Hillary Clinton: China crackdown 'a fool's errand'

US Secretary of State Hillary Clinton has criticised China's crackdown on dissent as "a fool's errand", saying Beijing is trying to halt history.

In an interview with The Atlantic, Mrs Clinton also called the nation's human rights record "deplorable".

She defended US dealings with Beijing, saying: "We live in the real world."

The BBC's Kim Ghattas in Washington says Mrs Clinton seemed to suggest the Chinese system itself would collapse and that democracy was inevitable.

The article quotes Mrs Clinton as saying last month that China's leaders were "worried" that the wave of pro-democracy protests overtaking the Middle East would spread east to China.

"They're trying to stop history, which is a fool's errand," she said. "They cannot do it, but they're going to hold it off as long as possible."

China-US talks
Since February, China has detained hundreds of pro-democracy activists, lawyers and writers and has clamped down on news media reporting on the Middle East protests.

Mrs Clinton's remarks were published as US and Chinese officials held high-level strategic and economic talks in Washington.

At the opening of the meetings on Monday, Mrs Clinton said in a speech that the US remained concerned about the human rights situation in China.

"We know over the long arch of history that societies that work toward respecting human rights are going to be more prosperous, stable, and successful," she told Chinese officials.

"That has certainly been proven time and time again, but most particularly in the last months."

Criticism of China's human rights record had been muted at the beginning of the Obama administration but has become increasingly more vocal, our correspondent says.

However, Mrs Clinton said later that the US and China were achieving much greater understanding through regular talks between top officials.

"I do think we are reaching a much better understanding and I think that's one of the principal purposes of the dialogues," she said following the third Strategic and Economic Dialogue between the two countries.


Source: bbc.co.uk

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Japan 'to review energy policy' over nuclear crisis

Japan is to reconsider plans to increase its reliance on nuclear power in the wake of the crisis at the Fukushima plant.

Prime Minister Naoto Kan said Japan had to start from scratch with its energy plans following the disaster.

The plant has been leaking radiation since the 11 March earthquake and subsequent tsunami damaged cooling systems to the reactors.

Operator Tepco has asked for government help to compensate those affected.

More than 80,000 local residents living within a 20km (12 mile) radius of the plant have been evacuated from their homes.

Agriculture and businesses have been hit and there is no timescale yet for allowing residents to return, although a small group were allowed inside the no-go zone briefly on Tuesday to gather belongings.

Total compensation claims are not yet known, but analysts say they may be more than $100bn (£61bn).

'Big incident'
Nuclear plants currently supply about 30% of Japan's electricity.

Addressing a news conference, Mr Kan described nuclear power as a "major pillar" of Japanese society, along with fossil fuels.

But he said other forms of energy would also be key in the future.

"The current basic energy policy envisages that over 50% of total electricity supply will come from nuclear power while more than 20% will come from renewable power in 2030," he said.

"But that basic plan needs to be reviewed now from scratch after this big incident."

"Better safety must be ensured in nuclear power while renewables need to be promoted."

He said greater focus would also be placed on ways of conserving energy, turning Japan into an "energy-saving society".

Mr Kan also said he would not take his prime minister's salary until the plant was under control and would be paid only as a member of parliament.

Tepco (Tokyo Electric Power Company) has said that it may take up to nine months to achieve a cold shut-down at the nuclear plant, which workers are struggling to stabilise.

Cooling systems were knocked out, causing fuel rods to overheat. There were subsequently explosions at four reactors operating at the time of the earthquake.

Engineers are pumping water into the reactors to cool them as they work to restore the damaged cooling systems.

Mr Kan's comments came hours after Tepco said it had presented a formal written request for assistance to Economy Minister Banri Kaieda.

In a statement, the company said it faced "an extremely severe situation" in terms of raising funds and that it needed state help so that "fair and prompt" compensation could be paid to local residents.

It has promised to restructure and executive salaries have already been reduced.

Japan's biggest power utility also faces billions of dollars in extra fuel costs to make up for reactor closures at Fukushima.

Shares in Tepco - which serves an area that accounts for 33% of Japan's economy - have plunged since the earthquake and subsequent tsunami.

On Tuesday, Finance Minister Yoshihiko Noda hinted that the government would give Tepco some form of support.

"They can't be allowed to face bankruptcy," said Penn Bowers, an analyst at CLSA in Tokyo. "I think everyone understands they can't be allowed to fail."


Source: bbc.co.uk

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Microsoft confirms takeover of Skype

Microsoft has confirmed that it has agreed to buy internet phone service Skype.

The deal will see Microsoft pay $8.5bn (£5.2bn) for Skype, making it Microsoft's largest acquisition.

Luxembourg-based Skype has 663 million global users. In August last year it announced plans for a share flotation, but this was subsequently put on hold.

Internet auction house eBay bought Skype for $2.6bn in 2006, before selling 70% of it in 2009 for $2bn.

This majority stake was bought by a group of investors led by private equity firms Silver Lake and Andreessen Horowit.

Other major shareholders include tech-firm Joltid and the Canada Pension Plan Investment Board.

Shares in Microsoft were down 1.3% at $25.50 in early trading in New York.

'Defensive move'
Microsoft chief executive Steve Ballmer said: "Skype is a phenomenal service that is loved by millions of people around the world.

"Together we will create the future of real-time communications so people can easily stay connected to family, friends, clients and colleagues anywhere in the world."

Skype will now become a new division within Microsoft, and Skype chief executive Tony Bates will continue to lead the business, reporting directly to Mr Ballmer.

"It's a strategic asset and a defensive move [for Microsoft]," said Colin Gillis, an analyst at BGC Financial.

"If they can put it on Windows 8, it gives them an advantage. It helps them in the tablet market."

Other analysts say Microsoft's aim in buying Skype is to improve its video conferencing services.

Price concerns
Although the price tag of $8.5bn will not stretch the US giant, some experts have questioned whether it is paying too much for a company that has struggled to turn a profit.

Michael Clendenin, managing director of consulting firm RedTech Advisors, said: "If you consider [Skype] was just valued at about $2.5bn 18 months ago when a chunk was sold off, then $8.5bn seems generous.

"[It] means Microsoft has a high wall to climb to prove to investors that Skype is a necessary linchpin for the company's online and mobile strategy."

This view was echoed by Ben Woods, head of research group CCS Insight.

"The big unanswered question is how do Skype assets work for Microsoft... how do you justify the price?" he said.

Skype was founded in 2003.

Calls to other Skype users are free, while the company charges for those made to both traditional landline phones and mobiles.


Source: bbc.co.uk

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Triesman claims four Fifa members sought 2018 bribes

Former Football Association chairman Lord Triesman claims four Fifa members sought "bribes" in return for backing England's failed 2018 World Cup bid.

Triesman - who was initially chairman of England's bid - made the allegations about Jack Warner, Nicolas Leoz, Ricardo Teixeira and Worawi Makudi.

He said their behaviour was "below what would be ethically acceptable".

However, Fifa vice-president Warner said the allegations made against him by Triesman were "a piece of nonsense".

Speaking to Sky Sports News, Warner added: "I've never asked Triesman nor any other person, Englishman or otherwise, for any money for my vote at any time.

"In the English campaign, before Triesman was unceremoniously kicked out, I've spoken to him on his initiative on only three occasions, while I've spoken to his other colleagues on other occasions and not one of them will ever corroborate his bit of trivia.

"I have been in Fifa for 29 years and this will astound many, I'm sure, including people like David Dein [international president of England 2018 bid] and Geoff Thompson [head of England's 2018 bid]."

Triesman admitted that - with hindsight - his bid team should have reported Warner, Leoz, Teixeira and Makudi immediately.

Speaking before a British parliamentary inquiry into the governance of football in England and the country's failure to secure the right to host the 2018 World Cup finals, Triesman said the FA chose not to complain at the time for fear of jeopardising England's bid.

As it turned out, England collected only two out of 22 votes in December last year as Russia landed the tournament.

"I think, in retrospect, we would have burned off our chances," Triesman told the Department of Culture, Media and Sport committee on Tuesday. "In retrospect, that was not the right view to take and I accept that."

Triesman said he now planned to take his evidence to Fifa, while John Whittingdale, chairman of the committee, said he would be writing to Fifa president Sepp Blatter to launch an investigation into the evidence "as a matter of urgency".

Blatter himself promised immediate action if evidence of wrongdoing by executive committee members was revealed.

