Good-good-news

Lauren Conrad: I love audrina and brody

2008-03-21T07:57:00.000-07:00

Lauren Conrad of "The Hills" wants to set the record straight about Audrina Patridge and Brody Jenner, her friends and co-stars on the MTV reality show.

On Conrad's MySpace page she opens up about her recent Us magazine article that included the headline "How Audrina and Brody Betrayed Me."

"Hey! I just wanted to take a moment to clear something up," Conrad wrote on her blog. "I do not feel betrayed by Audrina or Brody. I love them both and said nothing to contradict this. I understand that headlines sell magazines, but I value my friendships above magazine sales any day."

Conrad also took the time to praise the upcoming season of "The Hills."

"I got to see some of the first episode yesterday and it looks amazing," she wrote. "I’m sooooooo excited for everyone to see Paris."

Music producer says Britney Spears is preggers

2007-12-01T04:57:00.000-08:00

Music producer says Britney Spears is preggers

Is Britney Spears pregnant? According to music producer J.R. Rotem , she is. "It's true," Rotem reportedly told In Touch magazine. But Spears' buddy Sam Lutfi says otherwise. "Don't know who made it up. J.R. doesn't even know what's up. It's fake."
Brad Pitt vows no more nudity in his films

The man who brought joy to so many with his fit physique is packing it away forever. Brad Pitt , 43, has vowed not to film any more nude scenes. "I don't want to be embarrassed when my kids get old enough to see my films," said Pitt to the BBC. Sniff. Where's the tissue? Pitt added that there might be fewer films in his future. "Who knows how many I'll get to do now, so I want to do something I'm interested in. Otherwise, I don't want to bother. I think it's a younger person's game."
Andy Garcia remembers NFL star Taylor

In a statement to the Miami Herald, "Ocean's Thirteen" actor Andy Garcia said NFL star Sean Taylor was a "hero." Taylor, 24, died Tuesday after being shot in his home by an intruder. Taylor's girlfriend, Jackie Garcia, who is Andy Garcia's niece, hid in the bedroom with the couple's 18-month daughter. Garcia spoke of Taylor's "heroic action" as "a testament to his humanity and courage." Garcia, 51, added, "We will always remember him as a caring and loving individual, especially to his new family."

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• The very pregnant pop singer Christina Aguilera reveals quite a bit in January's Marie Claire. In addition to giving an in-depth interview, Aguilera poses nude. She reveals why she kept quiet about the pregnancy. "I didn't want to make the audience uncomfortable, like 'Pregnant lady onstage!' " The issue hits newsstands Dec. 11.

• "Sopranos" actress Drea de Matteo , 35, had a baby girl, Alabama Gypsy Rose, on Wednesday.

Morissette Lands Movie Role

2007-11-05T16:39:00.000-08:00

HOLLYWOOD - Singer Alanis Morissette has landed a role in upcoming movie Radio Free Albemuth.

Morissette will play a young cancer sufferer in the movie adaptation of a novel by Philip K. Dick, the science-fiction writer behind box office hits Blade Runner, Minority Report and Total Recall.

The 33-year-old says, "I feel blessed to portray Sylvia and to be part of this story being told in film."

Whitaker to Star in 'American Gangster' TV Offshoot

2007-11-05T16:38:00.000-08:00

HOLLYWOOD - Denzel Washington and Russell Crowe's new movie American Gangster already has a TV spin-off, which will star another Oscar winner, Forest Whitaker.

As American Gangster hits theaters, cable network Showtime has announced Whitaker will play Harlem drug lord Leroy Barnes in a new drama series called Mr. Untouchable.

Cuba Gooding Jr., yet another Oscar winner, portrays the New York heroin dealer, who was dubbed Mr. Untouchable by the media in the 1970s, in American Gangster.

Whitaker's film will follow the fortunes of Barnes, who built a drug empire that rivaled that of the Mafia.

Mr. Untouchable has no official ties to director Ridley Scott's American Gangster.

Strike Brings Top Talk Shows to a Standstill

2007-11-05T16:37:00.000-08:00

HOLLYWOOD - Top late-night talk shows The Tonight Show, The Daily Show and The Late Show have become the first big victims of the Hollywood writer's strike.

Producers of the three programs scrapped plans to air on Monday night as the walkout kicked off, following a weekend of desperate talks to halt the strike.

The Tonight Show host Jay Leno briefly joined the picket line outside the NBC studios in Burbank, California--where his show is taped--after network bosses announced the show would immediately go into reruns.

David Letterman's The Late Show will also run a series of repeats this week, as will The Daily Show and a series of daytime talk shows.

The strike started on a noisy note as picketing writers began chanting loudly outside CBS and Paramount Studios in Hollywood early on Monday morning.

Those organized outside Paramount wore red strike T-shirts and carried signs reading, "Writers Guild of America on Strike."

McCartney Seeking Full Custody

2007-11-05T16:35:00.001-08:00

HOLLYWOOD - Paul McCartney is seeking full custody of his 4-year-old daughter with Heather Mills, following the ex-model's suicide revelations on TV last Wednesday.

Mills, 39, ranted to a British interviewer that she was finding life impossible following a string of bad press--and had contemplated ending her life after her marriage to the former Beatle ended in May 2006.

But her TV confessions have worried McCartney, who fears their daughter Beatrice could be at risk from Mills' erratic behavior.

A close pal tells British newspaper The News of the World, "Paul fears Heather's lost the plot and needs help. He's deeply worried.

"She claimed to the world that her life's at risk. If that's true, so is Bea's and she must be with her dad.

"Paul's main concern is Bea's safety and well-being. Going for full custody is a last resort but he's really scared for his child. He doesn't feel he's got a choice now.

"Paul did plead with Heather to consider Bea before she went on these TV shows, but she ignored him. Now he's deeply concerned their daughter is growing more aware of the public war between them."

The estranged couple had previously agreed for Mills to take primary custody, with McCartney entitled to regular visits.

The news of McCartney's plans for full custody come as Mills faces questioning by social services about her ability as a mother.

A senior U.K. health visitor says, "There is a duty of care. We will investigate the claims that a woman has considered taking her own life and decide whether these claims can be substantiated. If there are grounds for concern we will decide on the next course of action."

Defence names tax man as CIO

2007-10-28T16:47:00.000-07:00

THE Department of Defence has poached Australian Taxation Office technology boss Greg Farr to serve as its new chief information officer.

Greg Farr's appointment as Defence CIO comes just days before he's scheduled to brief vendors on the ATO's $1 billion outsourcing program

The appointment casts a shadow over the ATO's looming $1 billion outsourcing program and comes just days before Mr Farr was scheduled to brief vendors on the initiative.

Defence named Mr Farr, the ATO's second commissioner and senior technology executive, as its new CIO in a statement late Friday.

Mr Farr will start work at the end of next month.

"We are delighted to welcome Mr Farr to the Defence organisation and look forward to working with him on what is an increasingly vital part of our activities, including in support of ADF operations," Secretary of Defence Nick Warner said.

Mr Farr's appointment follows a decision by Defence to reopen applications for the CIO job to public servants after it failed to attract enough interest from private sector technology bosses.

Coles CIO Peter Mahler and former Qantas and Telstra IT head Fiona Balfour are both understood to have been targeted by Defence but the organisation was expected to struggle to match private sector pay scales.

Peter Lambert has been serving as acting chief information officer at Defence.

An independent review carried out earlier this year had advised Defence to bring in an IT expert from the private sector.

While Mr Farr's appointment does not fulfil that recommendation it does embrace advice that the department draw upon external expertise to revitalise its troubled technology operations.

Mr Farr will step into an organisation battered by controversy and struggling to deliver major IT projects including a $100 million upgrade of its mission critical payroll and human resources platform.

The department has three core business system projects underway and Mr Farr will also have to grapple with myriad military systems.

Defence is one of the country's largest and most sophisticated users of information and communications technology and the role of leading its IT operations is considered one of the most challenging CIO jobs in Australia.

The department has also struggled to hold onto technology leaders and it has had two full-time and two acting CIOs aside from Mr Farr in the last four years.

The most recent full-time chief information officer, Air Vice-Marshall John Monaghan, resigned from the position to pursue a private sector career in March, precipitating a six-month search for a new permanent technology boss.

Mr Farr leaves the ATO as the organisation prepares to retender its decade-old infrastructure outsourcing agreement with EDS.

An ATO spokeswoman said that Mr Farr's appointment to Defence was not likely to impact the $1 billion outsourcing project, which kicks off at the end of October and will run until mid-2010.

Mr Farr has been central to determining the outsourcing strategy and has also overseen the agency's on-going, $724 million technology Change Program.

"Mr Farr has played a key role in leading the Change Program and leaves us well on the road to the successful roll-out of the remaining releases. In particular we have a high level of confidence for release 3.1 and 3.2, with a lot of the hard work behind us," the spokeswoman said.

"The talent of our people is being recognised increasingly by others in the public service and Greg’s appointment recognises the value others place in our capabilities."

ATO chief information officer Bill Gibson will continue to manage the tax office's technology sourcing strategy on a day-to-day basis and the agency has commissioned a recruitment firm to start the hunt for a new second commissioner.

"Our own people are being considered as well as others in the field to be provided to government for consideration," the spokeswoman said.

Royal in sex video blackmail plot - report

2007-10-28T16:45:00.000-07:00

AN unidentified member of the British royal family has been targeted in a sex and drugs blackmail attempt, the Sunday Times newspaper has reported.

The newspaper said two men had demanded £50,000 ($112,000) or they would release video of what they claimed was a royal aide performing oral sex on a royal.

The men also said the footage showed the royal side snorting cocaine from an envelope allegedly supplied by the royal, the paper reported.

It is the first time in more than a century that a member of the royal family has been the target of an alleged blackmail plot.

Buckingham Palace was not immediately available to comment.

The Metropolitan Police issued the following statement in response to an inquiry about the story:

"A 30-year-old man and a 40-year-old man appeared at City of Westminster Magistrates Court on 13th of September, each charged with one count of blackmail.

"They were remanded in custody to appear at the Old Bailey on the 20th of December."

The hearing was held behind closed doors.

Reporting restrictions prevent identification of the royal in question or any witnesses.

The newspaper said the plot came to light in August when a man telephoned the royal family member's office to make the threats.

The police were called in and set up an operation in which a detective posing as a royal aide met the two men in a London hotel on September 11 and was shown the video.

The men were arrested immediately afterwards, the newspaper said.

Beyonce and Timberlake Top the List

2007-10-24T03:43:00.000-07:00

Beyonce and Timberlake are ready to rock the nation again. On Tuesday the nominees for the 35th Annual American Music Awards were announced and pop stars Justin Timberlake and Beyonce topped the list with four nominations each. Joining them are rock bands Linkin Park and Daughtry.

Timberlake was nominated for favorite pop/rock album while Beyonce vies for favorite soul/R&B album. Closer behind them are Young Jeezy, T.I. and Bone Thugs-N-Harmony, who have grabbed two nominations each.

The results will be announced on the 18th of November during the telecast of the ceremony. The ceremony is being held at the Nokia Theatre in downtown Los Angeles.

Another twist to the tale is the introduction of the new voting procedure wherein fans are able to vote online at AMA.ABC.com all the way through November 1. Till now winners were decided by a poll of 20,000 music buyers.

The ceremony which will be hosted by Jimmy Kimmel is scheduled to star performances by Rihanna and Fergie, among others.

Hilton Booed at Awards Show

2007-10-24T03:41:00.000-07:00

Paris Hilton was booed as she went onstage to present a preview a clip from her upcoming horror movie at the 2007 Scream Awards in Los Angeles on Friday night.

The hotel heiress took the Greek Theater stage, joined by her Repo! The Genetic Opera costars Bill Moseley and Anthony Head, when some members of the audience decided to express their displeasure at the sight of the former jailbird.

Hilton appeared unfazed by the unwanted attention.

Elsewhere at the sci-fi and horror-themed ceremony--organized by Spike TV--Harrison Ford was honoured with the Hero Award.

Transformers won Best Sci-Fi Movie and Best F/X, and its stars Shia LaBeouf and Megan Fox were crowned Best Sci-Fi Star and Best Sci-Fi Siren, respectively.

Jessica Alba was awarded Best Female Superhero for her role in Fantastic Four: Rise of the Silver Surfer, and Hayden Panettiere was named Best Breakout Star for her part in TV series Heroes.

Pan's Labyrinth won Best Fantasy Movie, 28 Weeks Later was awarded the Best Horror Movie honor, and historic war film 300 collected the Ultimate Scream.

Shock-rocker Alice Cooper collected the Rock Immortal Award.

Paris Hilton Wants To Live Forever

2007-10-24T03:39:00.000-07:00

Celebrities ‘Wish list’ can never come to an end. They always want to do something unusual. its Paris Hilton this time who wants to be frozen after her death with her dogs, don’t you feel that’s totally crazy. Well that’s what stars are about!
Hilton has placed a request that her body should be preserved for a 100 years and not alone but with her dogs. It was revealed that Hilton has invested a huge amount to the Cryonics Institute. It is the world’s largest suspended animation cemetery. The amount which Hilton has given has not been disclosed.

