a fifth day for a three-hour break from its assault on Gaza to allow residents to pick up humanitarian supplies, a Defense Ministry spokesman said.

At least 14 rockets were fired into Israel on Monday, many between 12 p.m. and 1 p.m. towards Sderot, Ofakim and Ashkelon, an Israeli police spokesman said. One rocket landed on a house in Ashkelon, causing damage but no injuries, an Israeli ambulance services spokesman said.

Meanwhile, President George W. Bush, speaking Monday at his final scheduled news conference before leaving office, said that a “sustainable cease-fire” in Gaza could only be accomplished when “Hamas stops firing rockets into Israel.”

Somali pirates release Japanese-operated ship with 21 crew members

2009-01-15T22:35:00.000-08:00

Somalia pirates have finally released a Japanese-operated ship seized in October with 21 Filipino crewmen.

A regional maritime official confirmed on Tuesday that pirates freed the African Sanderling and its 21 Filipino crewmen on Monday after three and half months in captivity.

In the mean time, a report said that at least 33 Filipino sailors are still held by pirates in separate incidents. The latest development came after the pirates released the Saudi oil tanker, Sirius Star.

The Sirius Star which was released on Thursday had been held near the Ukrainian cargo ship MV Faina, which was loaded with 33 Soviet-designed battle tanks and crates of small arms.

Japan to launch satellite for South Korea

2009-01-15T22:34:00.001-08:00

Japan’s Mitsubishi Heavy Industries Ltd. has signed an agreement to send a South Korean satellite into orbit, the company said in a statement.

Since 1970, Japan has sent dozens of satellites into orbit, mostly on rockets built by other nations. But it has fallen behind China in the lucrative commercial satellite launching business.

Mitsubishi Heavy, which produces the H2A rocket, said it received an order from the Korea Aerospace Research Institute to launch its multipurpose Arirang 3 satellite during the fiscal year beginning April 2011. Still the price is not disclosed.

The H2A rocket was initially designed and built as a government project in which Mitsubishi Heavy took part. The rocket project has since been privatized as a business of Mitsubishi Heavy, now considered a vital part of Japan’s space program.

Unlimited download of Windows 7 beta

2009-01-15T22:32:00.000-08:00

Redmond: Windows 7 Beta would be available for unlimited downloads. According to the latest reports, Microsoft Corp. has reset the number of downloads to its Windows 7 Beta from 2.5 million to unlimited to accommodate more PC users who want to try the new operating system.

According to a report published BBC News, Laurence Painell, product manager at Microsoft “We didn’t quite anticipate the demand that we saw.”

he new operating system apparently is more attractive than its predecessor, the Windows Vista, as the new version requires lesser PC resources.

The unlimited download of Windows 7 Beta will last for two weeks, according to Microsoft.

CES attendance fell by 23%

2009-01-15T22:30:00.001-08:00

Consumer Electronics Show attendance fell by 23 percent, following the after affects of global recession. It was being predicted earlier, this time attendance would touch a low, but it happened just right away.

Based on preliminary estimates, the CEA said, more than 110,000 people attended the conference last week in Las Vegas.

That’s far fewer than the 130,000 the group conservatively predicted for this year and 23 percent off the 141,150 who attended last year. And last year was down from the 143,695 who attended in 2007.

More adults joining social networking websites

2009-01-15T22:27:00.000-08:00

According to a new report from the Pew Internet & American Life Project, more adults are joining social networking websites and the ratio is quite higher then the teenagers.

The report said that MySpace is a party for teenagers, Facebook is for a hangout for college students, and LinkedIn is a conference for working professionals.

The research group found that some 35% of online adults now have at least one profile on a social networking site, more than quadruple the amount that did in February 2005, when the figure was 8%.

Another surprising finding in Pew’s study is the prevalence of minority groups on social sites. The portion of African-American adults with an online social profile (48%) as well as non-white Hispanics (43%) both eclipse the portion of white adults on the site, just 31%.

Rickey Henderson joins Hall of Fame

2009-01-15T22:25:00.000-08:00

Rickey Henderson has joined the Hall of Fame Monday. The Hall of Fame reserves the right to choose which cap entrants wear, but the preference of the inductees are given due consideration.

Henderson, 50, said he yearns to give it one more try in an A’s uniform before his hometown fans, but he isn’t sure how it might play with Cooperstown officials and their induction rules.

” A true hometown hero, Henderson becomes the fifth player who logged a significant amount of time in Oakland to become a Hall of Famer, joining Catfish Hunter, Reggie Jackson, Rollie Fingers and Dennis Eckersley.