"I was shocked [upon hearing] but one has to see the evidence," said the 75-year-old Swiss on Tuesday, adding that the accused executive committee members were not elected by the same congress as him.

"They are coming from other confederations, so I cannot say that they are all angels or all devils.

"There is a new round of information. Give us time to digest that and start the investigation by asking for evidence on what has been said.

"We will react immediately against all those in breach of the ethics code rules.

"Zero tolerance is going through Fifa, it is one of the items on the Congress. It is my battle horse."

Fifa secretary-general Jerome Valcke claimed the governing body had been very clear about what was considered ethical behaviour during World Cup voting.

"We will be asking for evidence or any information," he said. "We sent a letter to all ExCo [executive committee] members on what they can or cannot do so we were very clear from day one."

Triesman's specific claims are:

- Fifa vice-president Warner asked for around £2.5m to build an education centre in Trinidad, with the cash to be channelled through him, and later wanted £500,000 to buy Haiti's World Cup TV rights for the earthquake-hit nation, again to be channelled through him;

- Paraguay's Fifa member Leoz asked for a knighthood;

- Brazil's Fifa member Teixeira asked him [Triesman] to "come and tell me what you have got for me", with the implication being that he wanted something in return for his vote;

- Thailand's Fifa member Makudi wanted to be given the TV rights to a friendly between England and the Thai national team.

Triesman also claimed that Premier League chief executive Richard Scudamore offered to support the England 2018 World Cup bid in return for the FA's backing for his controversial '39th Game ' proposal.

But Scudamore claimed Triesman's version of events was incorrect.

"I'm afraid David's recollection of the facts and the chronology is simply wrong in this instance," he said in a statement.

"I was, along with my organisation and our member clubs, always in full support of England's bid for the 2018 World Cup.

"It was discussed at numerous club meetings and that support was never made conditional on the International Round concept (39th Game), or anything else for that matter.

"In fact, the league and its clubs had moved on from the idea of an International Round some time before the FA started structuring the 2018 Bid Company and associated positions.

"I will be writing to the select committee to provide them with the accurate facts in this matter."

In a separate development, it was also claimed that two more Fifa executive committee members were paid nearly £1m to vote for Qatar's bid.

Conservative MP Damian Collins said evidence submitted by the Sunday Times newspaper - which has been published on the UK Parliament website - claimed Fifa vice-president Issa Hayatou, from Cameroon, and Jacques Anouma, from the Ivory Coast, were involved.

Collins also said the Sunday Times submission claimed Qatar specifically employed a fixer to arrange deals with African members for their votes.

Mike Lee, the London-based public relations consultant who worked on Qatar's bid, said he was unaware of any payments being made.

Lee, formerly communications director of the Premier League, Uefa and London's 2012 Olympic bid, told MPs: "I was working at the highest level of that bid and talking at length with the chairman and ceo and saw no evidence of any of these allegations.

"My experience is I would have had a sense if such things were going on and I had no sense of that."

These latest accusations could spell more trouble more Fifa.
Two other executive committee members, Amos Adamu from Nigeria and Reynald Temarii from Tahiti, were banned by Fifa's ethics committee last year.

That means eight executive committee members, one third of the total 24, have either been alleged to have been already found guilty of impropriety in relation to the 2018 and 2022 bids.


Source: news.bbc.co.uk

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Punjab thrash Mumbai by 76 runs to cause big upset

Mohali: After a glut of one-sided snooze-fests, the IPL produced the kind of upset the Twenty20 format is made for, with the tenth-placed Kings XI Punjab producing a strong performance to trounce the table-toppers, Mumbai Indians. Punjab came out determined against Mumbai's gun bowlers - Lasith Malinga and Harbhajan Singh - and scrapped their way towards a solid base, before Munaf Patel's five-for kept them to 163. In reply, Mumbai combusted in a rash of ridiculous shots to hand Punjab two points on a platter, and keep their campaign alive.

Scorecard

It was the kind of score Punjab would have taken at the toss, given how badly out of form their batting has been in recent games. It gave them the rare luxury of something to bowl at, and they responded with purpose and vigour. Aiden Blizzard produced three edgy boundaries in the first over from Praveen Kumar, but things went rapidly downhill from there for Mumbai's batsmen. Sachin Tendulkar guided an innocuous delivery from Praveen straight to backward point in the third over, before Adam Gilchrist pulled off an alert stumping to send Rohit Sharma on his way. When Blizzard was adjudged out nicking a leg-side ball from Praveen in the fifth over, Mumbai had slumped to 27 for 3, and there was no middle-order counter-attack to put them back on track. Even a couple of dropped chances and a missed run-out did not spark a revival, and the exit of Andrew Symonds, Ambati Rayudu and T Suman in successive overs set up a happy evening for the Mohali faithfuls.

Punjab's defiance was captured earlier in the day, in the way Gilchrist fronted up to Lasith Malinga. The bowler of the tournament screamed in for the second over of Punjab's innings, and delivered it full and wide of off stump. The out-of-form Gilchrist rolled back the years by moving across and slicing it through point. The next ball was hit even more fiercely, but it found the fielder. Buoyed by the confidence of having middled two balls, Gilchrist took guard outside the crease for the next delivery. It was a yorker, followed by a bouncer that clattered Gilchrist on the back of his helmet. He was stunned for a moment and floored for a minute, but he got a new helmet and carried on. Punjab were not going to flinch today.

Paul Valthaty did his bit to kick-start the innings before perishing in Munaf's first over, pulling him straight to deep midwicket. Gilchrist carried on though he was clearly not at his best, struggling to pick Harbhajan's straighter ones, and to adapt to the drop in pace once Malinga exited the attack. Symonds let him off on one of those indiscretions, when Gilchrist drove Dhawal Kulkarni uppishly into the covers. Gilchrist celebrated by launching Rohit Sharma for a straight six, while Shaun Marsh checked in by creaming Kulkarni twice through the off side.

Malinga returned and produced the breakthrough, hurling down another pacy bouncer which Gilchrist feathered behind. Marsh had found his range by then, and seamlessly took charge of the innings along with Dinesh Karthik. Blizzard made things easier for Punjab, dropping Dinesk Karthik when he top-edged Kieron Pollard. Karthik celebrated by sweeping and reverse-sweeping T Suman for successive fours in the 14th over, as Punjab coiled for the final assault. It was the cue for the Munaf show to begin.

Marsh welcomed Munaf to the crease by crashing the first ball of his second spell through the covers, before imparting a violent thump to another half-tracker, to send it sailing along towards the deep midwicket fence. Pollard had his own ideas, though, running at full tilt, diving to his right and intercepting the ball with both hands, to pull off one of the best catches of the tournament. That sparked Mumbai's best phase in the game, as Munaf used clever changes in length and pace to cut through the lower order. He dismissed David Hussey for a duck, before foxing Karthik and Ryan Harris into scooping catches into the outfield. Munaf's efforts had restricted Punjab to just 39 off the last five overs, but Mumbai's spectacular batting collapse meant it counted for nothing.


Source: sports.ndtv.com

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Beckham ponders return for Neville testimonial

Manchester: David Beckham could return to Old Trafford to play in his friend Gary Neville's testimonial when Manchester United face Juventus on May 24.

Nicky Butt and Phil Neville are set to play in the match, a repeat of the 1999 Champions League semi-final, as are Paul Scholes and Ryan Giggs.

They, like Beckham and Gary Neville, were all members of United's celebrated 'Class of 92', a youth side that produced players who would later appear in the trophy-winning senior teams put together by United manager Sir Alex Ferguson.

Former England skipper Beckham, now with the Los Angeles Galaxy, a US Major League Soccer side, has not pulled on a United shirt since leaving the club for Real Madrid in 2003.

When Ferguson brought several young players into the first team at once, former Liverpool captain turned television pundit Alan Hansen declared: "You'll never win anything with kids."

However, the stars of the 'Class of 92' helped bring six Premier League titles, two FA Cups and the 1999 Champions League, which capped a treble-winning season, to Old Trafford.

"I have been fortunate to work with many exceptional young players, but the class of 92 was unique," Ferguson said.

"For so many of them to stay together and succeed at the highest level is a great tribute to their talent and this club's belief in the power of youth.

"I am convinced that no group of players will ever make such an impact on the English game as those boys have done - and continue to do."

Butt, who left United for Newcastle in 2004 and has just returned from a brief spell in Hong Kong, added: "When Gary asked me to play in his game I immediately said yes, especially when I heard that the class of 92 were going to be there too.

