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Jodi Breakers Offical Theatrical Trailer

noreply@blogger.com (Anonymous) — Mon, 5 Nov 2012 07:17:00 -0800

'Jodi breakers' is a cheeky entertainer which takes a peek- a -boo into dysfunctional romantic relationships that eventually lead to breakups. Pairing the vivacious and exciting actors Madhavan and Bipasha together for the first time, the film also stars Milind Soman and Deepanita Sharma along with the ever roguish Omi Vaidya and ever charming Helen .

Ted movie hits theaters on July 13, 2012.

noreply@blogger.com (Anonymous) — Mon, 5 Nov 2012 06:34:00 -0800

Family Guy creator Seth MacFarlane brings his boundary-pushing brand of humor to the big screen for the first time as writer, director and voice star of Ted. In the live action/CG-animated comedy, he tells the story of John Bennett (Mark Wahlberg), a grown man who must deal with the cherished teddy bear who came to life as the result of a childhood wish...and has refused to leave his side ever since. Ted movie trailer 2012 is presented in full HD 1080p high resolution.

Kirstie Alley: Travolta Is 'Love of My Life'

noreply@blogger.com (Anonymous) — Sun, 4 Nov 2012 04:04:00 -0800

Kirstie Alley gave a shocking admission to Barbara Walters in an upcoming ABC interview. The actress revealed her true feelings for her Look Who's Talking co-star and friend John Travolta.

Alley, who's currently competing on Dancing with the Stars, told Walters that Travolta, 58, was the "greatest love of my life."

The actress, 61, admits that she fell hard for the star during the filming of the 1989 movie Look Who's Talkingwhere Travolta played her romantic interest. "Believe me, it took everything that I had, inside, outside, whatever, to not run off and marry John. And be with John for the rest of my life," she told Walters.

Pics: John Travolta and Kelly Preston Through the Years

When asked why she didn't, Alley replied, "Because I feel like when you marry someone you're supposed to work hard at it, and you're supposed to make it work."

Both actors worked together for the Look Who's Talking sequels, but went on to pursue other romantic relationships. Kelly Preston, a dear friend of Alley's, married Travolta in 1991, while, Alley went on to marry a few times but is currently single.

Video: Kirstie Alley on 'Cheers' Wild Times

The actress' full interview with Walters will air on Wednesday on ABC's Good Morning America.

Oops! Newly Single Taylor Swift Talks Love as Cosmo Declares Her "Crazy for a Kennedy"

noreply@blogger.com (Anonymous) — Thu, 1 Nov 2012 07:18:00 -0700

We won't say Taylor Swift is difficult to date...but she is quite particular.

In an interview with Cosmopolitan's December issue (on stands Nov. 6), the 22-year-old "Red" songstress laid out the dos and don'ts of being her boyfriend.

"I can't deal with someone wanting to take a relationship backward or needing space or cheating on you," she said. "It's a conscious thing; it's a common-sense thing...I just don't ever want to end up in a relationship that isn't fair ever again."

The country-pop star, who recently split with 18-year-old Conor Kennedy, said she "[needs] that unexplainable spark" in a relationship. "I just need to see someone and feel Oh, no, uh-oh. It's only happened a few times in my life, but I feel like if I was gonna be with someone forever, it would be because I saw them and I thought, Oh, no."

Let's have a look at Taylor's five biggest breakups

"I've had a lot of dark and twisty situations happen," Taylor added, borrowing a phrase from Grey's Anatomy. "Enough to realize that when someone exhibits signs of evoking a dark and twisty relationship and dark and twisty feelings, it's not interesting to me."

Taylor turns Red as Ellen examines her boyfriend history

"I've learned when to get out," she said. So far, her exes include John Mayer, Taylor Lautner, Jake Gyllenhaal, Joe Jonas and Cory Monteith. "I've never wasted too much time with the wrong person and that's one thing I'm proud of."

We'll give her that one.

Shahrukh, Katrina, Anushka at ‘Jab Tak Hai Jaan’ press conference

noreply@blogger.com (Anonymous) — Wed, 31 Oct 2012 05:56:00 -0700

Bollywood stars Shahrukh Khan, Katrina Kaif and Anushka Sharma at ‘Jab Tak Hai Jaan’ press conference. Photos from the Jab Tak Hai Jaan press meet.