Hilton expressed her joy when she spoke about this. She said that it was really cool that almost all the cells in the body are still alive when death is pronounced, and if you’re immediately cooled you can be perfectly preserved. She was so happy with the mere thought that her life could be extended for hundreds and thousands of years.

Hilton earlier also said that her previous lifestyle was only partying and partying which left her with an empty feeling inside and with the regular headline grabber stating that she wishes to ‘leave a mark on the world’. Now that Hilton has started this new craze, we will soon see the other celebrities too wanting to live forever.

Jessica Sets a Date to Host Her Views

2007-10-23T07:57:00.000-07:00

Jessica Simpson and her very dark smoky eyes made stops at LA hotspots Winstons and Hyde over the weekend. Lately, Jess has been dividing her time between working out and enjoying her single life, but pretty soon she'll be back on the small screen. She's set to co-host the view on November 15th and 16th while Elisabeth Hasselbeck is on maternity leave. We all remember how hilarious Jess can be when freely speaking her mind, so we'll be setting our TiVos for more of her pearls of wisdom.

Shocker: Gisele Looks Good in a Bikini

2007-10-22T12:14:00.000-07:00

Freak-ing Supermodels, right? Gisele Bundchen pranced around the Miami beach on Saturday afternoon showing off the bod (those stems and some sexy beach hair) that made her famous. Her boyfriend Tom Brady was in town to play (and defeat — holla!) the Miami Dolphins, so Gisele took advantage of the opportunity to have a little vacation and support her man on the field. Even just playing around on the beach can be quite the workout, but something tells me Gisele doesn't even need it. Lucky girl.

To see more of Gisele lounging and frolicking just

Brad Pitt visited Angelina Jolie on film set

2007-10-21T08:19:00.000-07:00

Brad Pitt visited Angelina Jolie on the set of her new movie in Los Angeles on Wednesday (Oct 17, 2007).

The Hollywood couple have moved from New York - along with their four children - to the West Coast while Angelina is shooting Clint Eastwood's new drama "The Changeling."

An onset source said: "Brad looked on supportively as Angelina performed her scenes. When shooting wrapped they strolled of to her trailer laughing, arm-in-arm."

The couple - who are parents to adopted Cambodian son Maddox, six, three-year-old Vietnamese son Pax, two-year-old Ethiopian daughter Zahara and 16-month-old biological daughter Shiloh - have come under fire for up uprooting their children.

The family had been living in a $100,000-a-month, six-bedroom apartment in New York's Waldorf Towers and Maddox had just been enrolled at the Lycee Français de New York school.

In the last 16 months, the family have lived in New Orleans, Paris, Namibia, Prague, India, New York and now Los Angeles.

Manhattan-based social worker Puja Hall told the New York Post newspaper: "Maddox is an adopted child, so he already has a sense of abandonment."

"Kids that constantly move are like army brats, in that very often they don't want to open up to people. They feel loss, and there is a problem with attachment."

"With the moves, the kids just don't invest in relationships, because they're going to lose them anyway."

"They think, 'Why bother? I'm not gonna stick around. We're gonna pick up and go, and the loss of friends is painful.'"

"It needs to be weighed. At some point, they will have to make some important choices so the kids can form those bonds and keep them."

An employee at Lycee Francais de New York said: "We would most likely not take a child for just a few months, because we have a waiting list."

"If we take them for two months and you pay for two months, we lose money and someone on the waiting list loses a spot."

Angelina Jolie's representative, Cindy Guagenti, said: "These comments are unfair to them."

"It's nobody's business what they do with their kids. Maddox only goes to Lycee schools."

Source: BANG Showbiz

Watch Brad Pitt and Angelina Jolie Videos

Lindsay Lohan engaged?

2007-10-21T08:13:00.000-07:00

Lindsay Lohan is engaged, it has been reported.

The 21-year-old star, who has been pictured sporting an engagement ring, happily accepted new love Riley Giles' proposal of marriage, says her bodyguard.

Lindsay, who met Riley during her recent two-month stay in Utah's Cirque Lodge rehab clinic, was seen buying a new ring at a Los Angeles boutique yesterday (Oct 18, 2007).

While Lindsay refused to answer questions about her engagement, her bodyguard decided to speak for her, offering a resounding "yeah."

The "Mean Girls" actress has already been seen wearing a Cartier ring on her wedding finger over the last few days.

However, Lindsay's representatives have denied she is engaged, claiming the Cartier ring was a present from her father Michael which she has had for some time.

She has now moved the ring to her middle finger.

Lindsay has made no secret of her strong feelings for the professional snowboarder.

She recently said: "I love his attitude to my Hollywood stardom. He finds it very funny and that's what I love about him. He has a good sense of humor."

"I know I'm back in Los Angeles and he's in Utah but we'll be able to visit each other. I can go and see him at weekends and he can come out to see me too."

Source: BANG Showbiz

Lindsay Lohan Pictures

Jennifer Lopez commissions $50k nursery

2007-10-20T01:50:00.000-07:00

Jennifer Lopez and Marc Anthony have commissioned a $50,000 nursery, seemingly confirming they are expecting a baby.

The "El Cantante" stars - who have refused to comment on the rumored pregnancy - visited exclusive Los Angeles baby boutique Petit Tresor on Wednesday (Oct 17, 2007), and made arrangements for a $50,000 nursery.

A source at the store told America's OK! magazine: "Petit Tresor will be designing a nursery rhyme themed baby nursery for Jennifer and Marc. There will also be custom-painted murals on the walls."

After entering the shop - which was closed off to the public for the afternoon - through a concealed back entrance, the parents-to-be spent a leisurely two hours browsing baby goods.

They eventually chose a selection of prams, Moses baskets, blankets, baby clothes and toys.

The couple, who are rumored to be expecting twins, also ordered a custom-made crib, changing table and wardrobe.

The source added: "They've chosen both 'boy' and 'girl' items, which will be interchangeable, and the nursery's design will be finalized when they know the gender of the baby."

Jennifer recently explained why she hasn't made a public statement about the pregnancy.

She said: "We try to keep our lives as private as possible. We respect the relationship with the media and being able to get out there what we are doing. But we don't parade ourselves in front of the cameras."

"We are out there when we need to be, and when we don't, we keep that time kind of sacred and try not to court attention."

Source: BANG Showbiz

Jennifer Lopez and Marc Anthony in "El Cantante"

Britney Spears slams k-fed in new song

2007-10-20T01:44:00.000-07:00

Britney Spears has reportedly recorded a damning song about her failed marriage to Kevin Federline.

The singer, whose divorce to the former backing dancer was finalized in July, seemingly reveals Kevin's love of partying, money, cars and women on new track "Why Should I Be Sad."

On the track, Britney sings: "It just seemed that Vegas only brought the playa out of you."

The 25-year-old star - who lost custody of Sean Preston, two, and 13-month-old Jayden James to Kevin last week after failing to obey a court order in her ongoing custody battle - also allegedly slams her ex-husband's parenting skills in the song.

A source told People magazine: "The song is definitely about Britney and Kevin's relationship when they were married."

"Britney entertains the idea that she stayed home taking care of the kids while Kevin was out partying."

"The track will be very revealing for her fans. It is one of the most personal songs she has ever recorded."

"Why Should I Be Sad," which was co-written by producer Pharrell Williams, features on Britney's latest album "Blackout."

Pharrell admits Britney's behavior has spiraled out of control recently, but wishes her well.

He said: "At the end of the day she is a sweet person. She's just made a couple of decisions that none of us would necessarily agree with, but you try being that age and living under that kind of pressure."

"I wish her well. I pray for her. I hope she fares well throughout all of this craziness."

"Blackout" is due to be released on October 30.

Source: BANG Showbiz

Britney Talks into her Cellphone while Stopping at a Gas Station
Los Angeles, California - October 16, 2007

Rugby mascot Harry puts sport before romance

2007-10-19T02:29:00.000-07:00

Prince Harry missed girlfriend Chelsy Davy's 22nd birthday last weekend to be in Paris for England’s victory over France in the Rugby World Cup. And it looks like his passion for the sport will be keeping her from him again this weekend.

The 23-year-old, who the rugby team refer to as their lucky mascot, is set to cheer on England in the highly anticipated final against his South African girlfriend's national team on Saturday.

It's not known whether Chelsy will be joining her royal beau for the match in the Stade de France, although according to The Sun Harry has apparently given his other ticket away to his brother Prince William. The pretty Zimbabwean, who was formerly based in Cape Town, may well choose to support the South African side at her university digs in Leeds instead.

Chelsy has attended several sporting events with Harry in the past, including a cricket match in Antigua in April, although whether or not she's a rugby fan is unclear. Fellow royal girlfriend Kate Middleton clearly shares her Prince's enthusiasm for the game, attending the Six Nations with him back in February.

Despite her move to the UK last month to be closer to her beau, Chelsy has not seen as much of Harry as she might have hoped. He famously arrived late to collect her at the airport and has apparently only been up to Leeds to see her once. And for her part she seems to be steering clear of the London social scene of which they were once very much a part.

PAMELA: I AM FINALLY FULFILLED

2007-10-19T02:22:00.000-07:00

Pamela Anderson's life is ''fulfilled in every area'' now she is married to Rick Salomon.

The former "Baywatch" actress - who wed the professional poker player in Las Vegas on October 6 - couldn't be happier with her new husband.

She said: "I am finally fulfilled in my life in ever area. I'm having the best time in my life."

Pammy, who has been married twice before, wore a tight-fitting cream Valentino mini-dress and vintage Neil Lane jewelry for the nuptials.

She added to America's OK! magazine: "My jewelry was unpretentious and super-genuine."

The blonde beauty - who was given away by her driver and close friend Errol Lyon - also revealed it was Rick who organized the whole ceremony.

Rick, who famously filmed a homemade sex tape with Paris Hilton, hired Rachel Ashwell of Shabby Chic to decorate a villa at the Mirage Hotel and Casino with white roses, balloons and hundreds of candles.

Guests at the wedding included "Spider-Man" actor Tobey Maguire, magician Hanks Klok, Pammy's sons, Brandon, 11, and nine-year-old Dylan, and Rick's daughters, Hunter, 11, and Tyson, nine.

Source: BANG Showbiz

Pamela Anderson Movie Stills from
"Baywatch: Hawaiian Wedding" (2003)

Black Eagles look to heal wounds

2007-10-03T12:34:00.001-07:00

Ending a difficult September with two losses and two draws in five games on both the domestic and international stage, Beşiktaş wants to bounce back by defeating Porto on home ground tonight.

Starting the Champions League Group A fixture with an away loss at the hands of French side Olympique Marseille through two late goals, the Black Eagles want to revive their hopes by getting a good result from the game at Istanbul İnönü Stadium.

The Marseille game was the beginning of heavy criticisms leveled toward Ertuğrul Sağlam, who was supposedly responsible for the highly defensive style of play against the French team. Sağlam found himself under fire once again, as his team had a poor display losing 2-1 to Galatasaray Saturday, when the Lions were relatively vulnerable, playing without two of their main stars Hakan Şükür and Lincoln.

Meanwhile, it is bad news for Beşiktaş that the Portuguese side has made an almost perfect start to the season. Winning all six of its domestic league games, Porto has conceded only one goal. The Dragons have also made a relatively positive start to the Champions League, holding Liverpool to a 1-1 draw. Still, the score was more like the minimum of what they could get against last year's runner up, as the game was almost one-sided in favor of the Portuguese champions.

On the other hand, Beşiktaş has something to hold on to before tonight's game. First is an exceptional record of winning all the second games in the Champions League. Beşiktaş defeated Paris Saint-Germain 3-1 in the 1997-98 season and outclassed Barcelona 3-0 in the year 2000-2001 in the second fixtures of the Europe's top campaign. The Black Eagles also shocked Chelsea 2-0 at Stamford Bridge in 2003 in the second game. Also in Group A, Erik Gerets starts his Marseille coaching career at Anfield, where French teams have never won. However, Liverpool's only defeat in last year's Champions League group stage was inflicted by Galatasaray then coached by none other than Gerets.

"We're obviously not taking it easy, but we're certainly not overawed," Marseille president, Pape Diouf, said. "It's the first match of a new era ... and we have to remain optimistic," he added.

The visiting side has inside knowledge of the Reds, courtesy of summer signings Djibril Cissé and Boudewijn Zenden.

"They're a team that are very well organized, very compact," said Dutch winger Zenden. "The defenders don't give an inch." In the Group B game, Valencia welcomes troubled Chelsea. Having parted ways with manager Jose Mourinho following a 1-1 draw with Rosenborg in its opening European Champions League match, Chelsea is struggling for goals and looks nothing like the team that reached the semifinals three times in the past four years. Rosenborg is playing German side Schalke 04. Tonight Lazio welcomes Real Madrid and Olympiacos visits Werder Bremen in Group C games, while Celtic-Milan and Benfica-Shakhtar will clash in Group D. The matches start at 9:45 p.m.

Children of Diyarbakır in San Francisco Festival

2007-10-02T11:40:00.000-07:00

The Diyarbakır Children Chorus of Diyarbakır's Yenişehir Municipality will join the World Music Festival in San Francisco, singing in eight different languages.