"It was a special time for all of us growing up and it is only now as you look back that you actually see what an amazing story it is."

Neville's brother Phil, who joined Everton in 2005, said: "I am so excited to be going back to Old Trafford to celebrate what will be an amazing night for my brother.

"It will be an emotional night for all the family but what a fitting way for Gary to bow out of a fantastic career.

"He will go down as the best full-back to play at Manchester United and he will miss pulling on the red shirt as I know how much it means to him."

Gary Neville, 36, will end his 18-year United career with United against Italian giants Juventus.

He played his final senior game at West Brom in January, when he was fortunate to escape a red card for the second time this season.

In total Neville, who made his United debut as a 17-year-old against Torpedo Moscow, made 602 appearances for the club he has supported all his life, won eight Premier League titles, three FA Cups, two League Cups and the 1999 Champions League.

In addition, the defender won 85 England caps.


Source: sports.ndtv.com

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Federer focussed on return to the top

Rome: Record 16-time Grand Slam winner Roger Federer insists he still has his sights set on a return to the number one world ranking.

Federer has been in the shadow not only of long-time rival Rafael Nadal in recent times but now also man of the moment Novak Djokovic.

But the Swiss 29-year-old believes he can still return to the top of the tree, even though he trails Nadal by 3,500 points in the rankings.

"It's important for me to get back to world number one. I mentioned it after Wimbledon, it's a goal of mine and it's still very real and very possible," he said at a press conference here in Rome.

"I still have the World Tour Finals in my pocket, I don't have a Grand Slam in my pocket but if I win one it changes everything.

"But these guys (Nadal and Djokovic) are playing better than me and other players.

"Novak has won a lot of tournaments, like Rafa, but I'm getting closer.

"It's not like I'm struggling in the first or second round. It's a new situation with Novak not losing.

"But not much has changed for me from when I was number one. With (Andy) Murray or Novak or even Rafa occasionally in my draw it was always hard.

"Everyone is so consistent, it's not like you can say Murray is bad on clay or Rafael is bad on grass, everyone can play on every surface.

"I'm as optimistic as ever."

From 2003-2007 Federer was the undisputed best player in the world but then Nadal started to emerge as a very real threat to the Swiss's dominance.

And in 2008 when Nadal beat Federer in the Wimbledon final, a tournament Federer had virtually owned for the previous five years, the change-over was complete.

Federer had to get used to his new status as number two in the world but last year he was also overtaken by Djokovic.

And now that Djokovic has beaten Nadal in a clay final, in Madrid last week, many would suggest that the baton is about to pass from the Spaniard to the Serbian.

It was the third time in a row this year that Djokovic has beaten Nadal in a Masters Series final.

He is also the Australian Open champion and remains unbeaten this year.

But Federer doesn't think too much should be read into that Madrid final.

"I thought Novak definitely had a chance to play for it, he's been playing well these last three months," he said.

"Madrid remains a quick clay court so he had a better chance to beat Rafa there if ever he was going to do it.

"It's always surprising to see Rafa lose on clay. It's just one tournament but another good one for Novak."

Federer denied that he is struggling to adapt to his new position slightly out of the limelight in comparison to his younger rivals.

"They deserve the (good) press, they've got a lot of it. It's good stories and I'm all for it.

"They've had a number of matches over the years, the same number as I've had with Rafa because they're playing many semi-finals and finals.

"There's a number of players behind waiting to stake their claim and I'm one of those.

"I've played all the semis since Wimbledon, apart from Monte Carlo. I had a close match with Rafa last week."

Federer begins his challenge here with a clash against Frenchman Jo-Wilfried Tsonga and he is wary of the physical threat his opponent poses.

"We haven't played that much, four times I think. We played at the beginning of this year (Federer won in straight sets in Dubai).

"He has the potential to play on clay even if his best surfaces are hard or grass or even indoors."

Source: sports.ndtv.com

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Cell phone alert system to be announced in New York, Washington

New York: A national system that will send emergency alerts to cell phones is set to begin in Washington and New York City by the end of the year.

The Federal Communications Commission and Federal Emergency Management Agency said on Monday the system will warn people about terrorist attacks, natural disasters or other emergencies.

Starting next year all new cell phones will be required to have a chip that receives the alerts. Some smart phones already have the technology. People can opt out of certain alerts, like the amber alerts for missing children.

The alert system will send the emergency messages even if other cell phone voice or text services aren't working. It is expected to be in place in cities across the country by the end of next year.


Source: ndtv.com

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US still waits for access to Osama bin Laden's widows

Islamabad: Pakistan has not yet allowed American investigators access to the three widows of Osama bin Laden taken into Pakistani custody after the raid that killed the leader of Al Qaeda, nor shared their own interrogation report, a Pakistani security official said Tuesday.

The official was speaking on condition of anonymity in keeping with the rules of his organization.

The Obama administration demanded access to the women, who appear to have been in hiding with Bin Laden for years, and an American official said that Pakistan had promised to comply.

The widows, along with the Pakistani wife of Bin Laden's trusted courier, and a number of children detained at the Bin Laden compound in Abbottabad remain in the hands of the Pakistani security forces. There are conflicting reports as to how many there are and who they are.

Some information given by intelligence officials appears intended to cast doubt on the account of the raid as presented by American officials; none has been independently verified.

Initial reports indicated that 12 women and children were in the compound; it now appears that there were 17.

Pakistani security officials, asking to remain anonymous, say that along with the widows, two from Saudi Arabia and one from Yemen, there were 13 children, 8 of them related to bin Laden.
The fourth woman, who was wounded in the raid, indicated to officials who first arrived at the compound that her husband had been killed, according to Asad Munir, a retired brigadier and former intelligence service official.

Bin Laden's widows have been identified as Um Hamza, or Mother of Hamza, whose real name is Khairiah Sabar, and is from Jidda in Saudi Arabia; Um Khalid, or Mother of Khalid, whose name is Siham, and is from Medina in Saudi Arabia; and the youngest, a Yemeni, Amal al-Saddah, 29.

Bin Laden's daughter with Ms. Saddah, Safia, who is about 12 years old, is also reported to have been present and even to have witnessed the shooting of her father. Officials have also said that four of the children are bin Laden's grandchildren, by a daughter killed in an airstrike in Pakistan's tribal areas.


Source: ndtv.com

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Man jumps to death off world's tallest tower in Dubai

Dubai: A man committed suicide on Tuesday in a plunge of 39 floors from a segment of the world's tallest skyscraper in Dubai, according to its owner and reports in the local media.

Emaar Properties, the owner of the towering Burj Khalifa said in a brief statement "an incident involving a male" was reported at the tower's site at 9:00 a.m. Tuesday.

"The concerned authorities have confirmed that it was a suicide, and we are awaiting the final report," Emaar's statement also said. It did not elaborate further.

The media reports quoted security officials as saying the man fell from the 147th floor of the 2,717 foot-tall (828-meter) Burj Khalifa and landed on a deck on the 108th floor. It is the first known suicide from the landmark tower, which opened in January 2010.

Reports on the websites of the Gulf News and 7 Days newspapers say the man jumped Tuesday after a dispute with his company.

Police did not immediately reply to calls by The Associated Press for further details.

According to Emaar, the skyscraper has 160 habitable stories. An observation deck is located on the 124th floor and a restaurant - billed as the highest in the world - is located just two floors bellow.

The tower was designed by Chicago-based Skidmore, Owings & Merrill, which has a long track record engineering some of the world's tallest buildings, including Chicago's Willis Tower, the tallest in the U.S. formerly known as the Sears Tower.

Burj Khalifa ranks not only as the highest building but also as the tallest freestanding structure in the world, according to its developer.

In March, a French skyscraper climber successfully climbed the tapering metal and glass tower in downtown Dubai in six hours. The 48-year-old climber, Alain Robert, used a rope and harness to comply with organizers' requirements in the Gulf sheikdom.

Late last year, actor Tom Cruise was seen dangling from the Burj during stunt filming for the latest installment of the "Mission: Impossible" series.


Source: ndtv.com

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Osama bin Laden's sons say US violated international law

Washington: The adult sons of Osama bin Laden have lashed out at President Obama over their father's death, accusing the United States of violating its basic legal principles by killing an unarmed man, shooting his family members and disposing of his body in the sea.

The statement said the family was asking why the leader of Al Qaeda "was not arrested and tried in a court of law so that truth is revealed to the people of the world." Citing the trials of Saddam Hussein and Slobodan Milosevic, the statement questioned "the propriety of such assassination where not only international law has been blatantly violated," but the principles of presumption of innocence and the right to a fair trial were ignored.