I will never write an autobiography: Amitabh Bachchan

noreply@blogger.com (Anonymous) — Wed, 31 Oct 2012 05:49:00 -0700

BollywoodWorld.com, As one of India’s most high-profile celebrities, he has been the proverbial goldfish in the glass bowl for decades and is also an inveterate blogger. But no autobiographies for Amitabh Bachchan, who says firmly that some pockets of his life are off limits to the outside world and the blog is not a means to document his life.

Amitabh, who turned 70 Thursday, guards his privacy fiercely and says his blog is “just an interaction with people who are followers”.

“I don’t write it (blog) because I want to document my life. I have never done that. All that I put on my blog is not necessarily all that I wish to share,” Amitabh told IANS in an exclusive interview.

“There are certain things that I don’t to share. There are certain remarks, opinions, which I think are personal and should remain so; I don’t comment on that. It’s just an interaction with people who are followers and who affectionately want to converse with me. It’s not done with an idea to document my life,” he added.

Amitabh has been living the celeb life for four decades. He rose to dazzling stardom in the 1970s with hits like “Zanjeer”, “Sholay” and “Deewar”, then saw his health and career decline after an accident during the shooting of “Coolie” in 1982. In the 1990s, he tried to resurrect it with damp squibs like “Lal Badshah” and “Sooryavansham”.

His tryst with the small screen as the host of “Kaun Banega Crorepati” helped him embark on another glorious journey, making him one of Bollywood’s most enduring stars.

Despite all this and much more, the man himself feels “there is nothing to document”.

“Secondly, if there is any documentation that needs to be done, it needs to be done in a much more professional organisation… than to do it myself. I don’t know how to write an autobiography.

“I will never be able to write one and I will never write one because I personally don’t feel there is anything worth writing,” said Amitabh, who never misses his date with his blog.

His father Harivansh Rai Bachchan penned his autobiography, why can’t he?

“I am happy that my father wrote his autobiography and therefore I am able to gain whatever I could from his works, what happened prior to my existence and for a certain portion of my life when I did exist. But, other than that, the media has got more material than I have. Even though it may not have justifiable information, through this medium (blog) I am able to correct if there is any mistake or if there is a wrong representation,” he said.

Amitabh admits he often gets suggestions to write an autobiography, but doesn’t see any value in it.

“I don’t think in advance what I want to write on the blog. After working the entire day, when I sit in front of the computer and put the date and day after that whatever I think and I feel I start writing. And at times all of a sudden because of some technical problem it just disappears and it feels so bad…that moment just slips off.”

However, he has learned his lesson and become cautious. “I save it… Now I am taking some precaution.” – IANS

No shooting for incomplete part of ‘Jab Tak Hai Jaan’ song: Shahrukh Khan

noreply@blogger.com (Anonymous) — Wed, 31 Oct 2012 05:45:00 -0700

A portion of a song in Yash Chopra’s “Jab Tak Hai Jaan” was yet to be shot, but now will be left incomplete as the film crew has no desire to tamper with the signature style of the late filmmaker, said the film’s hero Shah Rukh Khan.

“Just a minute and a half of the song was left. He (Chopra) wanted to do it in Switzerland. We don’t have the heart to shoot that part now. We will make it impure if we had to shoot it,” Shah Rukh said at a promotional event of the film here Monday.

Other than this, the film seems to be ready for release.

“The movie is ready for release. He (Chopra) had finished editing and the background mix was happening. The film was locked by Yash ji. The film which you will see has been entirely made by Yash Chopra,” he added.

The love story stars Anushka Sharma and Katrina Kaif along with Shah Rukh and is all set to release on the Nov 13, along with Ajay Devgn’s home production “Son of Sardaar”.

Shah Rukh thinks that it is unfair to ask anyone to change their release date and therefore is fine with the simultaneous release of both the films.

“It is unfair to ask anybody to change the release date of their film. Everybody loves their films. Yash ji would have felt the same way. Films will always overlap and it is not fair for us to ask them to change it,” he said.

Talking about box office numbers, Shah Rukh said that he is not looking at collections and just wants the audience to enjoy his film.

“I am not a businessman. I just feel that my films should be enjoyed by all. I have earned enough money and awards in my life, so numbers don’t matter. But you are anxious when your film is all set to release,” he said.