The 15 people chorus will perform in San Diego on Oct. 3, Los Angeles on Oct. 5, San Francisco on Oct. 7. In addition to Turkish folk songs, the Diyarbakır Children Chorus will sing in Dutch, English, Hebrew, Kurdish, Russian and Syrian.

Yenişehir deputy mayor, Şefik Türk, emphasized that they are proud to take part in the eighth World Music Festival. He said, Our children will represent us and our culture. They are going to meet new cultures of other nations. Despite all the impossibilities we created a chance for the Children Chorus to represent Turkey in the United States. We will continue working.

Duygu Bakar, Chorus director, says that the chorus unites all languages and religions under one umbrella.

Lebanon: Fatah Islam Figures Caught

2007-09-15T04:55:00.002-07:00

Lebanese troops captured the spokesman for Fatah Islam and three other militants early Saturday, about two weeks after the army crushed the al-Qaida-inspired group in a northern Palestinian refugee camp, a military spokesman said.

Since defeating the movement after a three-month-long siege, Lebanese troops have combed areas around the Nahr el-Bared refugee camp for militants who may have escaped during the final desperate breakout attempt on Sept. 2, in which more than 50 militants were killed and two dozen detained.

The spokesman, Abu Salim Taha, was captured in Jabal Terbol, countryside outside Nahr el-Bared and near another Palestinian camp, Beddawi.

A military spokesman, who requested anonymity until an official statement was issued, said Taha was a Palestinian-Syrian from the refugee camp of Yarmouk in Syria, and that three other militants were captured with him.

An army statement later added that the other three men were from Saudi Arabia, Syria and Tunisia and that "an investigation is under way."

A security official, speaking on condition of anonymity because of the sensitivity of intelligence information, said some escaped militants were trying to reach and seek refugee in the southern Palestinian refugee camp of Ein el-Hilweh.

Fatah Islam set up base in Nahr el-Bared late last year. Its leader, Shaker al-Absi, is a Palestinian linked to the late leader of al-Qaida in Iraq, Abu Musab al-Zarqawi. Authorities say Fatah Islam is made up of Muslim militants of various nationalities.

The government has said 222 militants were killed in the fighting and more than 200 were arrested, while a total of 167 Lebanese soldiers died. More arrests have been made in recent days as authorities, helped by locals, caught some escapees.

Fatah Islam's No. 2 leader, Abu Hureira, was killed in a shootout with security forces in Tripoli near Nahr el-Bared more than a month ago _ after he mysteriously fled the army's siege of the camp.

Taha was thought to have been among the dead from the Sept. 2 breakout, and the media had shown pictures of a body purported to be his. They also showed a body alleged to have been al-Absi's. But the reports were later refuted, and authorities said al-Absi had fled the camp hours before the army took over.

The fighting between the militants and the army, which started May 20, became the worst internal violence since Lebanon's 1975-1990 civil war.

al-Qaida: Bounty on Swedish Cartoonist

2007-09-15T04:55:00.001-07:00

The leader of al-Qaida in Iraq offered money for the murder of a Swedish cartoonist and his editor who recently produced images deemed insulting to Islam, according to a statement carried by Islamist Web sites Saturday.

In a half hour audio file entitled "They plotted yet God too was plotting," Abu Omar al-Baghdadi also named the other insurgent groups in Iraq that al-Qaida was fighting and promised new attacks, particularly against the minority Yazidi sect.

"We are calling for the assassination of cartoonist Lars Vilks who dared insult our Prophet, peace be upon him, and we announce a reward during this generous month of Ramadan of $100,000 for the one who kills this criminal," the transcript on the Web site said.

The al-Qaida leader upped the reward for Vilks' death to $150,000 if he was "slaughtered like a lamb" and offered $50,000 for the killing of the editor of Nerikes Allehanda, the Swedish paper that printed Vilks' cartoon of the Prophet Muhammad with a dog's body on Aug. 19.

Vilks said from Sweden he believed the matter of his cartoons had been blown out of proportion.

"We have a real problem here," Vilks told The Associated Press by telephone. "We can only hope that Muslims in Europe and in the Western world choose to distance themselves from this and support the idea of freedom of expression."

Ulf Johansson, editor in chief of Nerikes Allehanda, said he took the bounty "more seriously" than other threats he had received. "This is more explicit. It's not every day somebody puts a price on your head."

Johansson said he had contacted the police and that they had already started work on the threat.

Aside from a few scattered protests and condemnations by Muslim countries, the reaction to the cartoon has been muted, in contrast to last year's fiery protests that erupted in several Muslim countries after a Danish newspaper published 12 cartoons of Muhammad that were reprinted in a range of Western media.

In an attempt to defuse the tensions caused by the cartoon in both Sweden and abroad, Swedish Prime Minister Fredrik Reinfeldt last week invited 22 Sweden-based ambassadors from Muslim countries to talk about the sketch.

Reinfeldt expressed regret at the hurt it may have caused, but said that according to Swedish law it is not up to politicians to punish the free press.

Al-Baghdadi added in his message that if the "crusader state of Sweden" didn't apologize, his organization would also attack major companies.

"We know how to force you to retreat and apologize and if you don't, wait for us to strike the economy of your giant companies including Ericsson, Scania, Volvo, Ikea, and Electrolux," he said.

No photo has ever appeared of al-Baghdadi, whom the U.S. describes as a fictitious character used to give an Iraqi face to an organization dominated by foreigners.

The U.S. has said that under interrogation, a top al-Qaida member revealed that al-Baghdadi's speeches are read by an actor.

Al-Qaida in Iraq in the past has carried out operations in Jordan and may have links to militant groups in Lebanon, but is not known to have any kind of presence in Europe.

Alcohol Business Dangerous in Baghdad

2007-09-15T04:54:00.000-07:00

The three men glanced left and right before cautiously entering a liquor store on Saadoun Street, one of two areas where alcohol is publicly sold in the Iraqi capital. Inside, they pointed to a bottle of champagne.

"Give me a box of those," one said.

Selling and drinking alcohol is still legal in Iraq, but since the rise of religious parties in this predominantly Muslim country, the trade has come under severe pressure. Aside from legal restrictions, many liquor shops have been bombed in the past four years.

Some who dared sell alcohol from their homes have been killed by religious militias, which use fear and intimidation to keep liquor out of areas they control.

Still, that has not deterred all traders or customers.

"We're busy these few days," said Yasser, a clerk at the Saadoun Street store, who refused to give his full name for security reasons. "People are buying big amounts of alcohol because Ramadan is coming," referring to the Muslim holy month of fasting that began this week.

All liquor stores are closed during Ramadan, a measure that has been in force since before Saddam Hussein's regime was toppled in April 2003.

"Usually the buyers take bottles, but now they buy boxes," said Naim, a clerk who refused to give his full name out of fear for his safety. "They want to make sure they have enough until the end of the month. We are selling a lot of beers and whiskey."

Iraq's alcohol business faced various pressures long before the U.S.-led invasion.

For decades, Baghdad's nightclubs and bars by the Tigris river were famous throughout the Middle East for grilled fish, alcohol and scantily clad belly dancers.

Similar clubs in the southern city of Basra used to attract thousands of Kuwaitis who drove to the Iraqi city for fun and drinks.

But in 1993, Saddam, reeling from his loss in the 1991 Gulf War, launched a religious campaign that included a ban on public consumption of alcohol, closing nightclubs, combatting prostitution and giving religious lessons to the public, including those in his secular Baath party.

Saddam heavily restricted and regulated alcohol sales. Nightclubs were turned into restaurants but some still sold alcohol to their clients secretly.

Soon after Saddam's fall, the liquor business boomed. Shops began openly selling alcohol and vendors were seen in some of Baghdad's streets hawking imported beer or whiskey.

All that came to an end as religious parties solidified their hold on power.

Today, there are only two areas in Baghdad where alcohol is legally sold: near the Baghdad Hotel in the central part of the capital along Saadoun Street and in the Karradit Mariam area just outside the Green Zone that houses offices of the Iraqi prime minister and president as well as the U.S. Embassy.

Most of the shops are run by Iraq's minority Christians or Yazidis, followers of an ancient religion that does not forbid alcohol.

Naim, a Yazidi, said the most popular drink is Arak, an anise or dates flavored liquor which is produced in Iraq and which sells for as little as $2.40 a bottle.

The most expensive brand he sells is Johnny Walker Black Label whisky for $28 a bottle.

At another shop, a Christian employee who refused to give his name, saying he has been receiving threats for months, said his cheapest brand is an Indian-made whiskey that sells for $2 for a fifth.

"This is usually bought by homeless people who live in the streets," the man said.

He said most of his clientele is Muslim.

"Christians and Yazidis sell, and Muslims drink," he said.

Health Official Defends Walter Reed Care

2007-09-14T06:13:00.001-07:00

The military's medical community got a black eye that "we didn't completely deserve" about conditions at Walter Reed Army Medical Center, the top Pentagon health official said Thursday at a ribbon cutting for a new amputee center.

The defense of conditions at Walter Reed by Dr. S. Ward Casscells, assistant secretary of defense for health, was a departure from the message by many military leaders who have taken responsibility for the problems.

In February, the hospital was besieged by news reports of poor outpatient care at Walter Reed, which is the flagship hospital of the Army's system of medical facilities.

The new, state-of-the art, $10 million rehabilitation center for amputees at Walter Reed is a source of pride for the hospital. Injured soldiers who have lost a limb will be able to relearn tasks at the 31,000 square-foot facility such as shooting a weapon or driving a car.

Parachutists from the Army's 101st Airborne Division parachuted to the lawn for the ceremony, which was attended by about 2,000 people _ including many amputees in wheelchairs.

The comment by Casscells came after he thanked Maj. Gen. Eric Schoomaker, the commander of Walter Reed, for his tremendous effort to improve the situation "to make it first class in every way."

Casscells then thanked doctors and other medical personnel "who didn't quit when many of us in the military health system got a black eye that we didn't completely deserve."

Rep. John Murtha, a critic of the Bush administration's handling of the war, said after the ceremony that he thinks problems at the hospital have been resolved.

"They were overwhelmed. They couldn't handle it, is what it amounted to," said Murtha, D-Pa., who is chairman of the defense appropriations subcommittee.

After the disclosures in February, three top Pentagon officials were forced to step down _ former Army Secretary Francis Harvey, as well as Maj. Gen. George W. Weightman and Lt. Gen. Kevin Kiley, the two previous commanders at Walter Reed.

The Army took steps afterward such as cleaning up buildings and hiring more staff.

Construction at the amputee center, which is called the Military Advanced Training Center, began in November. The money for it was approved in 2004 before a commission decided to relocate services at the hospital and close it in 2011. Equipment inside the new center can be moved to another location.

Sex Attacker Who Apologized Is Released

2007-09-13T10:44:00.000-07:00

A man who sexually assaulted a fellow University of Virginia student then apologized to her two decades later as part of the Alcoholics Anonymous program was released Thursday after serving less than six months of an 18-month sentence.

William Beebe, 42, of Las Vegas, pleaded guilty in November to aggravated sexual battery for attacking Liz Seccuro at a fraternity party in 1984. In March, a judge ordered a 10-year prison sentence with all but 18 months suspended.

Virginia abolished parole for all crimes committed after 1994, but because the crime occurred a decade earlier, Beebe was a candidate for early release.

"Having waited 20 years for justice this shortened sentence makes justice feel incomplete," Seccuro wrote in an e-mail. "I take heart in the knowledge that the punishment for this crime is more certain today in Virginia."

Beebe, sporting long hair and a goatee, left the Charlottesville jail without commenting to reporters. He plans to live in Chesterfield, Va.

"This matter came to light because he tried to right a wrong," said his attorney, Rhonda Quagliana. "Mr. Beebe has been sufficiently punished for his misjudgment."

In 2005, Beebe wrote Seccuro a letter of apology as part of AA's 12-step recovery program. The ninth step calls on alcoholics to make amends to those they have harmed _ unless doing so would cause further injury. In an exchange of e-mails that ensued, Beebe wrote: "I want to make clear that I'm not intentionally minimizing the fact of having raped you. I did."

Seccuro, 40, of Greenwich, Conn., reported the assault to university officials back in 1984, but said a dean and the campus police treated her dismissively. After receiving Beebe's letter, she eventually decided to call Charlottesville police. There is no statute of limitations on felonies in Virginia.

Beebe had originally been charged with rape and object sexual penetration and could have received life in prison. But last November, he pleaded guilty to a lesser charge as part of a plea deal after investigators uncovered information suggesting Seccuro was attacked by more than one person.

Seccuro was given a drink at the party that made her feel strange, and she later passed out, leaving her memory hazy. She said she vividly recalls being attacked by Beebe, but always had a vague impression she'd been assaulted by additional members of the fraternity.

Authorities had hoped Beebe could assist them in their investigation, but prosecutors said he gave them no helpful information. In July, officials told The Associated Press they had exhausted all leads and the case had stalled.

Seccuro went public with her name and story, hoping to lead other sexual assault survivors to seek help. She launched STARS _ Sisters Together Assisting Rape Survivors _ to raise money for rape victims and their families.

Seccuro said she was concerned that Beebe's shortened sentence will deter other sexual assault victims from contacting authorities.