"We maintain that arbitrary killing is not a solution to political problems," the statement said, adding that "justice must be seen to be done."

The statement, prepared at the direction of Omar bin Laden, a son who had publicly denounced his father's terrorism, was provided to The New York Times by Jean Sasson, an American author who helped the younger bin Laden write a 2009 memoir, "Growing Up bin Laden." A shorter, slightly different statement was posted on a jihadist Web site Tuesday.

Omar bin Laden, 30, lived with his father in Afghanistan until 1999, when he left with his mother, Najwa bin Laden, who co-wrote the memoir. In the book and other public statements, the younger bin Laden denounced violence of all kinds, a stance he repeated in the sons' statement to The Times. None of Osama bin Laden's sons other than Omar was named in the statement, so it was unclear exactly who else had approved the message.

"We want to remind the world that Omar bin Laden, the fourth-born son of our father, always disagreed with our father regarding any violence and always sent messages to our father, that he must change his ways and that no civilians should be attacked under any circumstances," the statement said. "Despite the difficulty of publicly disagreeing with our father, he never hesitated to condemn any violent attacks made by anyone, and expressed sorrow for the victims of any and all attacks."

Condemning the shooting of one of the Qaeda leader's wives during the assault on May 2 in Abbottabad, Pakistan, the statement added: "As he condemned our father, we now condemn the president of the United States for ordering the execution of unarmed men and women."

The sons' statement called on the government of Pakistan to hand over to family members the three wives and several children of the terrorist now believed to be in Pakistani custody and asked for a United Nations investigation of the circumstances of their father's death.

In addition to the statement, Ms. Sasson shared with The Times notes on what Omar bin Laden, who declined to be interviewed directly, has told her by phone in recent days. The notes describe Mr. bin Laden's struggle, as he came of age, to understand and eventually reject his father's embrace of religious violence.

Mr. bin Laden told Ms. Sasson the death of his father "has affected this family in much the same way as many other families in the past in the loss of a family member."


Source: ndtv.com

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J&K Panchayat Polls: Muslims vote for Kashmiri Pandit woman

Srinagar: In an incredible story of hope from the Kashmir Valley, a Kashmiri Pandit woman won the Panchayat elections in Wusan, a village in North Kashmir where 98% voters are Muslims.

45-year-old Asha's victory is particularly significant as this is the first time in 33 years that a Kashmiri Pandit has been elected to a Panchayat in the Valley.

''Muslims supported me. My Muslim contender lost. A Pandit woman has won,'' she says.

The villagers in Wusan are a happy lot.

"We can give our blood for her," says Halima, a resident of Wusan Village. Another one adds, "Muslims voted for her and she won with a good margin."

Asha's is among the five families that weathered the worst of the Pandit-Muslim strife in the 90s but did not join the mass exodus. Her win, Asha says, is a vindication for Pandits who chose to stay back .

''All Pandits should come back. First, I am asking my neighbours to return. I have shown you how well our Muslim brethren are treating us. Look at what they have done for me. My opponent was their Muslim sister,'' she says, appealing Pandits to return to the Valley," she says.

Asha's name translates into hope and her victory sends a larger message that the centuries-old bond between Kashmiri Muslims and Pandits is still alive.


Source: ndtv.com

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Prince William and Princess Catherine honeymoon in Seychelles

Britain's Prince William and Princess Catherine have finally left for their honeymoon, flying to the Seychelles by private jet yesterday (09.05.11).

Britain's Prince William and Princess Catherine have jetted off on honeymoon.
The Duke and Duchess of Cambridge - who married at London's Westminster Abbey on April 29 - flew to the Seychelles in the Indian Ocean on a private jet yesterday (09.05.11) for a 10-day romantic break at a £4,000-a-night villa.
A royal insider said: "I think that for the first few days at least William and Catherine will just want a bit of privacy.
"After the glitter and excitement of their wedding and all the organisation it involved, they can't wait to spend some quality time on their own."
Their destination has been described as pure luxury with one source telling Britain's Daily Mail: "It's one of the most incredible places you will ever visit and Catherine will have the time of her life. It's everything you could want from a honeymoon destination and more - beautiful beaches, tropical seas and complete privacy."
A spokesman for St James's Palace added: "We are not confirming and we are not commenting on speculation on where they may be going on their private honeymoon, we are just confirming that they have gone.
"The couple have asked that their privacy be respected during their honeymoon."
The couple were forced to postpone their trip as William had to return to work as a Royal Air Force (RAF) search-and-rescue pilot immediately after the wedding.


Source: sofeminine.co.uk

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Drummer gets probation for sex with teen girl from band camp

A former drummer with the Miami Heat Street Band was sentenced to seven years probation Tuesday for having sex with a teenage girl he met at a band camp.

Clinton Tyquiem Simmons, now 23, worked as an assistant band director at the camp and the girl was a youth counselor in June 2009.

A police report blacked out the name and location of the band camp and the girl's exact age.

Simmons was originally charged with three counts of lewd or lascivious battery on a victim between the ages of 12 and 15. Each count carried a maximum penalty of 15 years in prison.

On Tuesday morning, he pleaded no contest to three reduced counts of child abuse.

The plea deal hinged on the nature of the relationship, said Steven Schaet, Simmons' defense attorney.

"It was nothing forced. It was all consensual," Schaet said.

Broward Circuit Judge Carlos Rebollo also sentenced Simmons to 100 hours of community service, a psychosexual evaluation and any recommended treatment.

At the time of his May 2010 arrest, Simmons was a drummer with the Miami Heat Street Band. His attorney said he no longer plays with the band.


Source: sun-sentinel.com

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Lady Gaga, Kanye West to Play Cannes Film Festival Gigs

Lady Gaga will be showing her poker face in Cannes this year. The singer landed in Paris on Tuesday to start promotion for her new album "Born This Way," which, like in the U.S., launches in France on May 23.

Gaga will head to Cannes to perform a live concert on Wednesday on Canal Plus' hit show "Le Grand Journal," whose stage takes over the Croisette during the festival.

Gaga will respond to questions from the show's host Michel Denisot and his team of animated French TV presenters before singing "Judas" to a live Cannes crowd.

Gaga's presence will surely cause a stir on the already-bustling Croisette as the 64th annual Festival de Cannes kicks off on Wednesday.

Kanye West is also expected to perform at a festival party next week.


Source: billboard.com

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Arnold, Maria break up after 25 years

Los Angeles, May 10 : Hollywood's sinewy superhero and former California governor Arnold Schwarzenegger and his wife Maria Shriver on Monday announced the decision to separate, ending a 25 year old union and parenting of four children.

In a joint statement issued to the media, the separating couple said: “This has been a time of great personal and professional transition for each of us. After a great deal of thought, reflection, discussion, and prayer, we came to this decision together."

“At this time, we are living apart, while we work on the future of our relationship,” they said. “We are continuing to parent our four children together. They are the light and the center of both of our lives,” the statement added.

On April 26, 1986, the Austria born Schwarzenegger married television journalist Maria Shriver. She is the niece of President John F. Kennedy.

The 63-year-old Schwarzenegger, known for his action films like Conan the Barbarian, The Terminator, Commando, Total Recall and Predator before his political career as a Republican (he was governor for two term in California and held office till four months ago), and his family were living in their sprawling home in Brentwood, a neighbourhood of Los Angeles, but Maria moved out of the place following the separation.

Schwarzenegger, who had earlier been accused of sexual misconduct during his election run up, has said he believes the secret of a good marriage is love and respect.

"If you have the ultimate love for your wife and she has it for you, I think you have a great head start ... That's not to say it won't be difficult sometimes. You go through your ups and downs but you work through it," he was quoted saying.


Source: newkerala.com

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One police officer dead in suicide bombing in Russia's North Caucasus

DAGESTAN, RUSSIA : A suicide bombing on Tuesday killed one police officer and injured another in Dagestan in the volatile Russia's North Caucasus region, RIA Novosti reported.

A young man was walking towards the police headquarters in Dagestan's capital city, Makhachkala. Before reaching his destination, a police officer detained him in order to check his documents.

However, the suicide bomber detonated an explosive device he was carrying. Police launched an investigation to determine the identity of the suspected militant. Minutes after the blast another explosion took place in Makhachkala.

Several people were injured after a car loaded with explosives was detonated in the center of the city in the mostly-Muslim republic. Terrorist attacks and shootouts are an increasing issue in the North Caucasus region.

