Visnjic agrees to pay child support

Visnjic agrees to pay child support
ZAGREB, Croatia - Goran Visnjic has agreed to pay child support for the infant daughter of a Croatian woman.
Mirela Rupic, 36, had sued Visnjic, claiming he is the father of her 8-month-old child.

At a hearing Tuesday before a Zagreb court, Visnjic's lawyer, Marijan Hanzekovic, said the 35-year-old actor had abandoned requests for a paternity test and recognized the child as his own. He agreed to pay $1,800 a month in child support.

Visnjic, who lives in Los Angeles, was granted visits once a month, said Rupic's lawyer, Nenad Skare.

The Associated Press was attempting to reach a representative of Visnjic on Thursday.

Visnjic plays Dr. Luka Kovac on the NBC series "ER."

He has been married to Ivana Vrdoljak since 1999. The couple adopted a baby boy this spring.

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Golf: Trump's Scottish course plans rejected

Golf: Trump's Scottish course plans rejected

LONDON (AFP) - Plans by US tycoon Donald Trump for a controversial luxury golf resort in Scotland were thrown out Thursday by local councillors, a spokesman saidIn a knife-edge vote, Aberdeenshire Council's infrastructure services committee ruled against the planning application for Trump International Golf Links Scotland.

A key aide to the US businessman said Trump had not yet decided whether to appeal against the decision.

"Obviously we are very disappointed," said George Sorial.

"We do have options elsewhere in the UK and we will sit down now and look at that... We haven't made a formal decision yet."

The new vote -- which was tied seven votes to seven, before being decided by the committee chairman -- overturned a vote by a lower committee earlier this month which approved the project.

The row has echoes of the 1983 cult film "Local Hero", in which an astronomy-obsessed US oil tycoon earmarks a picturesque Scottish fishing village as the site of a new oil and gas development.

Trump has pledged the one-billion-pound (two-billion-dollar, 1.4-billion-euro) development at Balmedie, just north of Aberdeen on the Scottish east coast, would be the "greatest golf course in the world."

The planned 1,400-acre (570-hectare) resort includes two championship golf courses, an eight-storey five-star hotel, a golf academy, nearly 1,000 holiday homes and 500 private houses.

But the project has courted controversy and Trump has battled local salmon fisherman Michael Forbes, who has refused to sell up.

His ramshackle 25-acre (10 hectare) farm lies right in the middle of the proposed second hole and hotel site.

Part of the complex would be built on a designated Site of Special Scientific Interest. Some environmentalists fear the resort could destroy rare plant species and delicate sand dune systems.

Sorial argued that the decision was bad news for the region's economy.

Matsuzaka says child to motivate him

Matsuzaka says child to motivate him
TOKYO (AFP) - Red Sox pitcher Daisuke Matsuzaka voiced hope Thursday having a second child would boost his performance next season after criticism that he fell short of expectations in his rookie year.Matsuzaka, 27, already has a two-year-old daughter and his wife is due to have their second child in the spring.

"It will be the best source to give me power. I will aim for a second straight World Series title," Matsuzaka told a sponsor's event in Tokyo.

"Personally I will have to achieve more and I am convinced I can do better than what I did this season," he said.

Matsuzaka returned last week from his rookie season in the US Major Leagues in which he helped lead the Boston club to the World Series title.

But he finished the season with 15 wins and 12 losses, a record seen as mediocre considering his giant 52-million-dollar six-year contract with the Red Sox.

The birth of his second child may also give Matsuzaka a dilemma, however. The due date is perilously close to the time that the Red Sox are due to open their season.

Pregnant Aguilera poses for Marie Claire

Pregnant Aguilera poses for Marie Claire

NEW YORK - Christina Aguilera flaunts her pregnancy in an upcoming issue of Marie Claire magazine. The 26-year-old singer is shown wearing a cropped jacket, hoop earrings and a ring on the cover of the January issue, on newsstands Dec. 11. Excerpts from the story were released WednesdayAguilera and her husband, Jordan Bratman, were married in 2005.

The singer says she learned she was pregnant while on her recent "Back to Basics" tour.

"We were planning on starting to try after the tour. And so, I had gone off the Pill to prepare my body, because I didn't know how much time it would take. You've heard it takes some time — except with Power Egg and Super Sperm here," she says. "... I'm like, `Oh my god, can you believe it just happened?'"

Aguilera says she became "paranoid" during the tour.

"There are so many things that could go wrong — somebody could slip, somebody could fall, I could fall," says Aguilera, who wore a heart monitor during performances. "There was no way ... I was going to jeopardize my baby for my show."

She confirmed her pregnancy earlier this month in the U.K. edition of Glamour magazine.

Aguilera says she kept the baby news quiet for her fans' sake.

"I didn't want to make the audience uncomfortable, like, `Pregnant lady onstage! Is she going to be OK?' But I had to announce it to my band and my dancers, because I wanted to make sure they had my back," she says.

She adds: "Because I hadn't said anything, people thought I was trying to keep it this big, bad secret, and that's not the case at all. I just wasn't commenting. I'm not being like, `Hey everybody, I'm pregnant!' I'm not that girl."

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Shakira says no to nude scenes

Shakira says no to nude scenes

Colombian pop star Shakira has pulled out of what would have been her movie debut in an adaptation of Love in the Time of Cholera written by her friend Gabriel Garcia Marquez because she didn’t want to appear nude in the film.