"Please do come forward, find your voice, allow the system to work and be your own advocates," she wrote. "Let this case be an example not of the failures of the system, but how we can make it better."

Zeta-Jones, Douglas to Film in India

2007-09-13T10:42:00.002-07:00

Catherine Zeta-Jones and her husband, Michael Douglas, are planning to shoot a movie in India.

"I'm looking forward to going to India," the actress was quoted as saying by The Times of India on Thursday. "Michael and I are developing a script that will be set up in India. We will take our kids and all of us will come there, set up camp in India and shoot a film."

Zeta-Jones didn't give details about the movie.

Douglas visited Mumbai two years ago and announced plans to co-produce and star in "Racing the Monsoon," an action-adventure about a diamond heist aboard an Indian train.

Zeta-Jones, Douglas and their two young children live much of the year on the island of Bermuda, the 37-year-old actress said.

"The logistics are different now, I can't just take off anywhere because my kids go to school in Bermuda," she said. "If I work, Michael doesn't work and vice versa, that's our pact."

Zeta-Jones won a supporting actress Oscar in 2003 for her role in the musical "Chicago." Douglas, 62, has won two Oscars _ as an actor for the 1987 film "Wall Street" and as a pr

Film Institute to Commemorate Bergman

2007-09-13T10:42:00.001-07:00

The Swedish Film Institute will dedicate a weekend to the life and works of Ingmar Bergman.

About 20 of Bergman's films will be shown Oct. 6-7, the institute announced Thursday. The weekend will also include seminars, lectures and displays about the famed director, considered one of great masters of 20th-century cinema.

Bergman died July 30 at his home on the Baltic Sea islet of Faro. He was 89. His films include "The Seventh Seal" and "Fanny and Alexander."

Judge Rejects Bid to Hike Rapper's Bail

2007-09-13T10:34:00.000-07:00

Remy Ma, free on $250,000 bond after being accused of shooting an acquaintance, doesn't have to post more bail money despite more problems with the law.

A judge said Wednesday she was denying a prosecutor's request to hike the rapper's bail following a new indictment on witness tampering and gang assault charges. The judge said she could change her mind later.

The new charges stem from an Aug. 19 assault on a witness' boyfriend in a Bronx nightclub. Remy, 26, is accused of causing several of her male friends to attack the man, blackening an eye and breaking a bone in his face.

The assault followed an exchange in which Remy told the man, "Your girlfriend is changing her (cell phone) number on me and people are taking the (witness) stand," Assistant District Attorney Jason Berland told the court.

Another man who was with the witness' boyfriend was beaten by the same group, Berland said.

Remy, whose real name is Remy Smith, is the only person charged in the nightclub beatdown, Berland said. The victims reported that they covered their faces to protect themselves and didn't see who hit them, he said.

The prosecutor said he was asking for an increase in bail because Remy may be a flight risk. Remy's lawyer, Ira Fisher, said the rapper will surrender her passport.

Remy has pleaded not guilty to all the charges, Fisher said.

Berland said the July 14 shooting occurred after Remy left a birthday party in Greenwich Village, claimed that $2,000 was missing from her purse, and accused Makeda Barnes-Joseph of taking the money.

Barnes-Joseph was shot twice in the abdomen, Berland said. She was hospitalized for 16 days.

Remy was nominated for a Grammy as part of the Terror Squad for the 2004 summer smash "Lean Back."

Journalist's Murder Unsolved in Ukraine

2007-09-12T11:59:00.001-07:00

Media freedom advocates harshly criticized Ukrainian authorities Wednesday for a lack of progress in the inquiry into the murder of an investigative journalist seven years ago.

Three former police officers have faced trial in connection with the killing of Heorhiy Gongadze, whose beheaded body was found in a forest outside Kiev in 2000, but the probe has failed to track down the mastermind.

"This is the biggest question today: If there is a planned campaign of political obstruction? And we believe that there is," Jim Boumelha, the president of the International Federation of Journalists, said at a news conference.

Gongadze crusaded against official corruption. His killing triggered months of protests after Mykola Melnychenko, a former bodyguard to then-President Leonid Kuchma, released tape recordings in which voices resembling those of Kuchma and others were heard conspiring against the journalist.

Western-leaning President Viktor Yushchenko has pledged to make solving the killing a top priority, but no one has been convicted.

Press freedom watchdogs have particularly criticized Yushchenko for giving a state medal to the nation's former Prosecutor General, Mykhailo Potebenko. Gongadze appealed to Potebenko shortly before his murder when he realized he was being followed, but the prosecutor ignored his plea.

"There are people who try to cover up (for) their colleagues _ this is the only explanation I can give," Gongadze's widow, Myroslava, said when asked to comment on the stalled official probe.

Melnychenko fled in 2000 to the United States, where he was granted political asylum, but he later returned to Ukraine to testify.

Seven years ago, Gongadze got into what he thought was a taxi, and was then joined by three others and driven outside Kiev, according to the suspects. He was beaten and strangled, his body doused with gasoline and burned. Experts said Gongadze was decapitated after his death.

Numerous tests have concluded the remains are Gongadze's. His head has not been found.

New Life Expectancy Figures at New High

2007-09-12T09:18:00.001-07:00

The life expectancy for Americans is nearly 78 years, the longest in U.S. history, according to new government figures from 2005 released Wednesday.

That age, based on the latest data available, was still lower than the life span in more than three dozen other countries, however.

More bad news: The annual number of U.S. deaths rose from 2004 to 2005, a depressing uptick after the figure had dropped by 50,000 from 2003 to 2004. In 2005, the number of deaths increased by about that same amount.

U.S. life expectancy at birth inched up to 77.9 from the previous record, 77.8, recorded for 2004. The increase was more dramatic in contrast with 1995, when life expectancy was 75.8, and 1955, when it was 69.6.

The improvement was led by a drop in deaths from heart disease and stroke _ two of the nation's leading killers, according to the National Center for Health Statistics, which released the new life expectancy report Wednesday.

"If death rates from certain leading causes of death continue to decline, we should continue to see improvements in life expectancy," said Hsiang-Ching Kung, in a prepared statement. Kung is a survey statistician who co-authored the report.

The report also described a slight increase in the infant mortality rate, from 6.8 per 1,000 live births in 2004 to 6.9 in 2005. But researchers said the increase was not statistically significant.

The report is based on about 99 percent of the death records reported in all 50 states and the District of Columbia for 2005.

A final report will be released later, and the numbers may change a little. Last year, when releasing its preliminary death data for 2004, the government reported a 77.9 life expectancy. That figure later dropped to 77.8 in the final report.

In the 2005 preliminary report, researchers counted 2,447,910 deaths, up about 2 percent from the 2,397,615 in 2004.

The 2004 count had been a 2 percent drop from 2003 _ the biggest decline in nearly 70 years.

Researchers also noted continued differences by race and sex. Life expectancy for whites in 2005 was 78.3, the same as it was in 2004. Black life expectancy rose from 73.1 in 2004 to 73.2 in 2005, but it was still nearly five years lower than the white figure.

Life expectancy for women continues to be five years longer than for men, the report also found.

The age-adjusted death rate for heart disease dropped from 217 deaths per 100,000 in 2004 to about 210 in 2005, and actual deaths dropped from about 652,500 to about 649,000. The stroke rate dropped from 50 per 100,000 to about 46.5, and the number of stroke deaths dropped from about 150,000 to 143,500.

But the count of cancer deaths rose from about 554,000 to about 559,000, according to the report.

And there were 5 percent increases in the rates for Alzheimer's disease, the No. 7 leading cause of death, and for Parkinson's disease, which was No. 14.

The United States continues to lag behind at least 40 other nations. Andorra, a tiny country in the Pyrenees mountains between France and Spain, has the longest life expectancy, at 83.5 years, according to the U.S. Census Bureau. Japan, Macau, San Marino and Singapore ranked second, third, fourth and fifth.

Burger King Unveils Healthier Kids Menu

2007-09-12T09:17:00.002-07:00

Burger King pledged Wednesday to offer healthier fast-food items for children under 12, with plans to sell and market flame-broiled Chicken Tenders and apples cut to resemble thick-cut french fries.

Burger King Holdings Inc., the world's second largest hamburger chain, said it has set nutritional guidelines to follow when targeting children under 12 in advertising, including limiting ads to Kids Meals that contain no more than 560 calories, less than 30 percent of calories from fat and no more than 10 percent of calories from added sugars.

In that vein, Burger King is building a Kids Meal that will contain the flame-broiled Tenders, organic unsweetened applesauce and low-fat milk, for a total of 305 calories and 8.5 grams of fat. It will be available in restaurants sometime in 2008, the company said.

The fast-food chain is also developing what it calls BK Fresh Apple Fries. The red apples are cut to resemble french fries and are served in the same containers as fries, but they are not fried and are served skinless and cold.

"We not only want to better inform parents and kids about these new menu options but also to demonstrate through product innovation that better-for-you foods can be fun and taste good," said John Chidsey, Burger King's chief executive.

The 2.4-ounce serving of Apple Fries will have 35 calories, the company said. A small serving of Burger King french fries has 230 calories and 13 grams of fat, according to Burger King's Web site.

Burger King will use U.S. grown apples that are cut and packaged in a sterile environment and subjected to a pre-wash that contains lemon to keep them from turning brown, said Burger King spokesman Keva Silversmith.

The Miami-based company will continue to offer its fried Chicken Tenders on its menu. The flame-broiled Tenders have 145 calories and 6 grams of fat per four-piece children's serving. A four-piece serving of fried Tenders has 170 calories and 10 fat grams.

Miriam Pappo, a registered dietitian and nutritionist, said the move is part of a trend to offer healthier products at restaurants as people become more aware of nutrition and take interest in exactly what they are eating.

"It's a good trend. The actual ultimate solution is still to eat less fast food," said Pappo, clinical nutrition manager at Montesiore Medical Center in New York. "It will only be successful if it tastes good and it will only be successful if it fills the child up."

Long criticized for a lack of healthier options, several quick-service food chains in recent years have developed items for those seeking fast access to a less-expensive meal that has fewer calories and less fat than a burger, french fries and a soda.

Burger chain leader McDonald's Corp. offers apple slices with a low-fat caramel dip and low-fat milk in its Happy Meals, while offering salads and fruit parfaits on its regular menu. Wendy's International Inc. offers salads, yogurt with granola and mandarin oranges.

Burger King also sells salads and has a veggie burger. It did not reveal a price for its new children's items because food and paper costs have not been set, Silversmith said.

Ronni Litz Julien, a Miami nutritionist and author, praised Burger King but said it was the responsibility of parents to teach their children to eat healthier.

"I'm elated with the idea that they are paying more attention to the children today," Julien said. "The truth of the matter is that children in this country have never been more unhealthy. Fast food has been a big part of that. ... If a parent doesn't encourage this from the get go for their children, whether its 4 years old or 10 years old, it can't possibly be successful."

Doctor Details 9/11 Workers' Illnesses

2007-09-12T09:17:00.001-07:00

Doctors treating sickened ground zero workers offered Congress a detailed diagnosis Wednesday of the ailments still affecting thousands after the Sept. 11 attacks, from runny noses to laryngitis to lung disease.

Dr. Philip Landrigan of the Mount Sinai School of Medicine described three months of recent medical treatment to a House panel examining how many of those who toiled on the toxic debris pile are still sick _ or may get sick.

Thousands of people "are still suffering," Landrigan said a day after the sixth anniversary of the Sept. 11, 2001 attacks.

"Respiratory illness, psychological distress and financial devastation have become a new way of life for many," he told a House Education and Labor subcommittee.

The figures offered Wednesday further define the medical problems found by a 2006 Mount Sinai study, which said 70 percent of ground zero workers suffered new or worsened respiratory problems after their exposure to the debris of the World Trade Center.

Landrigan offered new specifics of the most prevalent symptoms among the police officers, firefighters, construction workers and volunteers examined.

Between April and June of this year, doctors in the 9/11 workers health program overseen by Mount Sinai saw 2,323 patients.

They found:

_Lower respiratory problems in 40 percent of patients. Asthma and asthma-like reactive airways disease were found in 30 percent. Smaller portions of patients had chronic cough _ 7 percent _ or chronic obstructive pulmonary disease _ 5 percent.

_Upper respiratory conditions in 59 percent. The most common condition was runny nose, in 51 percent of the workers, and chronic sinusitis, in about a fifth of them.

_Mental health problems, the most common being post-traumatic stress disorder and depression, in 36 percent of patients.

Landrigan said it is still unclear how many of those patients will continue to experience such symptoms, or how many may develop new diseases like cancer many years after their exposure.

Lingering 9/11-related illnesses _ and deaths of some first responders years after the attacks _ have led to calls in Congress for a federal program to fund long-term health programs for those workers.

So far, the government has paid for piecemeal screening and treatment of emergency personnel, construction workers and volunteers, but advocates want such programs expanded to include lower Manhattan residents, students and tourists.

FDA Asks Groups to Consider Food Labels

2007-09-11T07:35:00.004-07:00

Next month, General Mills Inc. and Kellogg Co. will begin emblazoning their breakfast cereals with symbols that summarize complex nutritional information _ part of the growing use of logos to steer harried grocery shoppers toward healthier choices.