On Sunday, seven suspected militants were killed during a large-scale security operation by Russian security forces in a forest in the Kizlyar district in northern Dagestan.

In addition, one soldier was killed and three riot police officers were injured during the operation during which police encountered with a group of militants and engaged in a gunfight.

Also on Tuesday, police killed four suspected militants in a raid at an apartment in downtown Nalchik, Kabardino-Balkaria. In late April, law agents killed 10 insurgents, suspected of perpetrating a series of terror attacks on Russian tourists in a ski resort.

So far this year, Russian security forces have killed 146 militants in the North Caucasus region, including 19 senior leaders. The deaths have taken place in the troubled republics of Chechnya, Dagestan and Kabardino-Balkaria.

Islamist militants in the region have been fighting Russian security forces for years, looking to establish an independent state in the North Caucasus. Around 50 percent of all terrorist-related violence in Russia last year happened in the mainly-Muslim region.

Chechen Islamist rebel leader Dokka Umarov claimed responsibility for ordering the suicide bombing that killed 37 people and injured approximately 200 more at Moscow's Domodedovo airport.

Umarov ordered the Moscow attack in pursuit of an independent Muslim state in the North Caucasus region in southern Russia. In April 2009, Russia ended its ten-year-long anti terrorism campaign against separatist forces in Chechnya.


Source: newkerala.com

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Over 4,000 foreigners got Indian visa on arrival

New Delhi, May 10 : Over 4,000 foreigners from 11 countries used the tourist visa on arrival facility in the first four months of this year, with the maximum numbers hailing from New Zealand, Japan and the Philippines, the tourism ministry said Tuesday.

The highest number of visas on arrival (VoAs) were issued to New Zealand citizens (946), followed by Japan (777), the Philippines (623), Singapore (596), Indonesia (551) and Finland (516). Other country-nationals who availed the facility were from Cambodia (49), Vietnam (32), Luxembourg (25), Myanmar (23) and Laos (1).

According to the tourism ministry, in April alone, a total of 1,234 foreigners came to India as compared to 1,089 in March.

Indonesia topped the list in April with 255 people, followed by New Zealanders at 241. Others were from the Philippines (231), Japan (194), Singapore (165), Finland (105), Vietnam (13), Myanmar (12), Luxembourg (11) and Cambodia (7).

"During the period January-April, a total number of 4,139 VoAs on arrival were issued," the ministry said.

The official said the maximum number of visas were issued at the Indira Gandhi International Airport here. As many as 2,228 visas were issued at the Delhi airport, followed by Mumbai (1,009), Chennai (684) and Kolkata (218).

In 2010, over 6,500 foreigners used the scheme to visit India.

The scheme was first introduced Jan 1, 2010 for citizens of Finland, Japan, Luxembourg, New Zealand and Singapore. Following a good response, the government extended it to six more countries -- Cambodia, Indonesia, Vietnam, the Philippines, Laos and Myanmar -- from January 2011.

India introduced the scheme in its bid to promote tourism and facilitate the visits of foreigners who plan their visits at a short notice.


Source: newkerala.com

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Claim Pakistani Kashmir before China takes over, India urged

New Delhi, May 10 : India should be assertive and proactive to claim the strategically vital parts of Kashmir "illegally" occupied by Pakistan where China has increased its footprints leading to fears that Beijing may take over the territory by 2020, according to a report.

The report by New Delhi think tank Institute of Defence Studies and Analysis says China's growing footprint in the region had added another strategic dimension to the discourse on the territory that includes Northern Areas, also called Gilgit Baltistan and Azad Jammu and Kashmir.

"These realities are certain to impinge on India's long-term security interests and therefore it is incumbent upon Indian policy makers to adopt a pro-active approach towards PoK (Pakistan-occupied Kashmir) which is an integral part of India," it says.

The report alleges that the Karakoram Highway (KKH) connecting Pakistan with China through Pakistani Kashmir has been used for the clandestine transfer of nuclear material from Beining to Islamabad.

"That this has multiple strategic implications for regional security, especially that of India, has been underscored," it states.

The 1,280-km-long highway connects Havelian rail-head near Abbottabad in Pakistan with Kashgar in Xinjiang region of China. It was built in 1978 with Chinese assistance.

Detailing Chinese developmental projects in Pakistani Kashmir, the report says Chinese companies were working on a number of hydel projects, including Neelum-Jhelum, Gomal Zam and the reconstruction of Mangla dam.

The report citing Pakistan media alleges that the joint power projects signed between China and Pakistan during President Asif Ali Zardari's visit in 2009 were "not transparent" as "often Chinese companies were awarded contracts without open bidding.

"Therefore, it is difficult to have a clear idea of the nature and extent of Chinese involvement in PoK."

It says that people of the region were fearing that if the "current pace of Chinese penetration is sustained, then China may completely take over Gilgit Baltistan by the year 2020".

"This is not an alarmist proposition and such prospects have been hinted at in a New York Times article (that) states that at least 7,000-11,000 Chinese troops have been stationed in the Gilgit Baltistan region."

It "highlights the harsh realities of misrule and neglect in the region" and observes that "popular resentment against Pakistan is increasing day by day".

Reminding the Indian government of the 1994 parliamentary resolution declaring entire Jammu and Kashmir territory as an integral part of India, the report recommends that the government "should openly claim its rightful position on PoK in international fora and denounce Pakistan's illegal occupation.

"India should not only rethink its approach but also try and mobilise international opinion against bad governance and (the) unlawful occupation since 1947," it says.

It recommends that the Indian government should send a "clear and explicit message" to Pakistan and China, "which is seeking to fulfil its strategic objectives by involving itself in developmental projects".


Source: newkerala.com

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PM, Obama discuss Osama killing

New Delhi, May 10 : Prime Minister Manmohan Singh spoke to US President Barack Obama late Monday on the killing of al Qaeda chief Osama bin Laden in Pakistan's Abbottabad and the situation post the encounter, media reports said on Tuesday.

However, the Prime Minister’s Office (PMO) denied to share details of their telephonic conversations.

“The Prime Minister, Dr. Manmohan Singh spoke to President Obama of the United States of America. It was a warm conversation which covered wide-ranging subjects. They discussed further growth and development of India – US relations and the situation in the region,” said a PMO statement.

A statement issued by White House in Washington said Obama spoke to Singh to discuss the "successful American action against Osama bin Laden." However, it did not give further details.

The White House also remained diplomatic in its statement.

"The two leaders re-affirmed their commitment to building a global, strategic partnership, including defence cooperation, and looked forward to the upcoming meetings of the Strategic Dialogue, the Homeland Security Dialogue, the Joint Space Working Group and the High-Technology Cooperation Group," said a statement issued by the White House.

But, according to reports, Singh told Obama that Osama’s death is a ‘decisive blow’ on the terrorist outfit and ‘a significant step forward’. He also told the President that all terrorist organizations should be uprooted from Pakistan.

Osama was killed in Pakistan on May 2, ending an almost decade long manhunt for the world's most sought after terrorist.

Responsible for the September 11, 2001 attacks on the World Trade Center and the Pentagon, that killed about 3,000 people, bin Laden was hunted worldwide only to be found nearly ten years later in the Pakistani city of Abbottabad, which is in close proximity to capital Islamabad.


Source: newkerala.com

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Karnataka Chief Minister condoles death of Gurupadaswamy

Bangalore, May 10: Karnataka Chief Minister B S Yeddyurappa today expressed his profound grief at the death of Former Union Minister M S Gurupadaswamy.

In a condolence message, he said ''always simple, efficient, honest and a thorough gentleman, he has continuously strived for the welfare of the people.

''When required, he was adamant enough not to make any compromise in his firm philosophy.

''After entering into active politics at the young age of 29, he has served as member of both the houses of Parliament and as Leader of the Opposition in Rajya Sabha.

''His contributions as Union Minister for Petroleum and Atomic Energy are worthy of emulation, Mr Yeddyurappa said.

"Guided and influenced by Acharya Kripalaniji, Mr Gurupadaswamy had given emphasis for transparency in all fields," he added.

"Irrespective of political parties, all of us are influenced by his exemplary public life,''he added.

He said in the death of the 89-year-old veteran leader, Karnataka State and the country had lost an able Parliamentarian.


Source: newkerala.com

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Sheen and Snoop Dogg releasing single tomorrow

Charlie Sheen and Snoop Dogg are releasing their single 'Winning' tomorrow (11.05.11).