Shakira’s official explanation for leaving the film was that there was conflict in schedules but the producer Scott Steindorff gave a different reason, contactmusic reports. The director revealed that Shakira did not want to bare all for the screen.

The singer now wants to make her debut after making careful considerations saying, “The script, character and director — all has to come together to assure me that I’ll be protected. I have a responsibility to my public, so I don’t want to get into something that could fail.” However, she did not completely ditch the project and contributed by writing and recording the soundtrack.

Keep sienna out of my pary: kate

Keep Sienna out of my party: Kate
Kate Moss has banned Sienna Miller from going to a Primrose Hill party with her boyfriend Rhys Ifans.

Moss has told Ifans in no uncertain terms that the actress is not welcome at best pal Davinia Taylor’s birthday party, after the supermodel led the excommunication of Sienna from London’s notorious Primrose Hill clique following her high-profile romance with founding member Jude Law.

A pal told the a British newspaper, “Kate is organising Davinia Taylor’s 30th birthday bash and she told Rhys she’d love him to come, but it wasn't possible because of Sienna.”

Miller and Jude Law were engaged. But in 2005, Law had an affair with Daisy Wright, the nanny of his children by his former wife (actress Sadie Frost). And Miller was rumoured to be having an affair with Law’s friend, Daniel Craig.

Despite attempts to salvage their relationship, Miller and Law separated, then reunited briefly in 2006, before separating again. She is now said to be dating Welsh actor Rhys Ifans. Moss is godmother to Iris, the daughter of Sadie Frost and Jude Law.

SRK and Sushmita to sizzle again

SRK and Sushmita to sizzle again

After Main Hoon Na the unanimous opinion was Shah Rukh Khan and Sushmita Sen made a sizzling pair.

They are coming together once again in Dulha Mil Gaya . “Shah Rukh and I are getting together again in Dulha Mil Gaya , though Shah Rukh only makes a guest appearance in the film,” says Sushmita.

The superstar makes a special appearance opposite Sushmita. “That’s been organised completely by producer Viveck Vaswani. It has got nothing to do with me. It’s a romantic comedy. “The actually reason I’m doing it is the director Mudassar Aziz. He wrote the songs of Zindaggi Rocks . I feel he has tremendous potential. When I heard the script, I just fell for it. I guess I’m an emotional sucker,” she adds.

This is not for the first time that the actress is working with a debutant director. “I’ve become the first-film queen. Look at the number of times I’ve worked with debutant directors. However, let me add Mudassar’s script is outstanding.”

In addition, Sushmita has agreed to do another film with comedy king David Dhawan. “That’s been in the offing for a while. He has to finish his two current films. Then we’re on. David is someone I can never say no to.”

This is her third film with Salman Khan-Dhawan team after super hits Biwi No. 1 and Maine Pyaar Kyun Kiya ? “I love working with him. We’ve such a beautiful equation. He’s one hero who doesn’t let me feel my height. On the contrary, whenever I kick off my high heels, he asks me to put them on. It’s not hard to see why he’s so loved

Iraq reporter faces terror charge

Iraq reporter faces terror charge

The US military says it will recommend criminal charges against an Associated Press photographer detained in 2006 on suspicion of helping Iraqi insurgents.
The Pentagon says additional evidence has come to light proving Bilal Hussein is a "terrorist media operative" who infiltrated the news agency.

The case will be passed to Iraqi judges who will decide if he should be tried.

AP says its own investigation has found no evidence that he was anything but an Iraqi journalist working in a war zone.

The agency's lawyers say they have been denied access to Mr Hussein and the evidence against him, making it impossible to build a defence.

There's a new leadership in the defence department, but the same callous disregard from justice

Tom Curley
AP President

AP's president and chief executive officer Tom Curley told the BBC he believed the US military simply wished to keep Mr Hussein in jail as long as possible.

He said the US did not want news coming out of Anbar province, which he called an "information black hole".

"There's a new leadership in the defence department, but the same callous disregard from justice," Mr Curley told the BBC.

Mr Hussein was part of an AP photo team that won a Pulitzer prize in 2005.

US officials say he had previously aroused suspicion because he was often at the scene of insurgent attacks as they occurred.

'Not convincing'

AP says Mr Hussein, who is now 36, was taken into custody in April 2006 after sheltering strangers in his home following an explosion near his home in Falluja.

US marines later arrived and used his flat as an observation post, where they detained him and his guests as suspected insurgents and confiscated his laptop computer and telephone.

Whenever we ask to see what's so convincing we get back something that isn't convincing at all

Dave Tomlin
AP lawyer

US-led forces in Iraq possess "convincing and irrefutable evidence that Bilal Hussein is a threat to security and stability as a link to insurgent activity", Pentagon press secretary Geoff Morrell said on Monday.

The US military had previously said Mr Hussein was detained for possessing materials for making roadside bombs, insurgent propaganda and a surveillance photo of a US military installation.

He did not disclose what the new evidence is. Mr Hussein could face the death penalty if convicted of aiding insurgents.

AP says in the past 19 months various allegations have been floated unofficially against Mr Hussein by the US military, but then withdrawn with little explanation.