The proliferation of such symbols is a worldwide phenomenon, with government regulators in Britain, Sweden and elsewhere establishing logo systems that concisely indicate how nutritious food products are. In the United States, however, corporations have been left to devise their own schemes. That's led to a patchwork of systems that some fear further confuses consumers already unsure about how to eat wisely.

On Monday, the Food and Drug Administration took a first step toward clearing matters up, inviting food companies, trade groups, watchdog organizations, medical experts and its overseas counterparts to share how front-label symbols, like the "traffic light" system used in Britain, can improve public health.

The FDA stressed the meeting was a preliminary step as it considers whether to establish a national symbol system. Any action is likely years away _ and, even then, any system is likely to be voluntary.

Absent federal action, food manufacturers and retailers have taken matters into their own hands. PepsiCo Inc. uses the "Smart Spot" symbol on diet Pepsi, baked Lay's chips and other products. Hannaford Bros., a New England supermarket chain, uses a zero to three-star system to rate more than 25,000 food items it sells. And in Britain, the government has persuaded some food companies to use a ranking system with green, yellow and red lights to characterize whether a food is low, medium or high in fat, salt and sugar.

"A whole range of consumers like it and can use it. And the important thing is that we know that it is actually changing what is happening in the marketplace," said Claire Boville, of Britain's Food Standards Agency, citing increased sales of foods flagged with the green and yellow symbols. Last week, Hannaford reported similar results.

Tesco PLC, Britain's largest grocery chain, uses a slightly different symbol system that lists percentages of guideline daily amounts for various nutrients. It too has had an effect, as consumers sent sales of products like Choco Snaps and prawn mayonnaise sandwiches plummeting in favor of more healthful options, the company's Breda Mitchell told the FDA.

The General Mills and Kellogg's versions will be similar, highlighting fat, sugar, salt and other nutrient levels, as well what percentage each contributes to what consumers typically require, officials said.

Overall, there is little consistency among the competing symbol regimes in use, according to the FDA, as it works to glean more information about them.

"We really don't have adequate information about the various programs to understand how their criteria work and how they are used and understood by consumers ... and how they may effect market choice," said Michael Landa, deputy director of the FDA's food office.

While Landa said the agency is in information-gathering mode, one lawmaker said he would move forward with legislation compelling the FDA to establish a single set of nutrition symbols. The push comes as obesity rates continue to climb in most states.

"The proliferation of different nutrition symbols on food packaging, well-intended as it may be, is likely to further confuse, rather than assist, American consumers who are trying to make good nutrition choices for themselves and their families. FDA should take meaningful steps to establish some consistency to these many different systems of nutrition symbols," Sen. Tom Harkin, D-Iowa, chairman of the Senate agriculture committee, said in a statement.

A petition filed in November by the Center for Science in the Public Interest also asked the FDA to create a national front-label symbol system. Such a system should complement but not replace the sometimes dizzying information packed into the nutritional labels most foods now bear, said Michael Jacobson, the advocacy group's executive director.

"You could send a child to the store with 20 bucks and say, 'Johnny, you can buy whatever you want as long as it has a green dot _ and you can get one red-dot food,'" Jacobson said.

Absent congressional action, Jacobson said it could take a decade for the FDA to set up such a system.

National Dairy Council nutrition expert Ann Marie Krautheim said setting up a consistent system would be helpful, if grounded in science and tested with consumers to ensure it worked. Shoppers spend as little as two seconds evaluating food labels, research shows.

Krautheim said her Council's own research showed taste still trumped all for consumers when choosing what to eat, with convenience, cost and nutrition all vying for second place.

"The ultimate goal, of course, is that the overall dietary pattern that consumers select is a healthful dietary pattern," said Barbara Schneeman, director of the FDA's nutrition office.

But the corporate symbols now in use don't necessarily flag what's bad for you _ or even what's good.

"This does not say 'healthy.' It says 'better for you,'" said Richard Black, Kraft Food Inc.'s vice president of global nutrition, of the "Sensible Solutions" logo used on more than 500 of the company's products.

The FDA already allows food companies to use "fat-free" and other claims on labels. Those claims are voluntary, but are subject to FDA regulation. Likewise, the Grocery Manufacturers Association and food companies want the use of symbols to remain voluntary.

Report: Body Mass Indices Steady in Ark

2007-09-11T07:35:00.003-07:00

Arkansas schoolchildren appear to be holding their own in the battle against bulge. Body mass indices released Monday in the nation's first state to track the numbers showed 20.6 percent of schoolchildren tested last school year were overweight and 17.2 percent were at risk for being overweight.

That's about the same as the year before.

State officials were optimistic but urged diligence.

"We've got to keep everybody engaged and working hard, or we're going to lose a future generation of kids to this epidemic," Arkansas Surgeon General Joe Thompson said.

Arkansas tested 366,801 students out of 472,000 last year. Thompson said absenteeism was the biggest reason why only 77 percent were weighed, though some families formally opted out of the program.

In the previous school year, 20.5 percent of 369,416 tested were overweight, with 17.1 percent considered at risk.

The state began measuring students' body mass indexes annually starting in 2003. The effort was championed by then-Gov. Mike Huckabee, now a Republican presidential candidate who lost more than 100 pounds after being diagnosed with diabetes. Many states have adopted similar programs.

But state legislators this year relaxed the standards. Pupils are now measured in kindergarten and in even-numbered grades, with high school juniors and seniors exempt.

Some lawmakers argued that requiring the BMI screenings could stigmatize youth, particularly teenagers whose eating and exercise habits were unlikely to change. During this year's legislative session, some lawmakers tried first to repeal the required BMI tracking and eventually ended up with a compromise bill that only weakened the law.

"If the children that opt out _ or the parents who opt out _ are the more overweight children, the data will be skewed," said Jim Raczynski, dean of the University of Arkansas for Medical Sciences' College of Public Health. "It will look like there are fewer overweight children when in fact there aren't."

Raczynski said the reliability of the reports will now depend on the number of students who don't want their BMI tracked.

When Arkansas adopted the BMI testing program, the state ranked third in the nation in obesity, according to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention.

Even under the program's recent changes, Thompson said the state will still be able to reach out to children with its BMI reports and through other efforts to cut down on obesity among youth, such as limits on junk food sales at schools. He cautioned that parents must also step up.

"After four years of reporting to every parent, we are transferring some of the responsibility back to the parents," Thompson said. "That's an imbalance that's OK."

Ark. Kids Holding Own Against Obesity

2007-09-11T07:35:00.001-07:00

Arkansas schoolchildren appear to be holding their own in the battle against bulge.

Body mass indices released Monday in the nation's first state to track the numbers showed 20.6 percent of schoolchildren tested last school year were overweight and 17.2 percent were at risk for being overweight. That's about the same as the year before.

State officials were optimistic but urged diligence.

"We've got to keep everybody engaged and working hard, or we're going to lose a future generation of kids to this epidemic," Arkansas Surgeon General Joe Thompson said.

Arkansas tested 366,801 students out of 472,000 last year. Thompson said absenteeism was the biggest reason why only 77 percent were weighed, though some families formally opted out of the program.

In the previous school year, 20.5 percent of 369,416 tested were overweight, with 17.1 percent considered at risk.

The state began measuring students' body mass indexes annually starting in 2003. The effort was championed by then-Gov. Mike Huckabee, now a Republican presidential candidate who lost more than 100 pounds after being diagnosed with diabetes. Many states have adopted similar programs.

But state legislators this year relaxed the standards. Pupils are now measured in kindergarten and in even-numbered grades, with high school juniors and seniors exempt.

Some lawmakers argued that requiring the BMI screenings could stigmatize youth, particularly teenagers whose eating and exercise habits were unlikely to change. During this year's legislative session, some lawmakers tried first to repeal the required BMI tracking and eventually ended up with a compromise bill that only weakened the law.

"If the children that opt out _ or the parents who opt out _ are the more overweight children, the data will be skewed," said Jim Raczynski, dean of the University of Arkansas for Medical Sciences' College of Public Health. "It will look like there are fewer overweight children when in fact there aren't."

Raczynski said the reliability of the reports will now depend on the number of students who don't want their BMI tracked.

When Arkansas adopted the BMI testing program, the state ranked third in the nation in obesity, according to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention.

Even under the program's recent changes, Thompson said the state will still be able to reach out to children with its BMI reports and through other efforts to cut down on obesity among youth, such as limits on junk food sales at schools. He cautioned that parents must also step up.

"After four years of reporting to every parent, we are transferring some of the responsibility back to the parents," Thompson said. "That's an imbalance that's OK."

Thousands of GIs Cope With Brain Damage

2007-09-11T07:33:00.000-07:00

NASHVILLE, Tenn. (AP) - The war in Iraq is not over, but one legacy is already here in this city and others across America: an epidemic of brain-damaged soldiers.

Thousands of troops have been diagnosed with traumatic brain injury, or TBI. These blast-caused head injuries are so different from the ones doctors are used to seeing from falls and car crashes that treating them is as much faith as it is science.

"I've been in the field for 20-plus years dealing with TBI. I have a very experienced staff. And they're saying to me, 'We're seeing things we've never seen before,'" said Sandy Schneider, director of Vanderbilt University's brain injury rehabilitation program.

Doctors also are realizing that symptoms overlap with post-traumatic stress disorder, and that both must be treated. Odd as it may seem, brain injury can protect against PTSD by blurring awareness of what happened.

But as memory improves, emotional problems can emerge: One of the first "graduates" of Vanderbilt's program committed suicide three weeks later.

"Of all the ones here, he would not have been the one we would have thought," Schneider said. "They called him the Michelangelo of Fort Campbell" _ a guy who planned to go to art school.

As more troops return from the war, brain injuries are a growing burden _ for them, for the few programs to treat them, and for taxpayers who pay for their care and disability if they cannot hold jobs.

Most TBIs are mild, and most of these patients recover within a year. But one-fifth of the troops with these mild injuries will have prolonged or lifelong symptoms and need continuing care, the military estimates. Nearly all of the moderate and severe ones will, too.

Though the full number of those suffering from TBI is still unknown, the problem is straining the U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs. Until now, "they were dealing with a cohort of aging veterans with diabetes, heart disease, lung disease," said Dr. Jeffrey Drazen, editor-in-chief of the New England Journal of Medicine and a VA adviser.

Now, these young, brain-injured troops need highly specialized care, and how much it will help long-term is unknown, he said.

People with TBI have frequent headaches, dizziness, and trouble concentrating and sleeping. They may be depressed, irritable and confused, and easily provoked or distracted. Speech or vision also can be impaired.

Some sufferers have been misdiagnosed with personality disorders. Others have lost jobs because of unrecognized and untreated symptoms.

"It's the so-called invisible injury. It's where a troop takes 10 times the normal time to pack his rucksack ... a complicated injury to the most complicated part of the body," said Dr. Alisa Gean, a neurosurgeon at the University of California, San Francisco.

Diagnosing it is imprecise _ damage rarely shows up on CAT scans or other tests.

Treating it is even more difficult. Lacking a cure, doctors focus on symptoms _ headaches, anxiety, vision problems, etc. But they lack good treatments for some of these, too, and are considering some experimental approaches being pushed by private companies with little proof they work.

Many troops get no care at all. Some are sent back to fight with their brain injuries undetected, especially if they had no obvious wounds.

What happened to Eric O'Brien and Bryan Malone shows the scope of this problem.

___

O'Brien, a 32-year-old Army staff sergeant from Iowa's Quad Cities, was teasing Malone, 22, a specialist from Haughton, La., in a Baghdad gym last summer.

"I told him and his workout partner: 'Put some more weight on it,'" prompting the men to get up. Seconds later, a rocket hit where they had sat. They survived, but a pressure wave from the blast coursed through their brains.

"I patted myself down head to toe, making sure I wasn't missing a limb," and felt odd, like "I must be missing a chunk of my head,'" O'Brien said. He remembers little else except walking through debris to pick up his iPod and sunglasses.

As for Malone, an air conditioning vent had fallen on his head and he had shrapnel wounds. He had multiple surgeries, spent several months in Walter Reed Army Medical Center and now has titanium mesh reinforcing his skull.

O'Brien, however, had shrapnel removed from his scalp and then was sent back to his unit _ "no antibiotics, no pain medication or anything. They just sent me on my way."

When he later complained of pain, doctors gave him Motrin. When he discovered a trickle of blood from his hip, they said he would be fine. Six weeks later, when he could barely walk, tests revealed shrapnel in his hip. By then, he was having headaches and trouble sleeping.

O'Brien had been through multiple previous explosions _ troops average one a month, a study found _ and each raises the risk that the next one will do harm. Soldiers and Marines are proud and reluctant to go "off mission" just because "they get their bell rung," said Dr. Michael Kilpatrick, a top Defense Department physician.

"Most of the treatment is explaining the situation and giving the tincture of time _ giving it time to heal," he said. If no big symptoms appear in eight to 12 hours, "they're probably ready to go back."

Officers also face pressure to return troops to duty, said Jordan Grafman, a neuroscientist who studies TBI at the National Institutes of Health.

"People don't want to lose these guys from their command _ they can't replace them fast enough," he said.

During a surprise visit to Iraq with President Bush on Labor Day, Gen. Peter Pace, chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff, said the military was "much smarter about this now," and urged troops to watch for signs of TBI and post-traumatic stress.