The pair’s track is set to be aired on US radio today (10.05.11) ahead of its release at midnight (PST), and all proceeds from downloads of the song will go to the actor’s Torpedos Against Tornados foundation, set up to help victims of the recent tornadoes which devastated Tuscaloosa last month.

Rob Patterson – former guitarist with the rock band Korn, who co-wrote the track – told the Los Angeles Times newspaper the song is meant to be light-hearted, saying: "Look, it's a good song. But I honestly don't want people to take it seriously. It's meant to be fun and entertaining."

Explaining the lyrical content of the track, Charlie told E! News: "Well, the genesis of the song is about, you know, winning. It's just everything in life.

"I think Snoop did a really good job at kind of encapsulating the whole vibe of you know the movement."

Rob was the person who asked Snoop to come into the studio and record a rap for the track, and was surprised by how enthusiastic he was and how quickly the 'Drop it Like it's Hot' hitmaker got his part ready after coming over to Charlie's home studio.

Rob added: "He arrived at 9pm and was out by 11 pm. We were all shocked by how quickly and how professionally he was able to just bang it out."

The song was then finished by Rob in various hotel rooms while he accompanied Charlie on his ‘My Violent Torpedo of Truth/Defeat Is Not an Option’ tour.

The track itself stars off with former 'Batwatch' actress Carmen Electra saying "Oh, good evening, Mr. Sheen. Are you winning?"

Snoop then interjects, proclaiming "No, he's smokin' right now!"

The track will be available in both a family friendly version and a more hardcore rap version, complete with expletives, from iTunes.


Source: musicrooms.net

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Beyonce honoured at Billboard Awards

Singer to be honoured with top award.
Beyonce will be presented with a top award at this year's Billboard Music Awards.

The 29-year-old will receive the Millennium Award, which recognises her influence in the music industry, later this month.

Rihanna, Cee Lo Green, Nicki Minaj and Black Eyed Peas are among the stars who will perform during the live broadcast.

The ceremony is set to air live from the MGM Grand Garden Arena in Las Vegas, on May 22, on US TV network ABC.


Source: musicrooms.net

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No apology for raid to kill Osama: US to Pakistan

Washington, May 10 (IANS) The United States has asked Pakistan to undertake a 'full investigation' of government connections to Osama bin Laden, bluntly telling Islamabad it will make no apology for the raid on the Al Qaeda leader's hideout.

While the Obama administration understands Pakistan's 'concerns,' President Barack Obama was set on using 'whatever means necessary' to kill Osama, White House press secretary Jay Carney told reporters Monday.

A 'full investigation' by Islamabad should see if any Pakistanis 'had foreknowledge' of Osama's residence in Abbottabad, just 50 km away from Islamabad, he said.

Asked about Pakistan not making killed Al Qaeda leader's widows available for the United States to question, Carney said he doesn't 'want to anticipate something ... happening.'

But the US relationship with Pakistan is 'important' and 'complicated' and 'this relationship is too important to walk away from,' he said. 'There are constant and regular communications between high-level officials ... of both governments.'

The White House comments came after Pakistani Prime Minister Yousuf Raza Gilani told his parliament that Osama's death was 'indeed justice done' but that future US unilateral actions in his country would be met with 'full force.'

'We appreciate the support we've gotten from Pakistan in the past ... in helping us take on the terrorist threat,' Carney said.

'More terrorists have been killed on Pakistani soil because of that cooperation,' he said, adding that there are 'consultations with the Pakistani government on many levels.'

He said Pakistan's 'overall assistance' over the years 'helped' in the mission to kill Osama bin Laden.

Carney said the Obama administration released videos of Osama to prove that 'we got these, procured these at the compound where bin Laden was living, and that we know now what he was up to.'


Source: sify.com

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'Japan has no plans to dump spent nuclear fuel abroad'

Moscow, May 10 (IANS/RIA Novosti) Japan has no plans to dispose its spent nuclear fuel overseas, State Secretary for Foreign Affairs Chiaki Takahashi was quoted by Kyodo news agency as saying.

The recent magnitude-9 quake and tsunami in northeastern Japan triggered a number of explosions at the Fukushima nuclear power plant, which caused the worst nuclear crisis since Chernobyl in 1986 and claimed 14,919 lives, while 9,893 people remain unaccounted for.

Earlier Monday, media reported citing sources that Japan, the US and Mongolia held informal talks on a possibility to build an international storage and disposal facility in Mongolia.

Tokyo Electric Power Co. (TEPCO), detected a potentially dangerous radiation level at the damaged No. 1 reactor of the Fukushima plant, Kyodo said Monday.

As soon as radiation drops to permissible levels, specialists will attempt to restart the reactor's cooling system, knocked out by the disasters.

TEPCO expects radioactivity levels at the plant to stabilise within six to nine months. The company also says radioactivity levels in the air around the plant will drop significantly within three months.

The Japanese government has said the damage from the disaster could total $310 billion.

--IANS/RIA Novosti



Source: sify.com

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Tuscaloosa mayor says faith helped after tornado

Hours after a tornado devastated Tuscaloosa, Mayor Walt Maddox couldn't believe what he was looking at — whole stretches of his city just "wiped off the map."

He asked the police sergeant who was driving the SUV — a police chaplain — to pull over.

"Sergeant," he asked Chad Palmer, "will you pray for us and pray for our city?"

Palmer's prayer asked for strength, patience, protection and wisdom. Maddox said it's helped carry him in the aftermath of the April 27 tornado outbreak that pummeled this central Alabama college town, killing at least 41 people, injuring hundreds and leaving still others missing.

"From that point on, I've had this incredible amount of energy and strength," Maddox said late last week.

The Democrat has been mayor since 2005 and had been a former school system personnel director. For him, these have been long days dominated by briefings and visits to ravaged areas. Some nights, he's been able to rest only with the help of a sleep aid. When he wakes, he momentarily forgets the hurting in his city.

"For about five seconds, it just feels like another day of work," he said in an interview with The Associated Press.

Suddenly the 38-year-old Maddox had to go from being a mayor focused on economic growth to one seeking to help storm victims, restore normalcy and rebuild.

"I want to grieve," he said, "but there's just not time." He said he had not cried yet, but he'd "come close several dozen times."

For Maddox, it all began with a 4:30 a.m. call from the director of the Tuscaloosa Emergency Management Agency. There was a potential for heavy straight-line winds. That morning at the gym, he ran five miles — the last time he would get a run in for a while.

By noon, Maddox learned that the National Weather Service had handicapped the city's odds of tornado activity at 45 percent.

Only 12 days earlier, an EF-3 tornado had touched down in Tuscaloosa, damaging 20 neighborhoods and 100 buildings. At worst, Maddox feared a repeat. He was concerned city resources would be stretched too thin.

The reality was much worse.

Maddox watched the twister sow its path of destruction in real time. In his office with Palmer, Maddox tuned his television to the city's network of traffic cameras. Using a joystick, he maneuvered a camera near Interstate 359. Then, he saw the funnel.

"My heart dropped," he said. "I thought it was about to take out the Tuscaloosa Police Department," which has its headquarters near I-359.

The storm continued on its deadly path, missing the police department but destroying the emergency management agency's offices. Maddox followed it for a time, fiddling with the joystick to keep the camera pointed toward the tornado. Finally, Palmer urged the mayor to head to the basement where other city staffers were gathered. He did.

After the storm passed, Maddox scheduled a briefing for 7 p.m. But that was 90 minutes away and the mayor couldn't sit still. Finally, he told Palmer and an aide that they were going for a drive.

Traffic was snarled, and Maddox initially didn't see any damage aside from some snapped tree branches. Then he began to see the enormity of what had happened.

"In the entire expanse, it was flat," he said. He said University of Alabama students were just walking toward the college, "almost as if they were in a trance."

They kept driving.

"I was going to need help from God," he recalled thinking, before asking Palmer to pull over.

When he returned to city hall, he delivered a pep talk to his staff.

"How we conduct ourselves in the days and weeks ahead will determine how our citizens will feel about our future," he recalled saying. "We have to be calm and we have to be caring."

The city's disaster response, honed during a Federal Emergency Management Agency session two years ago, has won plaudits.

"We're going to make mistakes," he said. "But the mistakes we're going to make are from an intensity of effort."

Maddox understands city government. Before becoming mayor, he served a term on the city council.