"Whenever we ask to see what's so convincing we get back something that isn't convincing at all," said AP's lawyer Dave Tomlin.

In particular, it says there is no evidence that any of Mr Hussein's images were co-ordinated with insurgents or showed the moment of an attack.

Mr Curley says Mr Hussein was not interrogated after his first month of detention until a few weeks ago - so he says it is hard to work out what new information may have emerged on the basis of which charges could be laid.

He says the American military is working under time constraints as the law obliges it to release Mr Hussein by December 12 unless legal proceedings begin.

Calls for his release have been backed by press freedom groups such as the Committee to Protect Journalists.

Jordan holds parliamentary vote

Jordan holds parliamentary vote

Jordanians are voting in parliamentary elections being seen as key to the country's transition to democracy.
About 880 candidates, including a record 199 women, are contesting 110 seats in the lower house of parliament.

The Islamic Action Front (IAF) is the main opposition but independents, who are mainly loyal to King Abdullah, are expected to dominate the polls.

The IAF had threatened to boycott the polls, saying electoral law ensures independents will win most seats.

The voting took place amid heavy security with tens of thousands of police and soldiers patrolling polling stations.

I'm not voting for anyone because they're all liars - Islamists and all the others

Saeed Jalad
Officials played down reports of election fraud, although two people were arrested for vote-buying.

Interior Minister Eid al-Fayez told reporters that the issue "has been exaggerated by the media".

A government spokesman said turnout stood at 42% two hours before the 1,434 polling stations closed.

Economic issues

Correspondents say apathy and disillusionment are rife among Jordan's 2.5 million eligible voters.

"I'm not voting for anyone because they're all liars - Islamists and all the others," said Saeed Jalad quoted by Associated Press.

"They just want to grab seats in parliament and will forget about us and our needs."

The IAF, an offshoot of the Muslim Brotherhood, won 17 seats in the 2003 election.

The party campaigned against corruption and US and Israeli policies in the Middle East, appealing to the Palestinian refugees who make up a significant proportion of Jordan's 5.7 million-strong population and who have voting rights as citizens.

However, economic issues dominated most other candidates' campaigns. Jordan's unemployment rate is estimated to be between 14-30%.

Nearly four times as many women are contesting this election than in 2003, when 54 ran. Six seats are reserved for women.

The 55-seat upper house is appointed by the king.

Polls close at 1700 GMT and initial results are expected later in the evening.

Abbas receives Annapolis invite

Abbas receives Annapolis invite

Palestinian Authority President Mahmoud Abbas has received an invitation to attend US-sponsored peace talks in Annapolis, his officials have said.
The long-awaited invitation was delivered to Mr Abbas at his office in Ramallah in the West Bank, aides said.

The meeting begins with dinner on Monday in Washington before moving to Maryland the following day, they added.

US Consul in Jerusalem Jacob Walles confirmed the invitation was delivered

but did not confirm its details.

The Bush administration hopes the conference will relaunch negotiations to establish a Palestinian state, seven years after the last substantive peace talks ended in failure.

But negotiations on a joint Israeli-Palestinian document to serve as a blueprint for future talks have made little progress, casting a cloud over the summit.

Israel and the Palestinians are divided over the fate of the West Bank, Gaza, and east Jerusalem, occupied by Israel since 1967, and the Palestinian refugee problem which dates back to the establishment of Israel in 1948.

High level

Earlier in the day, Israeli Prime Minister Ehud Olmert and Egyptian President Hosni Mubarak held a rare meeting to co-ordinate preparations for the Annapolis meeting.

Israel and the US have been pressing for high level Arab representation at the meeting.

Arab foreign ministers are meeting in Cairo on Friday to co-ordinate their positions, although each government is to decide separately whether to send a delegation.

Egyptian officials say they are convinced the US is now committed to launching a serious peace process and its foreign minister is expected to attend.

Analysts say other Arab states, including Saudi Arabia, believe Israel has not offered enough assurances about its seriousness to reach peace and to make the necessary sacrifices.

Syria has said it will only join the conference if the issue of the Golan Heights, also occupied by Israel in 1967, is on the agenda.

Dalai Lama 'may pick successor'

Dalai Lama 'may pick successor'

The Tibetan spiritual leader, the Dalai Lama, says he is considering breaking with centuries of tradition and naming his own successor.
Usually, following the death of a Dalai Lama, senior Tibetan Buddhist officials, guided by dreams and signs, identify a young child to succeed him.

But the Dalai Lama said he feared China would try to influence this process.

He said he was considering whether his successor should be picked by him, or elected by high ranking Buddhist monks.

"If the Tibetan people want to keep the Dalai Lama system, one of the possibilities I have been considering with my aides is to select the next Dalai Lama while I'm alive," he told the Japanese newspaper Sankei Shimbun during a visit to Japan.

Tibetans are concerned over what will happen when the 72-year-old Dalai Lama dies, fearing that Beijing will try to take control of the succession.

"If China selected my successor after my death, the people of Tibet would not support him as there would be no Tibetan heart in him," he said.

Chinese intervention

Beijing claims sovereignty over Tibet, which it has controlled since invading in 1950. However, many Tibetans remain loyal to the Dalai Lama, who fled in 1959.

China has opposed his involvement in politics, viewing him as a separatist, and has intervened before.