Henderson maintained he isn’t holding a grudge against the A’s that they weren’t able to bring him back one last time at the end of his career despite several personal appeals to make it happen. After all, he still thinks it can happen.

Henderson did single out late A’s manager Billy Martin, under whom he achieved many of his early successes, including breaking the season stolen-base record in 1982 with 130.

McDaniels joines Broncos

2009-01-15T22:23:00.000-08:00

Josh McDaniels finally joined Broncos. McDaniels, 32, who has been the Patriots’ offensive coordinator for three seasons, signed a four-year contract worth $8 million to replace Mike Shanahan.

McDaniels said at the news conference “I’ve spent a lot of time and preparation over the last year getting myself more ready to go in case this opportunity did present itself again.”

Since Bill Belichick became Patriots coach in 2000, McDaniels is the third member of his staff to be tapped for an NFL head coaching job.

Former Patriots offensive coordinator Charlie Weis, who left in 2005 to become Notre Dame’s head coach, was replaced by McDaniels, who called the plays during the 2005 season as the team’s quarterbacks coach, a title he held from 2004 until his departure.

In 2007, McDaniels directed a Patriots offense that set NFL records for points (589) and touchdowns (75) in a season.

Colts coach Dungy retires

2009-01-15T22:22:00.001-08:00

Tony Dungy of the Indianapolis Colts took a back seat on Monday. The first black coach to win the Super Bowl and one of the most respected figures in the sport, retired.

The 53-year-old had been with the Colts since 2002, having previously spent six seasons as head coach of the Tampa Bay Buccaneers.

Smoltz joins Red Sox

2009-01-15T22:19:00.000-08:00

BOSTON: Pitcher John Smoltz officially joined the Boston Red Sox on Tuesday after two decades with the Atlanta Braves.

Smoltz was introduced at a news conference in Boston, according to a report on the team’s website.

Salmonella scare: Peanut butter distributor recalls product

2009-01-15T22:17:00.000-08:00

It’s being proved that the brand of peanut butter is connected to a nationwide outbreak of salmonella or not. The butter is tested positive for salmonella in Minnesota. In the mean time the product has been voluntarily recalled by its distributor, King Nut Companies of Solon, Ohio.

At least 399 people are sickened in 42 states. The brand is primarily used in schools, hospitals, long-term care facilities and restaurants, according to the Minnesota Dept. of Health.

Doug Schultz of the state’s Dept. of Health said that the tub of peanut butter that tested positive for salmonella was an open container obtained from a senior care facility that had several residents fall ill with the outbreak strain of salmonella typhimurium.

However, it has not been proven that this case is linked to the national salmonella outbreak that is currently ongoing in the United States.

Meanwhile, King Nut said in a statement posted on its website that further tests are being conducted by King Nut and the FDA on closed containers of the peanut butter.

King Nut has asked customers to “put on hold all of their peanut butter in question. A recall of this product will be announced Monday morning, the website published.

Cold weather increase blood pressure risk in elderly

2009-01-15T22:15:00.000-08:00

According to the new findings, cold weather may increase blood pressure risk in the elderly. The study was published in the Jan. 12 issue of the Archives of Internal Medicine.

Although the study does not demonstrate a causal link between blood pressure and external temperature, the observed relationship nevertheless has potentially important consequences for blood pressure management in the elderly.

Study by the Institut National de la Sante et de la Recherche Medicale of Paris, the systolic (top number) and diastolic (bottom number) blood pressures both rose and fell with the change of seasons in the 8,801 people, aged 65 or older.

The average systolic blood pressure, for example, was five points higher in winter than in summer for the participants. Instances of high blood pressure (systolic blood pressure higher than 159, or diastolic higher than 94 millimeters of mercury or higher) were found in 33.4 percent of participants during winter but just 23.8 percent during summer.

If you want to quit smoking don’t see photos of smokers

2009-01-15T22:14:00.001-08:00

A new study said that if you want quit smoking then don’t see photos of the smokers, or it would hurt your attempt to kick the habit.

According to research published online Jan. 5 in Psychopharmacology, brain scans of smokers taken before and 24 hours after quitting showed increased activity in certain areas of the brain that cue the person to crave a drag.

Researcher Joseph McClernon, an associate professor in the department of psychiatry and behavioral sciences at Duke University Medical Center, said in a news release issued by the school “We saw activation in the dorsal striatum, an area involved in learning habits or things we do by rote, like riding a bike or brushing our teeth.”