Since the storm, Maddox's attire has been plain, often a polo shirt, cargo pants and work boots. The married father of two spends at least two hours in the affected areas every day, offering hugs and handshakes and hauling cases of water.

University President Robert Witt said Maddox has helped restore some sense of normalcy to the reeling city.

"I think his behavior in the initial hours and days after the storm did more to cause a devastated city to believe things would get better because they had a leader who would function extremely well in a crisis situation." Witt said.

Residents have praised Maddox, a Tuscaloosa native who graduated from the University of Alabama at Birmingham, where he played football for four years and won a public speaking scholarship.

Anne Stickney, who has lived in Tuscaloosa for 35 years, said she liked that Maddox was out in the community, not just working in city hall.

"He's sunburned!" she exclaimed. "You don't get sunburned sitting in your office. He's out there doing something."



Source: sify.com

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NJ governor likes being asked to run for president

New Jersey Gov. Chris Christie said he never tires of being asked to run for president, but insists he's still not doing it.

"How self-important would one have to be to become tired and annoyed by having people ask you to run for president?" Christie said Monday morning during an interview on a Philadelphia radio station.

"I'm a kid from Jersey who has people asking him to run for president. I'm thrilled by it," he said. "I just don't want to do it."

That hasn't stopped the Christie, who only took office in January 2010, from playing a kingmaker role in the race to the White House and having the top-tier GOP contenders over for dinner at the governor's mansion in Princeton, including Mississippi Gov. Haley Barbour, former Massachusetts Gov. Mitt Romney, and former Minnesota Gov. Tim Pawlenty.

Jon Huntsman Jr., the former U.S. Ambassador to China and former Utah governor, is scheduled to stop by in the next week, Christie said, adding that he had only met Huntsman once at a White House dinner.

"If I decide to support a candidate for president, I want to make sure I really get to know that person," Christie said.

And although he swears up and down the Turnpike that he's not running, his comments increasingly sound more tuned for a national audience.

"I'm going to continue to play a role as a leader in our party, I think appropriately so, and I think it's good for New Jersey," Christie explained. "Clearly that's my goal, to make sure we have a change in 2012."

When asked whether gubernatorial experience was important for a presidential contender, Christie said he thought it was important to have that kind of combined executive and governmental experience, then took a dig at President Obama, who served one term in the Senate, for lacking it: "I think it's taken him a while to really get the idea how you execute that type of authority."

Without naming Donald Trump, Christie also said it would be difficult for someone who had no political experience to run because "you are foreign to that world."


Source: sify.com

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Poll panel to end voting two hours earlier in sixth phase

Kolkata, May 9 (IANS) The Election Commission (EC) is taking extra care of poll officials deployed in West Bengal's final round of voting Tuesday in 14 constituencies, considered a Maoist hotbed, and has made elaborate security arrangements for them, an official said Monday.

'All the polling personnel have already been alerted and asked to be careful while conducting poll process even though elaborate security arrangements have been made for them,' said state Chief Electoral Officer (CEO) Sunil Kumar Gupta.

Polling is being held Tuesday in 14 constituencies spread over Maoist-affected districts of West Midnapore, Purulia and Bankura.

Considering the safety and security of the officials, election will be conducted between 7 a.m. and 3 p.m., which is two hours earlier than the usual time.

'Polling will end at 3 p.m. as we want to take back the polling official to their reporting centres before dusk. In many polling booths where the number of electors is over 800 we have posted an additional polling official to speed up the process,' said Gupta.

Sector offices have been set up within close range of the polling booths so that in case of emergency, electronic voting machines (EVMs) can be replaced immediately.

'We have identified 1,049 hamlets as vulnerable to threats by miscreants of which 470 are in West Midnapore, 563 in Bankura and 16 in Purulia. Both civil officials and security personnel are keeping a close watch on the residents of these hamlets,' said Gupta.

'A round the clock control room has been set up in the district administrative building for assisting the vulnerable voters. The numbers of the control room have been publicised, if any voter calls and informs that he has been threatened, then security personnel will rush to help the voter within 10 minutes,' Purulia district magistrate and district election officer Abinindra Singh told IANS.


Source: sify.com

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IPL scoreboard: Chennai Super Kings vs. Rajasthan Royals

Jaipur, May 10 (IANS) Scoreboard of the Indian Premier League match between Chennai Super Kings and Rajasthan Royals here Monday:

Chennai Super Kings:

Michael Hussey b Botha 46

Murali Vijay run out (Botha) 53

Suresh Raina b Singh 43

Mahendra Singh Dhoni not out 41

Albie Morkel not out 5

Extras:(lb-2, w-6) 8

Total: (for three wickets in 20 overs) 196

Fall of wickets: 1-77 (Hussey, 9.2 overs), 2-135 (Vijay, 14.4), 3-179 (Raina, 18.3)

Bowling:

Ashok Menaria 2-0-17-0

Amit Singh 4-0-40-1

Shane Watson 4-0-47-0

Johan Botha 4-0-23-1

Shane Warne 4-0-34-0

Siddharth Trivedi 2-0-33-0

Rajasthan Royals:

Shane Watson c Jakati b Ashwin 11

Rahul Dravid c Dhoni b Bollinger 20

Ajinkya Rahane c Raina b Bravo 52

Ross Taylor c Saha b Morkel 6

Ashok Menaria c Dhoni b Ashwin 2

Johan Botha c&b Bollinger 14

Abhishek Raut run out (Saha/Ashwin) 19

Dishant Yagnik b Bollinger 3

Amit Singh c&b Raina 1

Siddharth Trivedi not out 0

Shane Warne c Bravo b Raina 0

Extras: (w-5) 5

Total: (all out in 19.3 overs) 133

Fall of wickets: 1-27 (Dravid, 3.4 overs), 2-48 (Watson, 5.5), 3-63 (Taylor, 8.2), 4-70 (Menaria, 9.5), 5-105 (Rahane, 14.1), 6-129 (Raut, 17.3), 7-132 (Yagnik, 18.4), 8-133 (Botha, 18.6), 9-133 (Singh, 19.1), 10-133 (Warne, 19.3)

Bowling:

Albie Morkel 3-0-21-1

Doug Bollinger 4-0-22-3

Dwayne Bravo 4-0-36-1

R. Ashwin 4-0-24-2

Shadab Jakati 4-0-30-0

Suresh Raina 0.3-0-0-2.

Toss: Rajasthan Royals, who chose to field

Umpires: K Hariharan and Simon Taufel (Australia)

TV umpire: Kumar Dharmasena (Sri Lanka)


Source: sify.com

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Ratings agencies hammer Greece in EU chaos

(Reuters) - Credit ratings agencies hammered Greece on Monday after senior euro zone policymakers acknowledged that Athens will need a second bailout package soon to avert a disorderly overhaul of its debt obligations.

Officials said the European Union was also looking to lower interest rates on rescue loans to Ireland within weeks and eyeing easier bailout terms for Greece as the common currency area floundered deeper into crisis.

But ratings agency Standard & Poor's suggested far more radical measures would be required to make Greece's 327 billion euros ($470 billion) debt mountain sustainable, saying Athens may have to reduce the face value of its bonds by up to 70 percent, implying big losses for investors.

S&P downgraded Greece's credit rating further into junk territory to B, just one notch above Pakistan's, hitting Greek bank stocks as investors sought safety in German bonds. The euro slid to its lowest level in three weeks against the dollar.

Moody's Investor Service threatened to downgrade Greece by several notches, placing Athens' B1 sovereign rating on review due to increased worries that it might seek to impose losses on private bondholders.

Fitch Ratings said it still rated Greece at BB+ with a negative outlook and would not comment on a report in German newspaper Sueddeutsche Zeitung that it planned to downgrade Greece's rating to B or B- this week.

The executive European Commission said it hoped for a decision within weeks on reducing the interest rate charged to Ireland to make Dublin's debt more sustainable.

"The Commission is clearly in favour of a rate cut," a spokesman for EU Economic and Monetary Affairs Commissioner Olli Rehn said. "The Commission is against debt restructuring."

IRELAND EXPECTS CUT

Irish Prime Minister Enda Kenny told parliament that without a return of strong economic growth, "questions of sustainability will remain" around his country's debt.

"There is no doubt that a reduction in the interest rate on the moneys we are borrowing from Europe would be a meaningful and appreciated measure," he said, predicting it could be delivered at a euro zone finance ministers meeting next week.

The new Irish government's bid for lower interest payments has so far been blocked by Germany and France, which want Dublin to drop its veto on harmonising the corporate tax base in Europe in exchange or raise its own low corporate tax rate. Kenny made clear he would not consent to raise corporation tax.