Chopra died of multi-organ failure last Sunday (Oct 21). – IANS

Bollywood dance is popular in Bangkok: Thai actress

noreply@blogger.com (Anonymous) — Wed, 31 Oct 2012 05:39:00 -0700

Mumbai, (BollywoodWorld.com) The Bollywood song and dance culture has been making waves in the US for a long time. Now, if Thai actress Mamee Nakprasitte is to be believed, people in Bangkok are also picking up the trend.

Having participated in the recently held Bollywood Film Festival in Bangkok, Mamee is a self-confessed admirer of Bollywood. She followed her jig with an Indian dance number in the on-going “Superstar Reality TV Show” back home.

“Bollywood dance has become pretty popular in Bangkok, and there are many teachers there… I’m also happy that many people liked the Bollywood dance I did for the ‘Superstar Reality TV Show’,” she said in a statement.

“I was (also) excited to wear a sari and do a Bollywood dance at the opening of the Bollywood film festival in Bangkok last month. But it was not easy. I practised a lot,” she added.

Mamee is in India for the Asian premiere of her Thai-American film “Bitter Sweet” at the ongoing Mumbai Film Festival (MFF) here. The actress is excited about her trip.

“It (Mumbai) is the centre for Bollywood films and I’m so excited. I want to go shopping, sightseeing, eating. And yes, it will be great if I can attend a class of Bollywood dancing,” she said.

Asked if she is also hoping to land a Bollywood role, she said: “I’ve seen some Bollywood movies, but can’t remember their names… (but) I’d love to do a Bollywood film, if I got an offer.”

Directed by Jeff Hare, “Bitter Sweet” stars Kip Pardue, Spencer Garret and James Brolin apart from Mamee. Singer Tata Young makes a cameo in the film.

Mamee said she was nervous acting with actors like Pardue and Brolin.

“I was (nervous), as I’ve never acted with such big Hollywood stars before,” she said.

Did the English dialect come easy to the actress?

“It was not, and I practised a lot. But I guess nothing is difficult, if you spend time on it and I’m really glad I spent a lot of time learning to speak English, as it’s much easier now to do more international films,” she said.

Made at a $5 million budget, the romantic drama was shot in the coffee plantations of Krabi island in Thailand. Mamee says the film will open doors to tourism in her country.

“It is a good promotion for Krabi, as not many people know of it, and I’m sure many people would like to visit it after seeing the film. There are many places equally amazing in Thailand that not many people know about,” she said.

Mamee is one of the versatile actresses on the Thai screen, who has done 12 films, including some international productions. Her last film “The Coffin”, a horror-drama, was screened at the 2008 Cannes festival.

What Are The Top 14 Most Memorable Topless Scenes On Film?

noreply@blogger.com (Anonymous) — Tue, 30 Oct 2012 07:36:00 -0700

..There are dozens of actresses who have no problem taking off their tops for the sake of a movie role, and their choices can end up either hurting or helping their careers.

Some stars say they'd do it only if the "right role" came along; and others simply refuse to go topless for any reason. And sometimes an actress's decision to go topless for a role can overshadow the movie itself -- which can be good (Demi Moore in Striptease) or bad (Jessica Biel in Powder Blue).

With the advent of the internet, many of these scenes now live on forever, but with topless and nude scenes a-dime-a-dozen, there are few that stand out and stand the test of time. Here are our picks for the top 14 topless scenes on film.

A Blonde Kim Kardashian Is A Sexy Mermaid At Midori Halloween Party

noreply@blogger.com (Anonymous) — Tue, 30 Oct 2012 07:31:00 -0700

Celebrities love dressing up for special occasions, and Halloween is no exception. We spotted Kim Kardashian attending the Midori Halloween party in New York City over the weekend wearing a spectacular mermaid costume.

The reality star put on a blonde wig and wore a sparkly, fish scale green skirt with a corset-like top that featured seashells over her bosum. She paired the look with several strands of pearl necklaces.

Her boyfriend Kanye West looked like a sailor, opting for a simpler costume - a striped shirt and red loafers.

The couple's water theme was definitely appropriate as Hurricane Sandy set course to hit the Northeast in the next couple of days.

Check out more photos of Mermaid Kim..