When he picked a six-year-old boy to be the second most important figure in Tibetan Buddhism - the Panchen Lama - China detained the boy and selected a replacement who was loyal to Chinese rule.

Beijing has denounced the Dalai Lama's many foreign trips, including recent visits to the US, Germany, and now Japan.

It says he should stay out of politics and restrict himself to a religious role.

Buddhists believe the current Dalai Lama is the reincarnation of his predecessors.

He was identified by a search party of High Lamas that scoured rural Tibet looking for a child born around the same time as the previous Dalai Lama died.

As a young child he successfully identified the prayer beads and relics that belonged to his predecessor.

The Dalai Lama has always said if he were reborn it would not be in a country ruled by China or anywhere that was not free.

First hearing for Cambodia court

First hearing for Cambodia court

An international genocide tribunal set up to try surviving members of Cambodia's brutal Khmer Rouge regime is holding its first public hearing.
The UN-backed court is hearing a bail request from Kang Kek Ieu, or Duch, the former head of a notorious prison.

Duch was the first of five senior Khmer Rouge officials to be arrested and charged by the court.

More than a million people are thought to have died during the four years of Khmer Rouge rule between 1975 and 1979.

Tribunal spokesman Peter Foster described the hearing as a "milestone" for the court, which was set up last year after decades of wrangling.

"It's a big day," he said. "The spotlight will now be on Cambodia."

'Sense of relief'

Duch, who is now in his 60s, was driven to the court from a nearby detention centre, where he has been held since his arrest in July.



Three decades ago, he ran Tuol Sleng jail in Phnom Penh, where thousands of people were tortured and executed by the Khmer Rouge regime.

Lawyers for the elderly ex-leader are appealing for bail on the grounds that he was held without charge under the jurisdiction of another court for eight years.

Proceedings inside the small chamber were broadcast to hundreds of people - journalists and ordinary Cambodians - outside in the court's compound.

The BBC's Guy De Launey, in Phnom Penh, says that the former Khmer Rouge jailer is unlikely to be released, but his appearance in court shows the tribunal is finally moving forward.

Co-prosecutor Robert Petit told the BBC the bail hearing would allow the people to see that justice was being done.

"I hope that it will provide Cambodians with a certain sense of relief that the process is ongoing and is transparent, or as transparent as it can be."

Fifty-five year old Chhouek Sao, who lost five family members to the regime, said he wanted justice.

"It's obvious that justice has been delayed and some people are so frustrated by waiting for so long," he told the French news agency AFP.

Five senior Khmer Rouge officials are now in the custody of the tribunal.

On Monday, former head of state Khieu Samphan was formally charged with committing crimes against humanity.

Pol Pot's second-in-command Nuon Chea and the former foreign and social affairs ministers Ieng Sary and Ieng Thirith are also facing charges.

Keri Russell Rides The Promotion Train

Keri Russell Rides The Promotion Train

She was in NYC Sunday night for the premiere of "August Rush," and it looks like Keri Russell never made it out of the Big Apple.

The "Felicity" actress was at MTV studios yesterday for an appearance on Total Request Live. Then this morning she chatted up her new movie with the folks over at the Today Show.

And while her TV/film career is the most obvious thing we see about her, Keri recently became a mother- a step that has changed her live considerably.

She told press, "I'll definitely bring him to sets….though I've been in denial, thinking I wouldn't need help, but I guess I will. It's just the idea of someone else taking care of my kid is so weird to me. It's crazy! Friends of mine sent their kid to, granted, a really cool school in California, but it costs 30 grand a semester. For junior high! Do you know how much college costs? Who can afford that? I figure we need to find a full-time babysitter before we start dealing with that stuff."

Anne Hathaway Helps To Honor Meryl Streep

Anne Hathaway Helps To Honor Meryl Streep

Anne Hathaway sported a sleek look at The Christopher & Dana Reeve Foundation's "A Magical Evening" Gala at New York City's Marriot Marquis Hotel last night.

Wearing a purple dress, Anne, who was also celebrating her 25th birthday yesterday, was there to present the foundation's Dana Reeve Hope Award to her Devil Wears Prada co-star, Meryl Streep.


"My good friend Meryl is here. And when she asked me to present (to) her, I said yes 10 times over," Anne told press at the event.

Ms Hathaway was then asked if she had a magical power, what would it be? Anne replied, to "figure out a good exit strategy from Iraq."

When asked the same question, comedian Robin Williams put a humorous spin on his answer, telling that he would increase people's intelligence levels. "Everybody gets 30 IQ points (added). We're only one species, and we don't want to bottom out," he said.

5th church falls victim to thieves

Another area church was reportedly victimized Thursday when church officials realized the central heating and cooling unit had been stolen.David Anderson, chief deputy with the Covington County Sheriff's Office, said a deputy traveled to the Mill Creek Baptist Church on Mill Creek Road at approximately 10 p.m.
"Whoever did this crime cut the wires to the unit, opened the breaker box, took the unit and then nicely enough, turned the power back on to the church," Anderson said. "This is another of the numerous thefts of central heat and air unit from area fraternal organizations, businesses and churches that we are having right now."Earlier this month, the unit at the local Fraternal Order of Police (FOP) Lodge was reported stolen - its wires cut and removed from a concrete pad.
In October, four churches near Florala were victimized over a two-day period. Each of their central heating and air units were removed, as well as one window unit. The perpetrators of those crimes reportedly backed up to the units, cut the power cords with bold cutters, all while the power was still on."People don't think to check on their units right now with weather the way it is, unless they have a heat pump," Anderson said. "People need to take extra precautions to make sure they keep up with those units. I know it sounds odd to say, but keep a watchful eye out. Take measures to keep the units secure, especially if they are in a remote location."
While it is unknown if the same individual or individuals are responsible for each of the thefts, Anderson said he felt the reason the units were stolen was to sell the copper found inside the units."These people are having to steal to support their [drug] habit," he said. "For them, it doesn't matter who owns [the units]. "In their minds, they can get away with it, but they needed to be aware, we are working every lead diligently and it's only a matter of time before these crimes are solved."