“Our research shows us that when smokers encounter these cues after quitting, it activates the area of the brain responsible for automatic responses. That means quitting smoking may not be a matter of conscious control,” Joseph McClernon added.

Vicks VapoRub is dangerous for kids

2009-01-15T22:12:00.000-08:00

U.S. researchers said on Tuesday that Vicks VapoRub, can cause respiratory distress in children under 2 when inappropriately applied directly under the nose. Vicks VapoRub is a common cold remedy.

Dr. Bruce Rubin of Wake Forest University School of Medicine in North Carolina, said “The only problem we’ve seen is in a small child when it has been put under the nose.”

Rubin says problems are unlikely in older kids and adults because their airways are bigger. He says his findings apply to any product applied to the skin that, like VapoRub, contains camphor, menthol and eucalyptus.

David Bernens, a spokesman for P&G, said the finding came as a surprise. “Vicks VapoRub has been proven safe and effective through multiple clinical trials.

It has been in the market for over 100 years,” Bernens said, noting that the label says the product should not be used in children under age 2 without a doctor’s advice, and not under the nose.

A R Rahman: The Golden Boy of World Music

2009-01-15T22:10:00.000-08:00

Music maestro A R Rahman created history by becoming the first Indian to win Golden Globe award for his music score for Slumdog Millionaire.

But it’s a long journey to the stardom for this Golden Boy of the music world. He’s described as one of the most innovative composers to ever work in the industry. His unique style and immense success transformed film music in the 1990s prompting several film producers to take film music more seriously.

Rahma’s early life was quite struggling. Music maestro was born to R. K. Shekhar, of Tamilian descent, who was a composer and conductor for Malayalam-language films in Keralite cinema.

In 1991, Rahman began his own music recording and mixing studio, attached to backyard of his house and later his acclaimed music compositions have led TIME Magazine to declare him the “Mozart of Madras”

Rahman has been noted to write film songs that amalgamate elements of these music systems and other genres, layering instruments from differing music idioms in an improvisatory manner.

His interest and outlook in music stems from his love of experimentation.[ Rahman’s compositions, in the vein of past and contemporaryChennai film composers, bring out auteuristic uses of counterpoint, orchestration and the human voice, evolving Indian pop music with uniquetimbres, forms and instrumentation.

His first soundtrack Roja was listed in TIME’s “Top 10 Movie Soundtracks of All Time” in 2005. Film critic Richard Corliss felt the “astonishing debut work parades Rahman’s gift for alchemizing outside influences until they are totally Tamil, totally Rahman.”

Brangelina misses Golden Globes, Jennifer Lopez takes the seat

2009-01-15T22:08:00.000-08:00

Brad Pitt and Angelina Jolley were not available for the Golden Globes Award Ceremony, that’s why Jennifer Lopez was contacted by the organizers.

There’s been mounting speculation in industry circles that the Oscars are trying to make the Golden Globes increasingly insignificant.

According to the sources closed to the organizers “J.Lo wasn’t the first choice,” says a source close to the planning.

“They were hoping that Brad Pitt and Angelina Jolie would open the show; it looked good, then all of a sudden, Brad and Angie weren’t interested anymore. J.Lo was happy to do it, and there you go.”

Gisele Bundchen and Tom Brady are engaged now!

2009-01-15T22:05:00.000-08:00

According to the new reports, supermodel Gisele Bundchen and Tom Brady are engaged now. Bundchen would confirm her engagement to quarterback Tom Brady in days, ending weeks of speculation, the reports said.

The couple has been dating since Brady split from actress Bridget Moynahan in 2006, with whom he shares a 16-month-old son. Bundchen has previously dated actor Leonardo DiCaprio.

People.com has published a report regarding this that Brady, 31, proposed to 28-year-old Bundchen with a diamond solitaire on Friday, informing friends and family over the weekend.

An official announcement and preliminary wedding details are reportedly being planned by Bundchen and her closest friends this week.

Her agent has refused to confirm or deny the reports, saying, “We don’t comment on our clients’ private lives.”

Winehouse’s husband to file for divorce!

2009-01-15T22:02:00.000-08:00

Amy Winehouse’s husband has deiced to file for divorce, a lawyer of the jailed husband of the actress has confirmed the report.

Winehouse and Fielder-Civil married in Miami in May 2007, but he was arrested six months later over an assault. Later in July he was sentenced to 27 months in jail for beating up a bar manager and then offering him a bribe to keep quiet about it.