Sunny Leone named most dangerous celebrity

noreply@blogger.com (Anonymous) — Tue, 30 Oct 2012 05:57:00 -0700

Porn star and Bollywood actress Sunny Leone has emerged as the most dangerous celebrity in cyberspace, ahead of Katrina Kaif and Kareena Kapoor, as searching for her on the web is the most risky.

In a study conducted by McAfee, Leone topped the list with 9.95 per cent chances of luring people into clicking on malicious links.

Katrina, who was the most risky celeb in 2011, held the second spot this year with 8.25 percentile. She was followed by Kareena Kapoor, with 6.67 per cent possibility of making users fall into a trap of malware laden websites.

Priyanka Chopra and Bipasha Basu rounded off the top five with 6.5 per cent and 5.58 per cent respectively.

Others who featured in the list are Vidya Balan, Deepika Padukone and Aishwarya Rai Bachchan and Poonam Pandey.

Salman Khan, at the eighth position, was the only male star in the top ten.

Jon Hamm Films Mad Men Shirtless. You're Welcome

noreply@blogger.com (Anonymous) — Fri, 26 Oct 2012 07:03:00 -0700

Apollo/Zeus/FAMEFLYNET PICTURES

Pardon our French, but zou bisou bisou.
The Mad Men cast is currently shooting their upcoming season in Hawaii, which is exciting, but not nearly as exciting as the photo op it has provided the rest of the world in the form of a shirtless Jon Hamm.
So that's what's been hiding under those suits.
Check out Mad Men's Christina Hendricks' 10 best red carpet looks!
Yep, life's clearly a beach for Don Draper, who was spotted oceanside with onscreen wife Jessica Paré.
Both, of course, were in era-appropriate tacky retro swimming ensembles for the shoot, and if Hamm's trunks were maybe a hair on the short side, well, we don't think the wardrobe department will be fielding too many calls from the fashion police on this one.
As always, no plotlines for the forthcoming sixth season have yet been disclosed, though the actors were reportedly shooting scenes for the premiere episode. Aloha, indeed.

Nyetimber abandons grape harvest

noreply@blogger.com (Anonymous) — Wed, 17 Oct 2012 15:53:00 -0700

10 October 2012 Last updated at 09:19 GMT Nyetimber said that maintaining quality was paramount A multi-award winning English vineyard has decided not to harvest its grapes this year because of the bad weather.
Nyetimber, in West Sussex, said the quality and volume of the 2012 harvest was not up to standard.
Cherie Spriggs, winemaker at Nyetimber, said the decision was a difficult one but that "maintaining quality is paramount".
Nyetimber's sparkling wine has been consistently ranked alongside the finest French champagne.
Soil at the vineyard at West Chiltington is geologically identical to the champagne region, but the vines need warm dry weather.
Ms Spriggs said: "My first obligation as the winemaker is to ensure the quality of Nyetimber's wines, and we have collectively come to the decision that the grapes from 2012 cannot deliver the standards we have achieved in the past and will again in the future.
"The decision to not make wine from 2012 is a difficult one, not just for me but for our whole team. However, we all know that maintaining quality is paramount."
Nyetimber's accolades include three times winner of the Best Worldwide Sparkling Wine award at the International Wine and Spirit Competition.
This year's variable weather included the wettest June since records began.
About three million bottles of English wine were made in 2011, but the figure is expected to be down substantially this year.

View the original article here

VIDEO: Kabul restaurant for former drug addicts

noreply@blogger.com (Anonymous) — Wed, 17 Oct 2012 11:49:00 -0700

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ICC holds Saif Gaddafi hearing

noreply@blogger.com (Anonymous) — Wed, 17 Oct 2012 07:24:00 -0700

9 October 2012 Last updated at 10:29 GMT Saif al-Islam Gaddafi has been detained in Zintan since November last year The International Criminal Court (ICC) is holding its first public hearing in the case of one of the sons of Libyan leader Col Gaddafi, Saif al-Islam.

He is accused of committing war crimes against the rebels who overthrew his father last year.

His ICC lawyers are expected to argue he will not receive a fair trial in Libya, where he is currently held.

But the Libyan authorities say he should be tried in the country where he is accused of committing crimes.

At the beginning of the two-day hearing, Libyan lawyer Ahmed al-Jehani called for the international community to "be patient", telling ICC judges the Libyan authorities "needed time" to organise a fair trial for Saif Gaddafi.