Bulldogs advance to round three

Andalusia advanced to the third round of state playoffs Friday night after a 31-21 victory over Cleburne County."I am extremely proud of our defense," Heath Harmon, head football coach for Andalusia, said. "(Cleburne County) was an inch away from a first down and our defense shut them down in the first half. Coach Hawthorne coaches hard and the kids play hard. I am just glad to be on the sidelines with them. I like the way they play."
The night looked grim in the early minutes of the first half after Cleburne County recovered a Bulldog fumble the Andalusia 30. The Tigers delivered a pass to the Andalusia 30 on the first snap and followed up with a touchdown to take 7 - 0 lead with 8:40 left in the first quarter.Andalusia's Jamie Bush responded to Cleburne County with an 85-yard kickoff return into the end zone. Gillis Jones' PAT was good for a 7 - 7 tie with 8:27 remaining in the first quarter.
The Bulldogs delivered their second touchdown of the night with a 5-yard touchdown run by Michael Berry with 45 seconds remaining in the first quarter. Jones' PAT was good and Andalusia moved into a 14 - 7 lead.Cleburne County evened the score 14 - 14 at the top of the second half with a 5-yard run at the 8:47 mark of the third quarter. Bush returned the Tiger kickoff from the Andalusia 10 to the Andalusia 29. The Bulldogs continued to net first downs and earned a spot on the Cleburne County 25 after a 22-yard carry by Berry.
Andalusia's second-string sophomore Kenneth Chambers subbed for an injured Brent Shiver at the 3:36 mark of the third quarter. Chambers delivered a quarterback sneak to the Cleburne County 20 and Jones delivered a 20-yard field goal to push Andalusia into a 17 - 14 lead at the half.Bulldog defense entered the second with a mission and shut down Cleburne County within the first minute of action. The Tigers to the Andalusia 25 and Berry returned to the punt to the Andalusia 33. Andalusia offense sprung into action when Shiver returned to the quarterback slot and delivered a carry to the Cleburne County 39 at the 9:14 mark of the third quarter."He is tough as nails to go out after injury," Harmon said. "He went back in the second half and our whole team rallied around it. Our team knows that when someone goes down, then someone else has to step up. I think the whole team stepped up. Every team is good in the playoffs and they are going to make plays. You must step up to the challenge."The Bulldogs did step up to the challenge with a total of 29 carries for 260 yards in the second half. Senior linebacker Brannon Bryan delivered one of those carries for 5 yards and an Andalusia touchdown. Jones' PAT was good and the Bulldogs moved into a more comfortable 24 - 14 lead with 3:26 remaining in the third quarter.Cleburne County made an impressive drive at the end of the first quarter and earned a spot on the Andalusia 30, but a fumble at the Andalusia 18 placed the ball back into the hands of the Bulldogs. Andalusia responded with a 30-yard carry by Berry to the Andalusia 48. The Bulldogs continued to advance, but received assistance from Cleburne County after an illegal block below the waist. Richardson took the ball on the following snap and ran 36-yards into the end zone. Jones' PAT was good to give Andalusia a 31 - 14 lead at the end of the third quarter.Cleburne County delivered the last touchdown of the night with a 25-yard touchdown run with 8:02 remaining in the game.
"A lot of things happened on the field tonight," Harmon said to his players during a post-game huddle Friday night. "Everyone stepped up to the plate. Defense did an excellent job tonight. I am proud of all of you."Andalusia will travel to Tuscaloosa next week to face Central in the third round of state playoffs.

'Celebrity Apprentice' stars announced

'Celebrity Apprentice' stars announced

NEW YORK - At a locked-down news conference in Manhattan last month, the cast for "Celebrity Apprentice" was introduced to members of the press. Everyone was sworn to secrecy. Now the secret can be told, says NBC, which made public Monday the names of the cast members. Not that they needed any introduction. Not all of them, anyway. Not Omarosa, remembered for making everybody mad as a contestant on the first "Apprentice" season in 2004.

Why did Omarosa agree to come back?

"I did it for redemption," she told reporters.

Vincent Pastore (aka "Big Pussy" from "The Sopranos") was also instantly recognizable.

So was Stephen Baldwin, who explained his participation by noting he already had "done a bunch of reality ... I thought it would be fun to play the game."

Likewise Gene Simmons of Kiss, star of his own reality series and unabashed self-marketer.

"I'm in the Gene Simmons business," he said, so doing "The Apprentice" can only help promote his many other ventures. "Everything helps everything."

But others on hand did need a bit of introduction.