"They are every bit as much battle injuries as is a bullet or shrapnel. It is OK, it is OK to seek help for those kinds of war wounds, and I ask you all to help your buddies understand what you see in them," he said.

But that was long after O'Brien was hurt. His TBI was not diagnosed for months, until his hip injury landed him back at Fort Campbell in Kentucky. By then, the Army needed help treating TBI and was contracting with private rehab centers like Schneider's at Vanderbilt.

Malone and O'Brien had become friends, helping each other cope with wounds.

"They were sent to us together," Schneider said.

___

"I'll need to get milk and bread and eggs. Milk and bread and eggs. Next thing you know, I drive right by Wal-Mart," O'Brien said.

"I can vaguely tell you what we talked about at the beginning of this conversation," Malone said.

Memory trouble is a common sign of TBI. It isn't like Alzheimer's disease, where people are so disconnected from reality that they forget things like how a key works or where they live. It isn't like amnesia, where a chunk of the past is missing.

"I don't have any problem remembering the past. I have trouble with now," O'Brien said.

Multiple or complex tasks confound and irritate people with TBI. Therapists challenge them through exercises, like a computer game where they run a hot dog stand and must manage inventory, set prices, do banking and anticipate demand according to the weather.

Other therapy focuses on life skills like following directions while paying attention to something else.

"I counted three trash cans," O'Brien announced after a scouting mission to find landmarks using a map and tally cans along the way.

"I counted five," said therapist Jenny Owens.

Improving these skills is key to living a normal life, especially driving.

"Most of them don't drive. A van brings them down. They were hitting mailboxes, they'd get lost. We draw them maps and they forget when they're supposed to be here," Schneider said.

The Army gives some injured soldiers Palm Pilots _ handheld computers to help manage their lives.

"It costs them more for us to miss two appointments than to give us one of these," O'Brien explained.

But devices and mental exercises do only so much. Troops must be able to use information and reason, but TBI keeps many from being aware of their gaps.

"They don't realize their judgment is impaired," said Vanderbilt neuropsychologist Elizabeth Fenimore.

The training that helped them in combat situations is hurting them now.

"These guys are taught to be alert all the time," so they sleep poorly, Schneider said.

"Their nervous system becomes acclimated to being constantly on alert _ fight or flight," Fenimore said.

Malone knows it well.

"I worry about every little thing _ people breaking into my house, loud booms ... I'm jumpy," he said.

___

"I'm going to Afghanistan next year," said O'Brien, determined to stay in the Army and support his two daughters, who live with his ex-wife in Texas.

"I'm trying," added Malone. "They're telling me they don't think my brain can take it. I think, 'Why don't you let me decide?'"

Doctors don't know whether either will return. But after all they've been through, if one does and the other does not, "it's going to be tough," Malone said. "It's going to be tough for whichever one stays back."

Disney to Test Toys Independently

2007-09-10T07:04:00.003-07:00

Following three high-profile recalls by Mattel Inc. this summer involving millions of Chinese-made, lead-tainted toys, The Walt Disney Company will begin independently testing toys featuring its characters, company officials said.

Disney planned to inform Mattel and other toy makers about the program _ which will include random tests of products already on store shelves _ on Monday.

"It sends the message that we are looking over their shoulders," Disney consumer products division chairman Andy Mooney told The New York Times, which first reported the company's testing plans.

The testing represents a departure from licensers' usual involvement in quality control, which is normally left to manufacturers.

Analysts said the move demonstrates companies' eagerness to insulate their brands from product safety fears as the holiday gift-giving season approaches.

"Anything that is going to restore consumer trust has got to be a good thing," said Sean McGowan, a toy industry analyst at Wedbush Morgan Securities.

The tests, set to begin within the next two weeks, will involve some of the more than 65,000 children's products from around 2,000 vendors of toys, jewelry, furniture and other Disney items, consumer products division spokesman Gary Foster said.

Disney executives signed off on the plan Thursday, days after Mattel, the world's largest toy maker, announced that it was recalling some 800,000 Chinese-made toys _ its third major recall of the summer

An earlier Mattel recall this summer involved some 436,000 cars based on "Sarge," a character in the Disney movie "Cars," which were believed to contain lead paint.

Stocks Higher As Market Waits for Fed

2007-09-10T07:04:00.001-07:00

Wall Street rebounded Monday as investors hoped that speeches from Federal Reserve officials will offer insight into the central bank's plans following a dismal employment report Friday.

Also lifting stocks _ particularly in the technology sector _ Intel Corp., the world's largest chip maker, boosted its third-quarter revenue outlook, citing stronger-than-expected chip demand.

There's little economic data due Monday, but San Francisco Fed President Janet Yellen, Dallas Fed President Richard Fisher and Fed Governor Frederic Mishkin are slated to speak at various events. Investors will be keen to learn their perspectives on the health of the economy and for any hints as to what the central bank might do when it meets Sept. 18.

Atlanta Fed President Dennis Lockhart said early Monday investors should consider Friday's unemployment report alongside a mostly strong batch of retail sales reports seen recently. His comments were largely similar to those he made in a speech last week. However, in prepared remarks for Monday's speech, he didn't include the assertion that he yet to witness any conclusive evidence that weakness from the housing market had spread to other parts of the economy.

The Dow Jones industrial average rose 63.24, or 0.48 percent, to 13,176.62.

The Standard & Poor's 500 index rose 5.71, or 0.39 percent, 1,459.26, and the technology-dominated Nasdaq composite index was up 19.28, or 0.75 percent, at 2,584.98.

Oil Falls on Profit Taking

2007-09-10T06:56:00.000-07:00

(AP) - Oil prices dropped nearly $1 a barrel Monday as traders took profits from the rise in crude futures last week on global supply worries. Markets also awaited comments from OPEC ministers ahead of a meeting at which they are expected to maintain current output.

Light, sweet crude for October delivery lost 88 cents to $75.82 a barrel in electronic trading on the New York Mercantile Exchange by afternoon in Europe. October Brent crude fell 99 cents to $74.08 a barrel on the ICE Futures exchange in London.

The 12-nation Organization of Petroleum Exporting Countries is almost certain to maintain its current production target, with the U.S. summer driving season over and demand for gasoline and diesel fuel slackening.

Oil officials from several OPEC members have signaled that the group will maintain its official output quota of 25.8 million barrels a day at Tuesday's meeting. But key member Saudi Arabia has not said publicly what it wants the cartel to do.

But analysts say the cartel, which produces about 40 percent of the world's oil, could be forced into action if rising crude prices start impacting the global economy. Crude futures hit a record $78.77 a barrel on the New York Mercantile Exchange in early August.

"There are fairly supportive supply-demand fundamentals going forward ... we therefore have a rather bullish oil environment," said Victor Shum, an energy analyst with Purvin & Gertz in Singapore, adding that part of last week's gains were due to the re-entry of speculators into the oil market.

"With the exception of the uncertain economic outlook due to the subprime mortgage crisis in the U.S., there is really little downside risk to the crude oil futures market."

Some energy investors worry that credit tightness from problems in the mortgage industry has spread to other sectors, which could curb demand for oil and gasoline.

Oil prices were supported by last week's inventory report from the U.S. Energy Department, showing that supplies of both crude oil and gasoline fell in the week ended Aug. 31. But analysts also cited the diminished threat that hurricanes would disrupt production in the Gulf of Mexico and surrounding areas as a factor which could pressure prices lower.

On Monday, six explosions, believed to be sabotage, ripped apart pipelines of Mexico's state oil monopoly, Petroleos Mexicanos, or Pemex, said. Government officials said 12,000 people were evacuated. There was no immediate word of production disruptions.

In July, a small, left-wing guerrilla group claimed to have attacked a major Pemex gas pipeline and at least a dozen major companies, including Honda Motor Co., Kellogg Co. and The Hershey Co., were forced to suspend or scale back operations.

Heating oil futures dropped 0.91 cent to $2.1341 a gallon (3.8 liters) on the Nymex, while gasoline prices declined 3.17 cents to $1.9547 a gallon. Natural gas futures rose 0.7 cent to $5.508 per 1,000 cubic feet.

Bond Fund Investors May Be in for Shock

2007-09-09T13:32:00.000-07:00

WASHINGTON (AP) - Could the housing market's woes spread to bonds held in mutual funds by millions of ordinary investors?

Some experts _ and hedge fund investors who have made big bets that the mortgage crisis will worsen _ are saying that's exactly what will happen. Some bond funds that invest in riskier short-term debt already have been whacked by soaring default rates on bonds backed by subprime loans made to borrowers with weak credit.

Critics charge that Standard & Poor's, Moody's Investors Service and Fitch Ratings routinely give triple-A ratings _ the safest rating there is _ to far too many mortgage-backed bonds backed by subprime home loans.

"The rating agencies just completely missed the boat in their methodology for rating these things," said Janet Tavakoli, president of Tavakoli Structured Finance, a Chicago consulting firm.

About 80 percent of debt in bonds backed by subprime loans is rated triple-A, the same rating on virtually risk-free U.S. Treasury bonds, experts say.

If that seems shocking, there are bonds backed by delinquent credit card accounts _ one of the riskiest forms of debt _ in which up to 40 percent of the accounts in the security are rated triple-A, says Drexel University finance professor Joseph Mason.

The Securities and Exchange Commission said Friday it had launched a review of what the three agencies' ratings mean and whether conflicts of interest were created if they gave advice to sellers of mortgage debt. Credit rating agencies say their role is to rate the creditworthiness of securities, not advise buyers or sellers of bonds.

Congress has also pledged to hold hearings on the role the ratings agencies played in the subprime mortgage mess that has triggered Wall Street selloffs and dampened consumer spending.

The rating agencies defend their methodology and argue that the problems of the $10.4 trillion mortgage-backed market are being exaggerated.

S&P, which is owned by the McGraw-Hill Cos., says it has only had to downgrade about 1 percent of the subprime mortgage debt the agency has rated in recent years, with the overwhelming majority occurring in the lowest-rated debt.

Over the past 30 years, the average five-year default rate for investment-grade mortgage-backed bonds is less than 1 percent, said Chris Atkins, an S&P spokesman.

"Our long-term track record of assessing credit quality of bonds is exceptionally strong," Atkins said.

At Moody's, the amount of downgraded bonds is small compared with the total amount issued and has been focused on lower-rated securities, said Claire Robinson, a senior managing director.

The downgraded bonds "are riskier securities that are more prone to downgrade in a stressful environment," she added.

Still, Richard K. Green, a finance professor at George Washington University, said he is mystified that risky home loans became bundled into triple-A-rated investments.

"The problem is some of these mortgages were just phenomenally bad," he said. "There was sort of an assumption that house prices would never fall. We now see some markets where they are falling quite a lot."

Home prices are still falling, and rates that reset to higher levels on many loans could spark more defaults in the coming months.

Andrew Lahde, who runs a hedge fund in Santa Monica, Calif., has been betting on the subprime market's decline and reaping big gains this year.

He estimates there's a "very good chance" that most double-A rated subprime mortgage-backed bonds are worthless and believes triple-A debt could also be affected.

"Nobody was looking at the fundamentals," says Christopher Thornberg, a principal with Beacon Economics in Los Angeles and an adviser to Lahde's fund. "This was a brave new world," Thornberg says.

Agencies that rated the bonds the investment banks were selling to investors ignored signs that borrowers were becoming too leveraged, he said, instead choosing to focus on borrowers' credit scores.

Bond funds typically diversify their investments to protect investors against losses in any one type of bond. The most risk-averse funds invest solely in U.S. Treasury bonds, while others buy corporate debt and mortgage-backed bonds that may have triple-A ratings but carry more risk than that of the federal government.

Huge losses "won't be the norm" for most mutual funds, predicts Paul Herbert, a senior mutual fund analyst with research firm Morningstar Inc. However, he does expect losses in investment-grade rated bonds backed by the worst-performing mortgages.

Morningstar, in a report published last month, identified several mutual funds that have invested in short-term bonds _ including subprime debt _ that have suffered losses this year.

Fidelity Advisor Ultra Short Bond A and Fidelity Ultrashort Bond, managed by Fidelity Investments, are both down nearly 5 percent for the year, a sharp drop for a fixed-income fund.

The declines were caused by several factors, including "the fund's holdings in subprime mortgage securities, which have primarily been in the highest-rated AAA and AA (segments of debt)" and exposure to deteriorating conditions in the bond market generally, Sophie Launay, spokeswoman for Boston-based Fidelity, said in an e-mail.

State Street Corp.'s Advisors' SSgA Yield Plus has lost 9.5 percent of its value so far this year. State Street declined to comment Friday. The company also declined to deny or confirm a report in the Boston Globe last month, which quoted a letter to State Street clients alerting them to a 42 percent decline this year in the State Street Limited Duration Bond Fund for institutional investors.

Some savvy mutual fund managers have been able to avoid the subprime mess, Morningstar points out, citing the performance of Metropolitan West Asset Management LLC and Legg Mason Inc.'s Western Asset Management.

Investors have the opportunity to pick up distressed debt at bargain prices, Herbert said, but making the right picks could be tricky until there is a clearer sense of the impact of the subprime fallout.