In Germany, a senior lawmaker in Chancellor Angela Merkel's conservative party said a further cut in the rate on emergency loans to Greece, already reduced by one percentage point in March, would be justified if it carried out further reforms.

Michael Meister, finance policy spokesman of Merkel's Christian Democrats, told German radio he opposed any idea that Athens should restructure its debt or that it should consider leaving the euro zone.

The calls for lower interest rates came after a select group of top euro zone policymakers held not-so-secret talks in Luxembourg on Friday evening on how to stem the crisis.

One of the German government's economic advisers, Peter Bofinger, told Reuters Insider television that unless there was a comprehensive solution for all euro zone debt problems, "I'm not sure whether the euro area will remain intact for the next 12 months".

MERKEL TO MEET EU TOP BRASS

The cost of insuring Greek, Irish and Portuguese debt against default rose further and European shares fell on signs the three states are mounting a bidding war for easier terms by pointing to concessions made to each other.

A report by German magazine Der Spiegel on Friday alleging that Greece was considering leaving the euro zone drew indignant denials from Athens and EU ministers.

Merkel's spokesman said she would meet European Commission President Jose Manuel Barroso, head of the EU's executive arm, and European Council President Herman van Rompuy, who chairs the bloc's regular summits, on Wednesday to review the situation.

A Greek exit from the euro had never been under discussion and was not now, he told a news conference.

Euro zone and EU finance ministers are due to meet next week to approve a 78 billion euro rescue for Portugal amid lingering uncertainty over whether Finland, which has a caretaker government and has not yet begun talks on a new coalition, will be in a position to give the required agreement.

Pressure is mounting for those meetings to deliver decisions on Ireland and Greece as well, but euro zone sources said no action was likely on Greece until June at the earliest.

Greek Finance Minister George Papaconstantinou, who attended the Luxembourg meeting, said investors did not believe his country could return to capital markets next year as envisaged in its EU/IMF plan, so it might need alternative funding.

Jean-Claude Juncker, chairman of the Eurogroup of finance ministers of the 17-nation euro area, said after Friday's talks there was a consensus that Athens would require a second rescue.

Greece, which has a debt mountain of nearly 150 percent of gross domestic product, is supposed to raise 27 billion euros in the market in 2012, according to the existing rescue plan.

"For now, the most likely outcome is for policymakers to agree to provide Greece with additional funds and perhaps to extend the maturity of its existing bailout loans, effectively pushing back a Greek restructuring," Ben May, European economist at Capital Economics, wrote in a note to clients.

Market analysts are convinced Athens will have to reduce its debt substantially by a mixture of rescheduling maturities, lower interest rates and convincing private investors to take voluntary losses to avoid a disorderly default.

Some also believe Ireland will be unable to repay its debt, set to reach 120 percent of GDP, and will face mounting political pressure to make bank bondholders share the cost.

A senior Irish minister said on Sunday that Dublin was watching to see what concessions it can win on its EU/IMF bailout if Greece is given a new deal to resolve its crisis.

(additional reporting by Erik Kirschbaum and Stephen Brown in Berlin, Eva Kuehnen in Frankfurt, Dina Kyriakidou in Athens, Carmel Crimmins in Dublin and William James in London; writing by Paul Taylor; editing by Mike Peacock/Ruth Pitchford)



Source: in.reuters.com

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Diggers in Afghanistan on red alert for revenge over Osama bin Laden's death

AUSTRALIAN troops in Afghanistan are bracing for a "spectacular" suicide bombing or large "fireworks display" following the death of Osama bin Laden.

Lieutenant-Colonel Darren Huxley, commanding officer of Mentoring Task Force 2 (MTF2), said his troops were prepared for a tough fighting season, including suicide attacks, as soon as the harvest finished during the next few weeks.

"There is always a possibility a [suicide bombing] might occur," he told The Daily Telegraph.

The commanding officer of the Darwin-based 5th Battalion said the death of the al-Qaeda leader would demoralise the terrorist network and its allies the Taliban.

Lt-Col Huxley, who has just returned from a tour of forward operating bases, said the troops were on alert for suicide bombers targeting local officials such as the governor of Oruzgan or police chief. "They are always a target," he said.

There have been a number of suicide attacks against local officials in the Deh Rawud and Chora valleys since the MTF 2 arrived last October, but none against Diggers.

Insurgents have also been very active during the winter lull establishing weapons caches.

During a push into the Kamisan Valley last week, as temperatures climbed into the mid-30s, Australian and Afghan troops uncovered 37 caches during an operation codenamed Operation Tiger's Avalanche.

Most of the weapons were found by engineers from the Darwin-based No. 1 Combat Engineer Regiment using metal detectors.
The sappers have been at the sharp edge of operations in Oruzgan.

In February two combat engineers, Corporal Richard Atkinson and Sapper Jamie Larcombe, became the 22nd and 23 Australian fatalities of the campaign.

"Clearly the insurgents didn't have much clue that we were coming. They had certainly been storing the weapons for later use," Lt-Col Huxley said.

Since MTF 2 arrived last October, it has been hit by about about 20 improvised explosive device (IED) attacks. Just last week two soldiers had a lucky escape when a large fragment of shrapnel from an IED passed between them.

"We have become quite adept at finding out where they are," Lt-Col Huxley said.

Originally from Campbelltown, Lt-Col Huxley said he was looking forward to going home in June.


Source: news.com.au

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Man United overpower Chelsea, close in on title

Manchester United got one hand on the Premier League crown this morning as a 2-1 victory over champions Chelsea crushed their rivals' late bid to snatch the trophy from their grasp.

United burst out of the blocks to take the lead after 37 seconds when Javier Hernandez swept in a delightful Park Ji-sung pass and they doubled their lead after 23 minutes when captain Nemanja Vidic headed in a perfect cross from Ryan Giggs.

A Frank Lampard tap-in on 69 minutes gave Chelsea hope but United held on for the win that left them needing just one point from their final two games against struggling Blackburn Rovers and Blackpool to guarantee a record 19th title.

The 37-year-old Giggs is on the brink of winning his 12th Premier League title along with manager Alex Ferguson who bowed to United's joyous fans at Old Trafford at the end of the match.

"It's a massive step forward for us. Mathematically we have not won the title but we are nearly there," Giggs told Sky Sports.

"We know we are capable of playing good football and we knew we had to keep attacking as one goal is not enough against a team like Chelsea. It was a great start and it would have been easy for us to take our foot off the pedal but we didn't.

"We will try and get it done as soon as possible at Blackburn next week. It's a tough place to go but I am sure we will have a lot of fans there, there will be a great atmosphere and we won't go for the draw but we will try and win."

Chelsea had clawed themselves back into the title race with a 10-game unbeaten run in which they went from trailing the leaders by 15 points to breathing down their necks.

But it will probably be too little too late after United's 17th home win out of 18 league matches this season.

The match was full of high-quality football from both teams with Giggs at the heart of most of United's creative moves, in at the start of the first goal and providing the cross for the second.

Boosted by two wins over Chelsea in the Champions League quarter-final, United played with style and confidence but Chelsea put them under periods of pressure in the second half especially, with goalkeeper Edwin van der Sar, who will retire at the end of the season, forced into important saves.

But United made plenty of their own chances and striker Wayne Rooney went close several times.


Source: tvnz.co.nz

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Kings of Leon guitarist becomes first time father

Matthew Followill has become a father for the first time.

The Kings of Leon guitarist and wife Johanna Bennett welcomed a son into the world in Nashville, Tennessee, on April 22 and the boy has been named Knox Cameron Patrick.

A spokesperson for the couple said: "Mother, father and baby are happy and healthy and doing well."

News of Bennett's pregnancy only emerged in March, with insiders at the time revealing the couple and the musician's bandmates, his cousins Caleb, Jared and Nathan Followill, were "thrilled" by the news.

A source said at the time: "They are both absolutely thrilled and can't wait to become a proper family.

"The rest of the band are just as happy as they are and are looking forward to meeting the new arrival as he or she will be the first Kings of Leon baby."

The baby's arrival has come just weeks before the American rockers return to the British stage, when they play Ireland's Slane Castle in May and the Isle of Wight festival a few weeks later.

Matthew and British-born Bennett, who has previously dated Arctic Monkeys frontman Alex Turner, married in November 2009, two years after they first started dating.


Source: tvnz.co.nz

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