Like Nely Galan, former entertainment president of the Telemundo network and executive producer (and "life coach") of "The Swan," an extreme makeover program that aired on Fox a few years back.

Or the vaguely familiar-looking woman introduced as Marilu Henner, best-known from the sitcom "Taxi" a quarter-century ago.

The 14 celebrities won't be vying for a job with Donald Trump, as in the previous six "Apprentice" seasons, but instead will compete in business-oriented tasks around New York City to raise money for their favorite charities. The official "Celebrity Apprentice" will win a $250,000 bonus to donate.

Tasks will be judged in the boardroom by executive producer-host Trump and his advisers, including, once again, his children/colleagues Ivanka and Donald Trump Jr.

As they met with the press in mid-October, the gathered rivals were set to face their first challenge the next day, when taping began. The show debuts Jan. 3.

Cast members for this rejiggered "Apprentice" — which in the past relied on scrappy, ambitious star-wannabes — were selected from a field of some 125 celebrity applicants, Trump told reporters.

"They were all begging to be on the show," he said. "The hardest thing was breaking it down to these 14."

One deciding factor: Each of the chosen has had experience in business, Trump said. "These people have all done something very dramatic with money."

Can they do it again, with cameras watching every move?

Actress-model Carol Alt acknowledged some initial nervousness.

"They're going to follow us in real time and that's scary, of course," she said. "I think with most all of us, we want control of our image — it's part of the work that we do."

Galan echoed Alt's trepidation.

"I've produced reality shows," Galan said. "To be on the other side is a little creepy. It's my karmic boomerang."

Other cast members include country music star Trace Adkins, Olympic gymnastics gold medalist Nadia Comaneci, Playboy Playmate of the Year Tiffany Fallon, Olympic softball gold medalist Jennie Finch, heavyweight boxing champ Lennox Lewis, "America's Got Talent" judge Piers Morgan and Ultimate Fighting Champion Tito Ortiz.

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'Mr. Whipple' from Charmin TV ads dies

'Mr. Whipple' from Charmin TV ads dies

LOS ANGELES - Dick Wilson, the actor and pitchman who played the uptight grocer begging customers "Please, don't squeeze the Charmin," died Monday. He was 91The man famous as TV's "Mr. Whipple" died of natural causes at the Motion Picture & Television Fund Hospital in Woodland Hills, said his daughter Melanie Wilson, who is known for her role as a flight attendant on the ABC sitcom "Perfect Strangers."

Over 21 years, Wilson made more than 500 commercials as Mr. George Whipple, a man consumed with keeping bubbly housewives from fondling the soft toilet paper. The punch line of most spots was that Whipple himself was a closeted Charmin-squeezer.

Wilson also played a drunk on several episodes of "Bewitched," as appeared as various characters on "Hogan's Heroes," "The Bob Newhart Show," and Walt Disney productions.

The first of his Charmin commercials aired in 1964 and by the time the campaign ended in 1985, the tag line and Wilson were pop culture touchstones.

"Everybody says, 'Where did they find you?' I say I was never lost. I've been an actor for 55 years," Wilson told the San Francisco Examiner in 1985.

Though Wilson said he initially resisted commercial work, he learned to appreciate its nuance.

"It's the hardest thing to do in the entire acting realm. You've got 24 seconds to introduce yourself, introduce the product, say something nice about it and get off gracefully."

Dennis Legault, Procter & Gamble's Charmin brand manager, said in a statement that Wilson deserves much of the credit for the product's success in the marketplace. He called the Mr. Whipple character "one of the most recognizable faces in the history of American advertising."

After Wilson retired, he continued to do occasional guest appearances for the brand and act on television. He declared himself not impressed with modern cinema.

"The kind of pictures they're making today, I'll stick with toilet paper," he told The Associated Press in 1985.

Procter & Gamble eventually replaced the Whipple ads with cartoon bears, but brought Wilson (as Whipple) back for an encore in 1999. The ad showed Wilson "coming out of retirement" against the advice of his golfing and poker buddies for one more chance to sell Charmin.

"He is part of the culture," his daughter said. "He was still funny to the very end. That's his legacy."

He was born in England in 1916, the son of a vaudeville entertainer and a singer. He moved to Canada as a child, serving in the Canadian Air Force during World War II, and became a U.S. citizen in 1954, he told the AP.

In addition to Melanie, Wilson is survived by his wife, Meg; a son, Stuart; and another daughter, Wendy.

Anhui Traditional Martial Arts Conference

Anhui Traditional Martial Arts Conference

The 1st Anhui Traditional Martial Arts Conference was kicked off in Huangshan, Anhui Province on November 19, 2007, with 439 players of 43 teams taking part in the 3-day event.

Paris sex tape hits the Internet

Paris sex tape hits the Internet

Paris Hilton’s racy past has caught up with her once again, this time in the form of a new sex tape that has been making the rounds of the internet.

In this one, the hotel heiress is seen naked taking bubble bath.

In the video, she swims around the huge bath and soaks herself with a shower head, reports The Sun.

The clip is believed to have been found earlier this year in a storage vault after Hilton forgot to pay the rent.

The footage was then released on the net by a website called Parisexposed.com, although Hilton obtained a temporary injunction against them.

Now, the video has resurfaced on YouTube, with stronger versions available on American websites.