Attorney Henri Brandman said he had been instructed by Blake Fielder-Civil “to commence divorce proceedings on the grounds of Amy’s adultery.”

Winehouse’s spokesman did not immediately return a call seeking comment.

Winehouse has been linked by tabloid newspapers to other men and recently has been photographed on holiday in the Caribbean with an alleged new beau, Josh Bowman.

Gas supply: Russia-Ukraine play blame game

2009-01-15T21:57:00.000-08:00

MOSCOW: Gas supplies to European Union countries came at halt once again, at the same time fresh talks between Russia and European Union countries are on in Moscow. Russia has blamed US for the present situation.

Before this, Russia was set to resume gas supply to the European countries. It would ease a crisis that has hit a swathe of countries and highlighted their dependence on Moscow.

The announcement came after Russia, Ukraine and the EU signed an agreement on monitoring the movement of gas through the transit network, the workings of which are notorious for being untransparent and corrupt.

EU Energy Commissioner Andris Piebalgs had said that “it will take some time to reach our consumers, between 24 and 40 hours,” while other EU officials have said it might take as much as three days.

Russia says all such gas must be paid for by Kiev as part of its transit contract with Moscow.

Stanford university launches energy institute

2009-01-15T21:55:00.000-08:00

Stanford University is going to start a new energy institute soon where scholars can study everything from solar cells to energy markets and economics. The university has received $100 million to create the institute.

The donations came from three alumni who said they were motivated by the desire to protect the environment from greenhouse gases.

The institute will expand Stanford’s role in energy research and national energy policy. It will consolidate Stanford’s existing energy-focused efforts onto one site — and allow the hiring of new faculty.

The new institute will be directed by Lynn Orr, professor of energy resources engineering and director of Stanford’s Global Climate and Energy Project. He plans to pull together 136 faculty members in 21 departments to create interdisciplinary projects.

Russia to resume EU gas supplies

2009-01-15T21:50:00.000-08:00

MOSCOW: Russia is set to resume gas supply to the European countries. It would ease a crisis that has hit a swathe of countries and highlighted their dependence on Moscow.

The announcement came after Russia, Ukraine and the EU signed an agreement on monitoring the movement of gas through the transit network, the workings of which are notorious for being untransparent and corrupt.

EU Energy Commissioner Andris Piebalgs said that “it will take some time to reach our consumers, between 24 and 40 hours,” while other EU officials have said it might take as much as three days.

Russia says all such gas must be paid for by Kiev as part of its transit contract with Moscow.

Gas talks expected between Ukraine and Russia

2009-01-15T21:46:00.000-08:00

KIEV: A gas talk is expected between Ukraine and Russia soon to resolve the crisis in the European countries.

“The president awaits talks between Prime Minister Tymoshenko and Russian Prime Minister Putin, during which all political problems will be removed,” his spokeswoman of the Ukraine government told reporters on Monday.

In the mean time, Russia’s gas export company Gazprom says Ukraine has signed a fresh copy of a gas transit monitoring agreement, without any added conditions.

Monday’s signing should allow the resumption of gas supplies to much of Europe, shut down because of a contractual dispute between the two countries.

Belarus ready to deploy Russia missiles

2008-11-13T22:38:00.000-08:00

MINSK: Belarus is ready to deploy advanced Iskander Russian missiles that could hit targets deep inside Europe.

President Alexander Lukashenko is in talks with Moscow regarding this, a report said.

In an interview with The Wall Street Journal, Mr. Lukashenko said that he would like to see closer relations with the West but that he sympathizes with Russia on two flashpoints that have rocked relations — the conflict in Georgia and U.S. plans to place antimissile systems in Europe to counter a potential threat from Iran.

The talks raise the ante in the debate over a U.S. plan to deploy missile defense in Europe.

Mr. Lukashenko said he “absolutely supports” Russia’s plans to place Iskander missiles in Kaliningrad that would target the U.S. missile system.

Mr. Lukashenko said Russia also had proposed putting Iskander missiles in Belarus. The country is situated between Russia and Poland.

Lt. Gov. Knoll dies of cancer

2008-11-13T22:37:00.001-08:00

Lt. Gov. Catherine Baker Knoll died today after a battle with a rare form of cancer. She was 78 and the first woman elected to that office in Pennsylvania history.

She will be replaced as lieutenant governor by Senate President Pro Tempore Joe Scarnati (R., Jefferson).

According to the Governor’s Office, Knoll died about 6 p.m. at National Rehabilitation Hospital in Washington, where she was recovering from treatment for neuroendocrine cancer. she was surrounded by her family, when she died.