Mr Jehani told the judges they had not ruled out some level of ICC involvement.

This is the first time the ICC defence team has come face to face with the Libyan lawyers in court, says the BBC's Anna Holligan in The Hague.

The Libyan authorities have made no secret of the fact that they have absolutely no intention of handing Saif Gaddafi over to the ICC, our correspondent says.

If they do want to play by the rules and win the right to try Saif Gaddafi at home, they must convince the judges they can do the job and that Mr Gaddafi will face a fair hearing at home.

Continue reading the main story Born 1972Stylish, English-speaking bachelorTrained engineerLong seen as likely successor to his father - suggestions he played downPreviously seen as reformist face of his father's regimePlayed key role in rapprochement with the West from 2000-2011Accused of organising brutal crackdown on opposition protests in FebruaryThey must show they are conducting their own investigations, and are willing to prosecute Mr Gaddafi for the same alleged crimes that are listed on the ICC's arrest warrant.

One of the lawyers representing Libya, Philippe Sands, has confirmed Mr Gaddafi is still being held by the Zintan Brigade in Libya, adding he will be transferred to a secure detention facility in Tripoli before trial.

Tug of war

The pre-trial session is part of an ongoing battle between Libya and the ICC over where the son of the former Libyan leader should face justice, our correspondent adds.

Melinda Taylor, the ICC's defence lawyer who was arrested while visiting Mr Gaddafi, will be presenting her findings during the hearing.

She is expected to tell the judges she does not believe her client will receive a fair trial in Libya.

Mr Gaddafi has been held in the western mountain town of Zintan for almost a year.

During that time, the Libyan authorities have repeatedly rejected requests to hand him over for trial in The Hague.

View the original article here

Anger over bonus for Kenyan MPs

noreply@blogger.com (Anonymous) — Wed, 17 Oct 2012 04:12:00 -0700

9 October 2012 Last updated at 13:28 GMT The demonstrators shouted "thief" at every MP that drove past Angry demonstrators in Kenya have marched to parliament to protest about a huge bonus MPs have voted to award themselves.

Lawmakers in Kenya are among the highest paid MPs in Africa, receiving a salary of about $10,000 (£6,200) a month.

The bonus of more than $105,000 each is to be paid when parliament breaks up ahead of elections due in March 2013.

Analysts says tax increases are likely in order to foot the $23m bill.

'Selfish and unpatriotic'

The BBC's Frenny Jowi in the capital, Nairobi, says the revelation about the send-off bonus for the 222 MPs has angered many people, coming as it does after strikes in the public sector.

It was passed late on Thursday night as part of a last-minute amendment to the Finance Act, she says.

Continue reading the main story

Current earnings:

Monthly salary of 850,000 Kenyan shillings ($9,982), of which $2,350 is taxed"Sitting allowance" of $25 for each appearance in parliamentAnother "sitting allowance" of $25 is paid for each parliamentary committee meeting attended

Proposed bonus:

One-off bonus of more than $105,000 - to be paid at the end of the parliamentary termIn September all schools were closed for three weeks and public hospitals only took emergencies as demands were made for better pay and working conditions.

According to the AFP news agency, someone earning the minimum wage in Kenya would have to work for 61 years to earn the equivalent of the MPs' bonus.

Our reporter says a large crowd stopped traffic on the main road outside President Mwai Kibaki's office in Nairobi.

They then marched towards parliament and have camped outside, chanting "mwizi", which means thief in KiSwahili, when any MP drives by.

"When you look at the situation the country is in right now, we have problems with teachers, we have problems in the health care sector. It is just selfish, it is unpatriotic and plain stupid," one woman at the demonstration told the BBC.

Boniface Mwangi, one of the organisers of the march who earlier this year joined activists to paint murals in the city portraying MPs as vultures, called for a "ballot revolution" to get rid of avaricious politicians at the next election.

He told the BBC the send-off package was "like a thank you token for doing nothing".

The change to the Finance Act still needs to be signed into law by Mr Kibaki - who stands down as president next year after two terms in office.

View the original article here

Young Pakistani campaigner shot

noreply@blogger.com (Anonymous) — Wed, 17 Oct 2012 01:00:00 -0700

9 October 2012 Last updated at 12:29 GMT Malala Yousafzai was hit in the head, but is reportedly out of danger Gunmen have wounded a 14-year-old rights activist who has campaigned for girls' education in the Swat Valley in north-west Pakistan.