Sexy is not dirty word: Bipasha

Sexy is not a dirty word: Bipasha

“Hindi film industry doesn’t make Rituparno kind of films,” Bips.

When do you come to Kolkata for shooting Rituparno Ghosh’s Sob Choritra Kalponik ?
I’ll be in Kolkata from December 8. I’ll return end of the month to celebrate New Year’s. I am very keen on shooting in Kolkata. While I’ve played Bengali characters, this will be my first Bengali film.

Many Bengali actors acquire a Hindi accent after shifting to Mumbai. How about you?
I speak Bengali pretty regularly. But yes, I have never done a film before. Guess, everything can be controlled during dubbing stages.

What do you find unique about Rituparno’s films?
Hindi film industry doesn’t make his kind of films. In fact, the character that I’m penciled to play is remotely not similar to what I am in real life. Though I am not at liberty to talk about it, I know that she is much more matured than I am. I like the way he presents his leading ladies. My favourite Rituparno film is Chokher Bali . He made Ash act so beautifully. I am a director’s actor and hence, I am very keen on being presented by him.

A lot has been written about John Abraham in No Smoking . How do you think John could evolve further?
I think it was wrong to market No Smoking as a commercial film. It was a niche film. It was a film that was way ahead of its time. People thought they’d see John go Dhoom with his bike. Instead, they found him coming out of a tub. Many who watched No Smoking hadn’t even heard of Being John Malkovich. John is fantastic and it’s great that he could choose such a film at a time when comedy is working big time. We need to evolve. I don’t want to advice John on that.

When media speculates about the status of your relationship, do you miss a life less ordinary?
Though it’s tough, I will not trade this life for anything. Sometimes, the media speculation is so amusing that I wonder why the world is so childish. It’s true that I too want to know details about Brad Pitt. Celebs need to accept the curiosity as part and parcel of their lives. But I never share my notes on how to react to media speculation with anyone from the industry. Laughter on the sets is fine but I am not close to anyone in the industry.

Has the whole speculation brought the two of you closer together?
We have always been close. It’s worthless to discuss this since people don’t value anybody’s privacy.

Does it flatter you to be voted the sexiest Asian woman in 2007?
Yes. It’s great to get back the title that I won in 2005. But then, even a routine compliment can flatter me.

How would you define the word ‘sexy’?
Indians have used the word ‘sexy’ confusedly. It used to be a derogatory word. Recent surveys on sex have elevated the word to mean something good. It’s not a dirty word. Today, SRK without a shirt onscreen can also be very sexy. Society changes with time and so do definitions. The term sexy has gone beyond a beautiful body. Today, it encompasses talent, screen presence, personality and intelligence too. It’s a package deal of what you are in person — and on screen.

Do you find inanimate objects like cars sexy as well?
No way! But John would say a bike is sexy. Unlike John, I lack passion for inanimate objects.

Who would you judge as the all-time sexiest woman from India?
I need personal acquaintance to vote for someone. Due to media exposure and social interactions, lives of actors today are more open than that of our predecessors. Of course, many yesteryear actors were attractive. Though I liked their films, I haven’t known them personally. I admire Sharmila Tagore for still being so graceful. I’ve met her once and I like the way she speaks. She is an icon.

Pamela should pose nude now!

Pamela should pose nude now!

Show us the money, is the scream of the Wild Wild West!


Supermodels Pamela Anderson and Denise Richards were offered a whopping one million dollars to pose nude for the cover of a magazine, and the two, we hear, are still contemplating on the offer.

But in India, the issue is of course more than just skin-deep. It’s more about morals, values and ethics when compared to green notes and a sizeable bank balance.

Actress Celina Jaitley and many others — Ash, Bips, Koena, Mallika — are walking tall, after bagging some ‘international projects’. But are they really ready to go the international way?

Yes! But with a disclaimer stating ‘conditions apply’ in bold fonts. However, when we got in touch with some Indian celebs and asked ‘em if Pamela and Denise should agree to the naked proposal... they said:


Amrita Arora:

If there’s anyone who can pose nude on a cover, it has to be Pamela. And why not? Half her life she has done that. She’s been a Bunny and a ‘Playmate’.

Vidya Balan:

Who really cares whether she poses nude or not? She can do what she wants, how does it matter? But yes, I do think that one million dollars can be put to better use.

Celina Jaitley:

It’s certainly no big deal for Pamela to go nude on the cover of a magazine. She could go ahead and do it if she feels like becoming million dollars richer.

Kim Sharma:

Pamela Anderson has hardly left anything to the imagination. So what’s the big deal if she poses nude again? She should do it and earn big bucks.

Gul Panag:

Yes, Pamela should pose for the magazine cover. She’s being offered a million dollara because she’s worth it, I’m sure about that.

Dollar continues near record lows

Dollar continues near record lows

The US dollar has remained weak against both the euro and the yen in Monday trading as worries about the strength of the US economy continue.
The dollar fell to $1.4687 against the euro in Asian trade, and dropped to 110.59 yen.

At the start of November, the dollar hit a record low of $1.4752 against the single European currency.

The strength of the dollar had been undermined further by weak US economic data released on Friday.

Interest rate cuts

As a growing number of US banks reveal their exposure to bad US mortgage debt, data on Friday showed the biggest drop in American industrial production since January.