Knoll announced this summer she was suffering from the disease, which generally affects specialized cells that work to keep many of the body’s hormonal and digestive functions in check.

She had vowed to return to work and did so for a day, presiding over the Senate for the start of its fall session, but she looked drawn and tired.

Hillary to be US State dept candidate!

2008-11-13T22:36:00.001-08:00

CHICAGO: Three months after Barack Obama defeated Sen. Hillary Clinton in an intense contest for the Democratic presidential nomination, she will be a candidate to be U.S. secretary of state for the President.

But Clinton was not available for the comment and described by her office as having flown to Chicago on Thursday on personal business.

Her selection as top U.S. diplomat could also mean a more hawkish foreign policy than that advocated by Obama during his presidential campaign.

But both Obama and Clinton were adamant about improving the image of the United States abroad and correcting what they considered the “failed policies” of the outgoing Bush administration.

On the campaign trail, Clinton was more reluctant than Obama to commit to a firm timetable for withdrawing U.S. troops from Iraq.

No import of Chinese milk products

2008-11-13T22:34:00.000-08:00

Chinese milk products import in blocked in U.S. The Food and Drug Administration’s effort is to ensure that products contaminated with melamine do not enter the U.S. market.

Not only this, the agency FDA listed dozens of products, including cereals, snack foods, cheese, ice cream, carbonated drinks, candy, puddings and pet foods as potentially contaminated with melamine, which is used in the manufacture of plastics and fertilizer.

According to an alert published at FDA’s website, the agency is ensuring all measures to stop the import of the harmful products.

The agency said on the website, it learned in September that more than 53,000 infants in China became sick after consuming infant formula containing melamine. Nearly 13,000 were hospitalized and at least four died of illnesses involving the formation of kidney stones and crystals and related complications.

“These contaminated milk components appear to have been dispersed throughout the Chinese food supply chain,” the agency said.

Bin laden fighting to survive, reports CIA

2008-11-13T22:33:00.000-08:00

WASHINGTON: CIA has reported that al Qaeda head Osama bin Laden is alive and fighting to survive. IA Director Michael Hayden said hunting down bin Laden remains his agency’s priority.

Though Hayden said al Qaeda has been hurt by a sustained fight with the United States and its allies, but remains a threat.

Regardless of whether bin Laden is actively helping lead the terrorist organization, the CIA believes capturing or killing him would be a huge blow to al Qaeda, according to Hayden.

Hayden said in a speech at the Atlantic Council in Washington, “He is putting a lot of energy into his own survival — a lot of energy into his own security.”

“In fact, he appears to be largely isolated from the day-to-day operations of the organization he nominally heads,” he said.

In recent weeks, there have been several U.S. missile strikes by unmanned drones around the Afghanistan-Pakistan border. The United States maintains that Taliban and al Qaeda forces operate with relative impunity in tribal areas.

Campaign is over: Palin

2008-11-13T22:32:00.000-08:00

MIAMI: In a surprising move Alaska Gov. Sarah Palin addressed a press conference here. She never held a news conference in her entire campaign as the Republican Party’s vice-presidential nominee.

But the question-and-answer session lasted only four minutes, and for only four questions.
In a reply to the reporters she said, “The campaign is over.”

Ms. Palin tried to play down her celebrity style and look. In her speech, she tried to shift the focus from herself to the work that Republican governors must now do, including developing energy resources and overhauling health care.

According to the sources, the conference has been dominated by soul searching among Republicans worried about their future after last week’s poor Election Day showing.

To that end, Ms. Palin was again asked whether she would run for president in 2012.
“The future is not that 2012 presidential race; it’s next year and our next budgets,” Ms. Palin said. It is in 2010, she said, that “we’ll have 36 governor’s positions open.”

Want to fight flu? Take Vitamin C!

2008-11-13T22:30:00.000-08:00

If you want to fight flu, you should take Vitamin C. In a recent study, it’s found that Vitamin C can effectively prevent flu.

The study led by Gorton HC and Jarvis K and published in Journal of Manipulative and Physiological Therapeutics involved 252 students aged 18 to 30 as study subjects and 463 students aged 18 to 32 as controls.

It was found in the study that those who took 1000 mg of vitamin C three times a day were 85 percent less likely to have flu or more likely to reduce flu symptoms.

Studies have found that taking vitamin C boosts immune responses. Cold symptoms were also reduced and relieved in the vitamin C group.

The researchers found that reported flu cases in the study group decreased 85 percent compared to the controls after administration of high doses of vitamin C.