Malala Yousafzai was attacked on her way home from school in Mingora, the region's main town.

She came to public attention in 2009 by writing a diary for BBC Urdu about life under Taliban militants who had taken control of the valley.

A Pakistani Taliban spokesman told the BBC they carried out the attack.

Ehsanullah Ehsan told BBC Urdu that they attacked her because she was anti-Taliban and secular, adding that she would not be spared.

Continue reading the main story Orla Guerin BBC News, Islamabad

The chilling attack on the young peace campaigner has been leading TV news bulletins here. Malala Yousafzai is one of the best-known schoolgirls in the country. Young as she is, she has dared to do what many others do not - publicly criticise the Taliban.

Malala's confident, articulate campaign for girls' education has won her admirers - and recognition - at home and abroad. She has appeared on national and international television, and spoken of her dream of a future Pakistan where education would prevail.

Even by the standards of blood-soaked Pakistan, there has been shock at the shooting. It has been condemned by Pakistan's Prime Minister, Raja Pervez Ashraf, who sent a helicopter to transfer Malala to hospital in Peshawar.

The head of Pakistan's Independent Human Rights Commission, Zohra Yusuf, said "this tragic attack on this courageous child" sends a very disturbing message to all those working for women and girls.

Malala Yousafzai was travelling with at least one other girl when she was shot, but there are differing accounts of how events unfolded.

One report, citing local sources, says a bearded gunman stopped a car full of schoolgirls, and asked for Malala Yousafzai by name, before opening fire.

But a police official also told BBC Urdu that unidentified gunmen opened fire on the schoolgirls as they were about to board a van or bus.

She was hit in the head and, some reports say, in the neck area by a second bullet, but is now in hospital and is reportedly out of danger. Another girl who was with her at the time was also injured.

'Courage'

Malala Yousafzai was just 11 when she was writing her diary, two years after the Taliban took over the Swat Valley, and ordered girls' schools to close.

In the diary, which she kept for the BBC's Urdu service under a pen name, she exposed the suffering caused by the militants as they ruled.

She used the pen-name Gul Makai when writing the diary. Her identity only emerged after the Taliban were driven out of Swat and she later won a national award for bravery and was also nominated for an international children's peace award.

Correspondents say she earned the admiration of many across Pakistan for her courage in speaking out about life under the brutal rule of Taliban militants.

One poignant entry reflects on the Taliban decree banning girls' education: "Since today was the last day of our school, we decided to play in the playground a bit longer. I am of the view that the school will one day reopen but while leaving I looked at the building as if I would not come here again."

Malala Yousafzai began her blog at the age of 11

She has since said that she wants to study law and enter politics when she grows up. "I dreamt of a country where education would prevail," she said.

Taliban driven out

The BBC's Orla Guerin in Islamabad says that Malala Yousafzai was a public figure who didn't shy away from risks and had strong support from her parents for her activism. Indeed, her father, who is a school teacher, expressed his pride in her campaigning.

In a statement about the attack, Pakistani Prime Minister Raja Pervez Ashraf said: "We have to fight the mindset that is involved in this. We have to condemn it... Malala is like my daughter, and yours too. If that mindset prevails, then whose daughter would be safe?"

Continue reading the main story

At that time some of us would go to school in plain clothes, not in school uniform, just to pretend we are not students, and we hid our books under our shawls.”

End Quote Malala Yousafzai The Taliban, under the notorious militant cleric Maulana Fazlullah, took hold of the Swat Valley in late 2007 and remained in de facto control until they were driven out by Pakistani military forces during an offensive in 2009.

While in power they closed girls' schools, promulgated Sharia law and introduced measures such as banning the playing of music in cars.

Since they were ejected, there have been isolated militant attacks in Swat but the region has largely remained stable and many of the thousands of people who fled during the Taliban years have returned.

View the original article here

VIDEO: Nobel winner 'had bad school report'

noreply@blogger.com (Anonymous) — Tue, 16 Oct 2012 20:51:00 -0700

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Merkel pledges support for Greece

noreply@blogger.com (Anonymous) — Tue, 16 Oct 2012 17:50:00 -0700

9 October 2012 Last updated at 14:02 GMT Chancellor Merkel: "Much has been achieved, much remains to be done"

German Chancellor Angela Merkel has pledged her country's continuing support to Greece, during her first visit to Athens since the eurozone crisis erupted nearly three years ago.