"There may be more for bond-fund investors to worry about," he wrote in a report last month.

Amtrak Expects to Hit Ridership Records

2007-09-09T13:31:00.000-07:00

ABOARD AMTRAK'S LINCOLN SERVICE (AP) - The Illinois cornfields whizzing past Mark Hardacre's view from the Amtrak cafe car had nothing on the memorable splendor the Australian had already taken in on his trans-America adventure _ the Pacific Ocean so vast and blue off California's coast. The emerald green of the Northwest forests. The majesty of the snowcapped Rockies.

But the cheery man from New South Wales was impressed with a couple of things he'd not seen in three previous Amtrak treks across this nation's rails over the past two decades _ Americans seeming to outnumber tourists, and far fewer empty seats.

"It's good to see the Americans starting to use their trains, because if they don't use them they'll lose them," Hardacre, 53, said recently as Amtrak click-clacked its way from St. Louis to Chicago, one leg of his monthlong sightseeing trip with his wife, Janice.

To Amtrak, it's proof that despite vexing challenges, it's on the right track.

The money-losing service, which relies heavily on government funding, says it is riding higher, illustrated by the hundreds of thousands of additional riders flocking to expanded routes in Illinois and California. Amtrak anticipates its fifth-straight record year for ridership nationwide, helped by high gasoline prices and congested highways and airports that seem to have encouraged people to keep their vehicles parked.

But Amtrak's headaches remain, and the biggest is funding. The service has never been out of the red since its launch in 1971, meaning it must rely on government handouts year after year.

In trying to hash out the federal budget for next year, Congress is weighing how much U.S. taxpayers should underwrite the passenger service. Amtrak has requested $1.53 billion, nearly twice the amount the Bush Administration wants to give it. In the past, Bush has proposed giving the service nothing.

A House appropriations committee recently agreed to boost Amtrak's federal funding to $1.4 billion _ a modest increase from the service's $1.3 billion in government help _ while a Senate panel has endorsed spending $1.37 billion. But Bush has promised to veto any spending bills exceeding his budget requests, forcing Amtrak to slice service if the president makes good on his threat.

Amtrak says the lack of stable funding holds it back, leaving it unable to commit to infrastructure improvements. It still uses some equipment dating back half a century and cannot add new rail cars it says it can easily fill on some routes.

The service also continues to be nagged by travel delays, mostly because it must share the tracks with freight haulers that own the rails and charge Amtrak a modest fee _ $90 million in the last fiscal year _ for using them. With freight traffic soaring in recent years, Amtrak's on-time performance slid to an average of 68 percent last year, its worst showing since the 1970s.

"There's room for improvement, and we're looking for it," said Marc Magliari, an Amtrak spokesman.

Since taking over as Amtrak's president last September, Alex Kummant repeatedly has said the U.S. should embrace rail travel at a time of growing transportation needs and high oil prices. He said he's always wondered "why the Amtrak debate is so emotional and at times acrimonious."

The easy answer is money.

Amtrak has more than $3.3 billion in debt _ largely tied to equipment leases. Amtrak's operating losses for 2005 topped $550 million, and its struggles along certain routes continue: The iconic Sunset Limited train between New Orleans and Los Angeles, for instance, loses 62 cents per passenger mile.

Amtrak officials are pinning their hopes on the bipartisan Passenger Rail Investment and Improvement Act, which would authorize $3.3 billion for operating expenses and $4.9 billion for capital improvements over the life of the bill, from 2008 to 2012.

"We can't keep asking Amtrak to operate like a business while we string the company along year to year," Sen. Trent Lott, the Mississippi Republican sponsoring the bill with Democratic Sen. Frank Lautenberg of New Jersey, said in January.

The haggling over funding comes as Amtrak's ridership flourishes. Passengers for the fiscal year that ended last September numbered 24.3 million, setting a record for the fourth year in a row when comparing the same routes along the 21,000-mile system serving 500 stations in 46 states and Washington, D.C.

Between last October and March, Amtrak's riders numbered 14.3 million, up 5 percent over the previous year and sailing toward another record.

At least some of that growth might be tied to the investment by Illinois and 13 other states in short-distance corridors Amtrak otherwise wouldn't offer, essentially paying for service where they see a need.

Last fall, Amtrak added two state-financed roundtrips between St. Louis and Chicago and one apiece between from Quincy and Carbondale to the Windy City. Ridership spiked by 189,823 for the first two-thirds of this fiscal year, bringing the total passenger count in the state to 670,605.

Amtrak chalks it up to convenience.

Before adding the trains between St. Louis and Chicago, for example, the day's first Amtrak reached St. Louis about 2:30 p.m., just 45 minutes before the last train out, commonly forcing riders to spend the night.

But since last year's expansion, Amtrak's first arrival in St. Louis from Chicago is about noon, and the last train leaves for Chicago five hours later, enabling Chicagoans to attend a St. Louis Rams or Cardinals game or visit the cultural sites for an afternoon and head back the same day.

Before the expansion, the only departure times out of Carbondale for Chicago were 3 a.m. and 4 p.m. The state added a breakfast-time departure, and ridership blossomed.

To William Rechtenwald, it's a real bargain. The journalism teacher at Southern Illinois University in Carbondale takes Amtrak several times a year to Chicago, finding the service comfortable enough, roughly $100 per round trip cheaper than driving and less hassle than maneuvering through congested freeways.

"I'm a fan of Amtrak," he said. "It's a much wiser choice than driving."

Magliari said Amtrak's expansion was important to ridership gains.

"Instead of turning people away, we now are able to put them on trains," Magliari said. "We've always found around the country that frequency drives ridership."

That's proven true in California. Just months after eight trains were added to the state-subsidized Amtrak service between Sacramento and the Bay Area, officials say ridership on that "Capitol Corridor" continues climbing. Ridership on the 170-mile service now with 32 trains was nearly 1.3 million in 2005, nearly triple the 460,000 passengers who rode those rails eight years ago. Administrators credit more options for passengers, with 16 round-trip trains a day a far cry from the three offered in 1991.

With no federal funding to call upon, the Capitol Corridor _ the third-busiest rail line in the Amtrak system _ was built and runs solely with state and local funds.

Amtrak and its state partners are pondering more routes, if there's enough money.

To the Midwest High Speed Rail Association's Rick Harnish, Amtrak's time is now.

"The era of cheap oil is over, and we have to find ways to take costs out of the system. There should be a lot more trains running, and they should be faster," he said. "If ridership is growing this strongly with the kind of delays they get, just think of what kind of response they'd get if they ran on time.

"It's not rocket science," he said. "It's just about providing a good product."

Gas Costs Spark High-Speed Rail Interest

2007-09-09T13:30:00.000-07:00

BLOOMINGTON, Ill. (AP) - Seven hours after boarding a train in Kansas City, Douglas Lewandowski finally arrived at Chicago's Union Station _ rested after the 500-mile trip but anxious to get home to Elkhart, Ind.

"How long it takes on these trains is so frustrating," said Lewandowski, 55. "I'd be more likely to take more trains if they were faster, but I'm afraid I'll be six feet under before that ever happens."

While sleek new passenger trains streak through Europe, Japan and other corners of the world at speeds nearing 200 mph, most U.S. passenger trains chug along at little more than highway speeds _ slowed by a half-century of federal preference for spending on roads and airports.

But advocates say millions of Americans may be ready to embrace high-speed rail for everything from business travel to vacations because of soaring gas prices, airport delays and congested freeways that slow travel and contribute to air pollution.

"We have to change these things really fast. The era of cheap oil is over," said Rick Harnish, executive director of the nonprofit Midwest High Speed Rail Association. "People want choices in how they travel, and it's time for the states and feds to start providing those."

Still, getting trains moving fast enough, and in enough places, to entice travelers is a funding and logistical challenge.

Track and safety improvements for already-proposed projects could cost billions of dollars _ and require reprioritizing of federal transportation funds.

Congress is considering a six-year Amtrak funding bill co-sponsored by 40 senators that would provide the first matching federal grants for rail projects. The measure proposes $100 million in first-year grants, paltry considering that California alone needs $40 billion for a mammoth bullet train project that would link San Francisco and Sacramento with Los Angeles and San Diego.

Some argue federal money would be better spent to research electric-powered cars and other cutting-edge travel alternatives, rather than the ribbons of steel that triggered America's westward expansion in the 1800s.

"Solutions to our current problems have to be found, not imposed from previous centuries. High-speed rail is just a polished version of 19th century technology," said William Garrison, co-author of "Tomorrow's Transportation" and a retired civil engineering professor at the University of California at Berkeley.

But supporters contend high-speed trains could be an important alternative, rivaling even air travel once home-to-airport travel times and delays cause by airport security measures are taken into account.

A new European rail line that hits speeds up to 199 mph has cut the 292-mile ride between Paris and Frankfurt from 6 hours and 15 minutes to 3 1/2 hours. At those speeds, the 260-mile ride between Chicago and St. Louis would drop from 5 1/2 hours to just over 3 hours.

World Bank Group Launches New Initiative to 'Light Africa'

2007-09-05T07:35:00.000-07:00

WASHINGTON, September 5, 2007 - The World Bank Group today launches an initiative to provide modern lighting to the 250 million people in Sub-Saharan Africa who have no access to electricity. Jointly managed by the World Bank and IFC, Lighting Africa aims to develop market conditions for the supply and distribution of new, nonfossil fuel lighting products, such as fluorescent light bulbs and light emitting diodes, in rural and urban areas of the region that are not connected to the electricity grid.

The “energy poor” in Africa spend about $17 billion a year on fuel-based lighting sources, such as kerosene lamps, that are costly, inefficient, and provide poor quality light while polluting and posing fire hazards. For these consumers, lighting is often the most expensive item among their energy uses, typically accounting for 10 to 15 percent of total household income. Hence there is a potentially huge market for modern lighting products that are safe and reliable, that provide higher-quality light, and that are cost-competitive with fuel-based lamps, and powered by renewable energy or mechanical sources.

Lighting Africa, which is supported by a number of donors, including seed money from the Global Environment Facility, seeks to attract the international lighting industry, as well as local suppliers and service providers, to this market.

Lars Thunell, IFC Executive Vice President and CEO, said, "In partnership with the private sector, IFC will help develop sustainable business models to supply good quality lighting to the poorest of the poor in Africa. Our goal is to give families and small business owners clean, modern, and affordable alternatives to fossil fuel lamps."

S. Vijay Iyer, World Bank Energy Sector Manager for Africa, said, "Modern lighting will mean improved air quality and safety for millions of people in Africa. It will mean longer reading hours for students and longer business hours for small shops. Lighting Africa will directly contribute to the Millennium Development Goals. It is a cornerstone of the World Bank's Clean Energy and Development Investment Framework and the Africa Energy Access Scale-up Plan."

More than 350 companies have already expressed interest in the initiative.

Gerard Kleisterlee, President and CEO of Philips, said in a recent speech, “The rural lighting market, like many markets for low-income people in developing countries, is not very well known or explored. It is essential that governments and international organizations such as the World Bank, NGOs, and various companies get together in a network to work out the appropriate business models.”

Vincent Loh, Chairman, Kenya Renewable Energy Association, said, "The Development Marketplace competition provides a unique opportunity for local African companies to participate in the development of lighting products and services tailored to local market needs and conditions."

The first phase of Lighting Africa, which starts today, will have three priorities:

• Launch a competition for the design and delivery of innovative, low-cost, high-quality, nonfossil lighting products that target low-income consumers in Sub-Saharan Africa. Ten to 20 winners will receive grants up to $200,000.

• Initiate market research in Kenya, Ghana, Tanzania, and Zambia to better understand consumer demand, behavior and preferences. The research will also look at local supply, marketing, and distribution channels. Initial results of this research are expected early 2008.

• Inaugurate a business-to-business Web portal where manufacturers, distributors, and marketers from all over the world can create partnerships, conduct business online, and access the latest market information.

For more information, visit the Lighting Africa website at: http://www.lightingafrica.org

A Competition for the Design and Delivery of Innovative Lighting Products

The Development Marketplace team of the World Bank Group launches today a grant competition entitled “Innovations in Off-Grid Lighting Products and Services for Africa.” The competition will reward project ideas that address the various off-grid lighting needs of Sub-Saharan Africa, including alternative distribution models, new clean lighting technology, stronger production chains, and improvement of the policy environment.

Ten to 20 winners will receive grant funding up to $200,000.

The competition is open to a broad range of innovators around the world, including private businesses, nongovernmental organizations, universities, government entities, and individuals.

Lead sponsors include the Energy Sector Management Assistance Program, the Global Environment Facility, and the Public-Private Infrastructure Advisory Facility. Other supporters include Good Energies Inc., the governments of Norway and Luxembourg, the European Commission, and the Renewable Energy and Energy Efficiency Partnership.

The deadline for submitting proposals is 23:00 GMT on October 31, 2007.