Mrs Merkel said Greece had made good progress in dealing with its vast debt but that it was on a "difficult path".

Thousands of people who blame Germany for forcing painful austerity measures on Greece are protesting in Athens.

Police have fired teargas towards some stone-throwing demonstrators.

Correspondents say this highly symbolic visit is a show of support for Greece's continued membership of the eurozone.

It comes as Greece prepares to pass new cuts of 13bn euros (£10.5bn; $17bn) to qualify for more bailout cash, a policy that has sparked growing unrest.

While Germany has contributed the most money to the bailout, BBC Europe editor Gavin Hewitt says its chancellor is held responsible by many for demanding that Greece make swingeing cuts in exchange for the financing it has received.

'Spirit of collaboration'

Mrs Merkel was met by Greek Prime Minister Antonis Samaras on arrival in Athens.

At a news conference after talks with Mr Samaras and business leaders, Mrs Merkel said the pace of reform in Greece had recently "picked up considerably" and that the country had "a good bit of the path" behind it.

She acknowledged that there were "many people suffering in Greece" as a result of the financial crisis and austerity measures, but that the difficult path was necessary to ensure future generations could live in prosperity

Mr Samaras said their meeting had been "dominated by frankness, mutual understanding, solidarity, a spirit of collaboration and a feeling that we can overcome the Greek problem, and obviously, the European problems alike".

He said Greece was "determined to fulfil its obligations and overcome this crisis" and was determined to stay in the eurozone.

Mrs Merkel's visit was a "token of proof" of the progress Greece has made, he said.

The capital is said to be carrying out its biggest security operation in a decade, with some 7,000 police on duty.

Protests have been banned for the day in much of central Athens, and within a 100m radius of the route Mrs Merkel's motorcade will travel.

However, outside the lockdown zone, thousands of people gathered, some carrying banners with slogans such as "No to the Fourth Reich".

A three-hour strike was also called for the early afternoon.

Symbolic visit

The crowds have largely been peaceful, though some protesters threw bottles, masonry and rocks torwards police lines. Police fired teargas when one group attempted to break through a barrier to reach parliament buildings.

The BBC's Mark Lowen in Athens says there is a wave of popular anger on the streets against the visit

Dozens of people have been detained.

But despite the protests, some Athens citizens were upbeat about the visit.

Constantinos Siathas told Associated Press: "I think most people, at least those who think and don't act based on feelings or utopian ideas, are pleased and are expecting a lot from Mrs Merkel's visit."

Earlier, a spokesperson for the leftist Syriza party, Yiannis Bournos, told the BBC's Newsday people were "frustrated and enraged because they clearly understand that Mrs Merkel's visit is just a theatre play for the political support of a collapsing coalition".

The trip is a gamble, our Europe editor says - chaos on the streets would only underline for the German public that Greece is a lost cause.

But he says that the visit - her first to Greece in five years - is sending a symbolic message that she wants Greece to stay in the eurozone.

Speaking on Monday, Jean-Claude Juncker, chairman of the Eurogroup finance ministers of the eurozone, raised the pressure on Greece, calling on the government to demonstrate it could implement planned reforms "by 18 October at the latest" to qualify for the next bailout instalment of 31.5bn euros.

He was speaking as the eurozone's new permanent fund to bail out struggling economies and banks was formally launched at the finance ministers' meeting.

Meanwhile, the International Monetary Fund said on Monday that the global economic recovery was weakening, with government policies having failed to restore confidence.

It added that the risk of further deterioration in the economic outlook was "considerable" and had increased.

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Philippines cyber law suspended

noreply@blogger.com (Anonymous) — Tue, 16 Oct 2012 13:29:00 -0700

9 October 2012 Last updated at 09:17 GMT The new law covers a range of online activities The Philippines' top court has suspended a controversial law targeting cybercrime, following protests by critics who say it stifles free speech.

The new law, called the Cybercrime Prevention Act of 2012, came into effect earlier this month.

It was intended to prevent online child pornography, identity theft and spamming, officials say. Reports say a 120-day suspension is in place.

The law also made libel a cybercrime punishable by up to 12 years in jail.

The Supreme Court issued a temporary restraining order preventing the act from being enforced after 15 petitions questioning its legality were filed.

The government says the law is intended to address "legitimate concerns" about criminal and abusive behaviour online.

But protesters say the legislation could be used to target government critics and crack down on freedom of speech.

Under the new act, a person found guilty of libellous comments online, including comments made on social networks such as Facebook and Twitter or blogs, could be fined or jailed.

The act is also designed to prevent cybersex, defined as sexually explicit chat over the internet - often involving "cam girls" performing sexual acts in front of webcams for internet clients.

Government officials would also have had new powers to search and seize data from people's online accounts.

The law generated a number of protests - anonymous activists hacked into government websites and journalists held rallies.

In a statement, Human Rights Watch's Asia director Brad Adams welcomed the move by the court, but urged it to "now go further by striking down this seriously flawed law".

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FA unveils centre of excellence

noreply@blogger.com (Anonymous) — Tue, 16 Oct 2012 08:29:00 -0700

Football Association chairman David Bernstein has described the opening of its new centre of excellence as an "historic" day for the English game.

The £105m St George's Park complex in Staffordshire will house all 24 England teams, from junior to senior levels.

"We have to get more players through who can be full England internationals and this is where it will happen," Bernstein told BBC Radio 5 live.

"So much work has gone into this for so long and to see it now is fantastic."

The Duke and Duchess of Cambridge were given a tour of the park

The 330-acre site was officially opened by the Duke and Duchess of Cambridge, who were given a tour of the park.

Prince William, who is president of the Football Association, said: "Coming here and seeing these wonderful facilities gives me the same feeling as when I first went to the Olympic Park.

"It gives me great pride we have created in this country facilities that are beyond compare anywhere else.

"St George's Park is a concept totally new. It will provide more than just world-class facilities for our national team and more than a university from which hundreds of coaches will graduate.

"It will provide employment and a social hub for local people and will foster community spirit and purpose and hope throughout England."

England's players are using the facility for the first time this week as they prepare for their World Cup qualifiers against San Marino and Poland.

Aimed at raising standards of play at all levels, it will provide a centre of excellence for training coaches and for sports medicine, sports science and psychology.

Among the facilities at St George's Park are:

- A senior training pitch, laid out to the exact dimensions of the playing surface at Wembley Stadium and with exactly the same mix of grass and artificial fibres.

Phil McNulty Chief football writer, BBC Sport

"Everything at Burton is aimed at the future and rivalling the national centres that have been at the heart of the well-being of the game in superpowers such as France, Spain and the Netherlands"

- 11 outdoor pitches, five of which are floodlit and have under-soil heating.

- A full-size indoor 3G artificial pitch with a viewing gallery for up to 200 people.

- An altitude chamber to mimic a variety of playing conditions.

- An indoor 60m sprint track with equipment to measure speed and running style.

- Walls adorned with sporting slogans, such as American Olympian Jesse Owens: "A lifetime of training for just 10 seconds."

- A new Hilton hotel featuring suites named after former England players and managers.

Bernstein described the facility as "inspirational" and said it made him feel optimistic about the future of the nation's football.

He said: "This is the pinnacle clearly - and we hope that this will be an inspiration in a number of ways.

"One of the main objects of this, possibly almost the main object, is to produce thousands of more highly-qualified coaches.

"There's a lot more happening in English football at the moment in terms of youth development. We're trying to move young players away from this physical side, of wanting to win too much when they're too young.

"We want more skill-based football, kids to enjoy their football more. There's a great deal aimed at that."

England's senior men's team have not won a major international tournament since the 1966 World Cup and have failed to reach a semi-final since the 1996 European Championship.

The women's side have made three World Cup quarter-finals and twice finished runners-up in the European Championship.

David Sheepshanks, chairman of St George's Park, said the new complex can help England close the gap on recent World Cup winners such as France and Spain.

"This is a place to inspire young people and young coaches to invest in themselves and go beyond just getting the badge," he said.

"The teachers of the game have the defining influence. We are investing in the teachers so that we can get ahead of what they are doing in France and Spain.

"This is a deliberately long-term view. Really it is the investment in coaches that is crucial and from 2020 onwards we will have winning England teams."

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