For more information on how to apply, visit the Lighting Africa Web site at: http://www.lightingafrica.org

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About the World Bank

The World Bank is a vital source of financial and technical assistance to developing countries around the world, with the mission of global poverty reduction and the improvement of living standards. It is not a bank in the common sense. It is made up of two unique development institutions owned by 185 member countries — the International Bank for Reconstruction and Development (IBRD) and the International Development Association (IDA). Each institution plays a different but supportive role in this mission. The IBRD focuses on middle income and creditworthy poor countries, while IDA focuses on the poorest countries in the world. Together, they provide low-interest loans, interest-free credit, and grants to developing countries for education, health, infrastructure, communications, and many other purposes. By doing so, the World Bank concentrates on building the climate for investment, jobs and sustainable growth, so that economies will grow, and investing in and empowering poor people to participate in development. For more information, please visit www.worldbank.org

About IFC

IFC, a member of the World Bank Group, fosters sustainable economic growth in developing countries by financing private sector investment, mobilizing capital in the international financial markets, and providing advisory services to businesses and governments. IFC’s vision is that poor people have the opportunity to escape poverty and improve their lives. In FY06, IFC committed $8.3 billion, including loan participations, to 284 investments in 66 developing countries. For more information, please visit www.ifc.org.

About Development Marketplace

The World Bank’s Development Marketplace (DM) is a competitive grant program that funds innovative, small-scale development projects. These projects not only deliver results, but also have the potential to be expanded or replicated elsewhere. Since its inception in 1998, DM has awarded over US$50 million to roughly 1000 projects through global, regional and country-level Marketplaces. For more information, please visit www.developmentmarketplace.org

Riot cops prepare for Sydney violence

2007-09-05T07:23:00.000-07:00

POLICE today warned a violent, full-scale riot is Â¿probableÂ¿ when up to 20,000 anti-APEC protesters march on central Sydney on Saturday.

NSW's top riot squad officer, Chief Superintendent Stephen Cullen, told a Sydney court he was braced for the worst violence of his career, adding he had never held more serious concerns for public safety.

However a feared clash between riot police and protesters may be averted after the Stop Bush Coalition tonight agreed on a route through central Sydney they hope will be acceptable to authorities.

Protesters still intend to march on Saturday in a rally expected to attract tens of thousands of supporters.

But tonight they appeared to back away from threats to walk to the edge of police lines, after the police commissioner today won a court order banning them from doing so.

The new march route from Town Hall to Hyde Park will, if followed, keep protesters away from the restricted zone in central Sydney set up to protect the APEC summit.

However NSW police made it clear today they expect trouble on Saturday.

APEC protesters decide on new route

2007-09-05T07:22:00.000-07:00

APEC protesters beaten by a court order preventing their march along certain Sydney streets have decided on a new route for their rally.

Police expect to face unprecedented levels of violence and have warned a full-scale riot is “probable” when up to 20,000 APEC protesters march in central Sydney on Saturday.

Police won a NSW Supreme Court intervention today banning the march from travelling along Martin Place, past the US Consulate, the Cenotaph and major banks.

Rally organisers from the Stop Bush Coalition tonight held an emergency strategy meeting to rethink their options and came up with a new route they hope will be acceptable to police.

If it's not, and the march goes ahead, the protesters will not lawfully be allowed to march on the streets, and they will be arrested and charged for obstructing traffic, police have said.

“To ensure certainty for the many people who wish to participate in our peaceful protest and march we have decided on the following new route,” a Stop Bush Coalition statement said.

“We will continue to gather at Town Hall from 10am for a peaceful protest on Saturday September 8.

“We will now march down George Street, along Park Street and into Hyde Park North. The rally will conclude with music and bands.

“The NSW Police have said in court today and the Supreme Court has also said they support this route.”

Hu honours former Labor PMs

2007-09-05T07:21:00.002-07:00

CHINA'S President Hu Jintao has singled out three former Australian Labor prime ministers for particular praise at a Sydney dinner marking 35 years of diplomatic relations between Australia and China.

NSW Premier Morris Iemma was hosting the formal state dinner at the Chinese delegation's APEC base, the five-star Sofitel Wentworth Hotel in Sydney's city centre.

But Mr Iemma was overshadowed at the dinner by the trio of Labor elders attending, Gough Whitlam, Bob Hawke and Paul Keating.

Indeed, Mr Whitlam and Mr Hawke drew additional, unscripted praise from members of an Aboriginal dance group who used their microphones to laud the men during their performance.

But it was the 65-year-old leader of 1.3 billion people who gave the final bow to the former prime ministers - Liberal Party figures were hard to find at the dinner.

“I want to thank in particular Mr Whitlam, Mr Hawke and Mr Keating for attending tonight's dinner,” Mr Hu told the audience.

“I admire and highly appreciate your contribution to the establishment and the development of China-Australia relations.”

Actor Jude law arrested over assult

2007-09-05T07:21:00.001-07:00

BRITISH film star Jude Law was arrested for allegedly assaulting a photographer outside his west London home, police said.

The Hollywood hunk, 34, was said to have tried to grab the lensman's camera outside his house in the plush Maida Vale district, according to The Sun newspaper.

The photographer was alleged to have suffered minor injuries in the incident.

“A 34-year-old man from Maida Vale was arrested yesterday on suspicion of actual bodily harm after voluntarily attending a London police station,” a police spokesman said.

“The arrest followed an allegation of assault yesterday at a residential address in Maida Vale. The 34-year-old man was released on bail to a date in October pending further inquiries.”

The actor's spokesman was unavailable for comment.

Londoner Law has recently returned from the Venice Film Festival in Italy, where he was promoting his latest movie Sleuth, which also features veteran British actor Michael Caine.

Law earned Oscar nominations for his performances in The Talented Mr Ripley (1999) and Cold Mountain (2003).

In April, fellow British film star Hugh Grant was arrested for allegedly kicking a photographer and attacking him with a container of baked beans in an altercation near his own west London home.

He was not charged over the incident.

P Diddy drug wrap

2007-09-05T07:18:00.000-07:00

P Diddy has denied he takes drugs, after being filmed in a contentious exchange in a
nightclub.

In the clip, the rap mogul can reportedly be seen with an unknown character on a dancefloor at the DC10 venue in Ibiza.

The amateur footage, which lasts 41 seconds, has been posted on YouTube, inspiring a series of allegations from viewers.

However, claims that he is involved in a drug deal have been totally ruled-out by his lawyer, who insists Diddy is not involved in narcotics in any way.

"Any suggestion he is buying drugs would be patently false. He does not use drugs", the unnamed spokesman commented.

Bob Dylan film tipped for Oscar glory

2007-09-05T07:16:00.000-07:00

Cate Blanchett is being tipped for Oscar glory with her extraordinary performance as
singer Bob Dylan in new film I'm Not There.

She is one of six actors who portray different aspects of Dylan in director Todd Haynes' unconventional film. The singer has given his blessing to the project.

Heath Ledger, Richard Gere, British talents Christian Bale and Ben Whishaw, and black child actor Marcus Carl Franklin also play the legendary singer. Blanchett plays "Jude", a representation of Dylan in the mid-Sixties when he was becoming an international star.

The film is in competition at the Venice Film Festival and critics were astonished by Blanchett's performance.

Haynes said: "Jude was always meant to be played by a woman. I felt it was the only way to resurrect the true strangeness of Dylan's physical being in 1966, which I felt had lost its historical shock value over the years.

"But of course it would take an actor of Cate's supreme intelligence and ability to bring to the role the kind of depth and subtlety she delivers so stunningly on screen."

He added: "Cate was scared, she told me many times that this was a very scary challenge for her. It took her a long time to commit to it, she's a very busy actress and had to balance it with her schedule but mostly I think it was due to fear, which is completely understandable.

"I told her it's good to be terrified, that you're taking a risk and sometimes that's really when the surprises happen. I guess it at least convinced her to give it a shot."

Dylan has given his blessing to the film, Haynes said: "There have been documentaries but this is the first dramatic film about his life which he has ever given his consent to.

"I do think it was because of this open structure, something that would keep extending who he is and what he is about and not reducing it, which I think is the nature of a traditional biopic. It just seemed impossible to do that with someone as complex and contrary as he is. He has a tremendous sense of humour about the way he has been characterised. I think that's a really healthy attitude and he saw something similar in this film."

New Bohemian shot dead

2007-09-04T04:36:00.002-07:00

Jeffrey Carter Albrecht, a keyboard player for the band Edie Brickell & New Bohemians, was shot to death early Monday while trying to kick in the door of his
girlfriend's neighbor, police said.

The neighbor believed a burglar was trying to break in and fired a shot through the door around 4 a.m., Dallas police spokesman Sgt. Gil Cerda said.

"He was at his girlfriend's house last night," said Danny Balis, Albrecht's roommate. "He left the house and went next door and - for whatever reason, which we don't know - he knocked on the neighbor's door. And from what I understand, he was persistent. I don't know if there was a verbal exchange, but the person panicked and fired a shot through the door."

50 to duet with Timberlake

2007-09-04T04:36:00.001-07:00

50 Cent is planning to duet with Justin Timberlake at the MOBOs in London later this
month despite them being in different countries, it has been claimed.

The pair of music heavyweights are expected to perform "Ayo Technology" at the event, although only Fiddy will actually be at the award ceremony.

Timberlake is scheduled to be in America and will be beamed in live onto screens in the arena for the live collaboration.

A 'source' said: "It promises to be the performance of the night. They're two of the biggest stars on the planet and are set to take the awards by storm."

Ne-Yo, Yung Joc, Robin Thicke and T-Pain are also expected to appear at the MOBOs, which takes place on September 19 and will be presented by Shaggy and Jamelia.

Lily joins Kaiser Chiefs at Proms

2007-09-04T04:35:00.002-07:00

Lily Allen and the Kaiser Chiefs are confirmed to appear at the BBC Electric Proms
later this year.

Tim Burgess from The Charlatans, The Specials' Terry Hall, Jamie Cullum, Candie Payne and Sigur Ros are also on the bill for the annual series of shows.

Allen is scheduled to appear with super-producer Mark Ronson and the BBC Concert Orchestra on October 24 as a guest vocalist.

Meanwhile, The Chiefs' back catalogue will get a makeover from famed "James Bond" musical contributor David Arnold on October 26.

Arnold said he intends to "throw away the rule book of what you can or can't do with a rock band and a bunch of musicians that you may not expect to see on stage with them."

The Electric Proms 2007 takes place between October 24-28 at venues across Camden.

Madonna's child welfare officer corrupt

2007-09-04T04:35:00.001-07:00

The senior Malawian child welfare officer who was to have gone to London to assess whether Madonna could adopt a little boy from the southern African country has been removed from the high-profile case following allegations he solicited money from the
singer for the trip.

Simon Chisale, the country's chief social welfare officer, said the government had gone to court last week to have Penstone Kilembe, the director of Malawi's Child Welfare Services, replaced as the assessor in the Madonna adoption.

Chisale is now planning to fly to London to carry out the first, much-delayed assessment of toddler David Banda's progress.

Kilembe, who returned to Malawi on Monday after attending a conference in the US last week, said he had not heard of the move and denied any wrongdoing.

"I am not aware of these developments. I have just arrived from New York and nobody from my office has told me anything," he said.

Madonna and her husband, film director Guy Ritchie, were granted temporary custody of David, then 13 months old, last October. His father had placed him in an orphanage after his mother died.

Critics accused Madonna, who found David in the orphanage while in Malawi to launch a project to help the country's two million Aids orphans, of using her celebrity status to circumvent Malawian adoption laws - allegations she denies.

The allegations are likely to be revived because of Kilembe's removal, as well as new reports today that Madonna is paying for a Malawi welfare official to study at a British university.

The second inspection is scheduled for December and a report is expected to be filed before the courts in the capital Lilongwe by the February 2008 deadline for a judge to determine whether Madonna and her husband are suitable adoptive parents.

Supergrass bassist falls out of window

2007-09-04T04:34:00.000-07:00

A member of Supergrass fell out of a window while sleepwalking and broke his back and heal. He is expected to recover but it will take time causing the band to cancel
their planned homecoming show.

Mick Quinn was staying in a villa in the south of France and sleepwalked out of a ground floor window. The bass player and vocalist broke two vertebrae and smashed his heel according to the BBC.

He was taken to spinal unit in Toulouse and a specialist operated to repair the broken vertebrae and heal. While he is expected to make a full recovery from the injuries, the recovery will take several months. Luckily the band only has one gig scheduled in near future.

Police to play Wembley

2007-09-04T04:30:00.000-07:00

The Police have announced plans to play a new show in London later this year.

Sting, Stewart Copeland and Andy Summers make their long-awaited return to the British live stage in Birmingham tomorrow.

The following night they are scheduled to appear at Twickenham Stadium in London, before moving on to play gigs in Holland, Spain, Germany, France and elsewhere.

It has now been confirmed that the tour will conclude with a second show in the UK capital, at Wembley Arena on October 20.

Tickets for the new concert go on-sale on Friday.

The tour will call at the following venues:

September 2007

04 NIA, Birmingham
08 Twickenham Stadium, London
11 AOL Arena, Hamburg
13 Arena, Amsterdam
16 Sazka Arena, Prague
19 Stadthalle, Vienna
22 Olympiastadion, Munich
27 Olympic Stadium, Barcelona
29 Stade de France, Paris

October

13 LTU Arena, Dusseldorf
15 MEN Arena, Manchester
19 Millennium Stadium, Cardiff
20 Wembley Arena, London