Taken together, analysts say this suggests further cuts in US interest rates.

"There are no fundamental reasons to buy the dollar," said Tsutomu Soma, senior manager of foreign securities at Okasan Securities.

The US Federal Reserve last cut interest rates in October to 4.5%, in an effort to kick-start the faltering housing and credit markets, as well as making borrowing cheaper to encourage consumer spending in the run-up to the key Christmas shopping period.

It has signalled that it will adopt a wait-and-see approach to the future direction of interest rates.

Fears grow for Ukrainian miners

Fears grow for Ukrainian miners

Rescuers are searching for some 35 Ukrainian miners trapped deep underground after a blast that killed at least 65 others, officials say.
But fires are hindering rescue efforts in the Zasyadko mine in the eastern Donetsk region.

A mine union chief has played down the chances of finding many miners alive.

Sunday's blast, caused by a build-up of methane gas, occurred more than 1,000m (3,280ft) below ground in what was one of Ukraine's worst accidents in years.

Hundreds of desperate relatives rushed to the mine after hearing the news.

There was a bang, the temperature surged, and [there was] thick dust. You could see absolutely nothing

Vitali Kvitkovski
Zasyadko miner

As grim-faced mine officials later emerged to announce the names of the victims, many in the crowd began weeping and several fainted.

Local authorities have now declared three days of mourning for the blast's victims.

Methane inhalation

At least 360 of the more than 450 miners who were below ground when the explosion happened at 0300 (0100 GMT) have now been rescued, emergency officials say.




One survivor described how he had to clamber over his dead colleagues along rail tracks to escape from the mine.

Some 28 miners are now being treated in hospitals, many suffering from methane inhalation.

Prime Minister Viktor Yanukovych travelled on Sunday to the scene of the accident.

He told reporters there had been a cave-in at the accident site, and that fire and smoke were also obstructing rescuers.

He also said a safety watchdog had reported that miners were working in accordance with regulations.

"This accident has proven once again that a human is powerless before the nature," Mr Yanukovych said, according to the Associated Press news agency.

President Viktor Yushchenko announced plans to visit Donetsk on Monday.

His office quoted him as saying that the government had "made insufficient efforts to reorganise the mining sector, particularly the implementation of safe mining practices".

An investigation into the blast is under way.

Poor record

As fears grew, relatives gathered at the mine entrance trying to find news of their men.

"I've come here to collect my grandson," one woman told Reuters.

"I accompanied him to work yesterday. Now I want to take him home."

An official read aloud the surnames of those confirmed dead, to the anguished cries of relatives.

One miner, Vitali Kvitkovski, told the BBC that just before the explosion, he had checked his instruments and the methane levels seemed normal.

"I was walking to the coal layer. There was a bang, the temperature surged, and [there was] thick dust. You could see absolutely nothing," Mr Kvitkovski said.

Three days of mourning have reportedly been declared by the head of the regional administration.

Ukraine's coal mines are among the most dangerous in the world, with a high number of fatal accidents.

Miners' pay varies according to the volume of coal produced, giving them an incentive to ignore safety procedures that would slow production, one union official said.

Anatoly Akimochkin told AFP most disasters were caused by concentrations of methane, which can occur suddenly.

In September 2006, a gas leak at the Zasyadko coal mine, one of Ukraine's largest, killed 13 miners and injured dozens more.

Death house search reaches attic

Death house search reaches attic

Officers searching a house in Margate where the bodies of two teenage girls were found are to begin going through the property's upper floors.
Police have completed their search of the ground floor, and will now concentrate on the first floor and attic space.

The bodies of Vicky Hamilton, 15, and Dinah McNicol, 18, were discovered at the house in Irvine Drive.

Peter Tobin, 61, has been charged in Scotland with murdering Miss Hamilton.

The father of Miss McNicol is expected to visit the house on Monday.

Ian McNichol told the BBC that it was important for him to see the spot where his daughter lay, as TV pictures of the scene had been hard to take in.

Cases reopened

Forensic archaeologists are due to carry out detailed analysis of material gained from drilling through the concrete floors in the house, while officers examine rooms upstairs.

They will be looking for any further human remains.

Tabitha Wilson of Essex Police, who are leading the search, said: "We've now almost completed the ground work of the property.

"That has involved drilling through the concrete floor. There have been no further finds as a result of that work.

"Forensic archaeologists will examine the inside of the house."

The body of Miss Hamilton, 15, from Redding near Falkirk, was recovered on 12 November, and the remains of Miss McNicol, from Essex, were found in the garden of the property on Friday.

Peter Tobin, who used to live in the property, was charged with the 15-year-old's murder and appeared at Linlithgow Sheriff Court on Thursday.

It is thought the discoveries in Margate have led to a number of other murder cases being re-examined.

These are believed to include the murder of Jessie Earl, who disappeared from Eastbourne in East Sussex in 1980 and was found dead nine years later, and the deaths of three women killed in Glasgow in the late 1960s by a man dubbed "Bible John".

Broody eagles boost chick numbers

Broody eagles boost chick numbers

Scotland's breeding population of sea eagles has risen to its highest number since the reintroduction programme began more than 30 years ago.
RSPB Scotland said 42 territorial breeding pairs had been logged, an increase of six pairs since last year.

The charity added that the breeding eagles had led to a record 34 chicks.

Skye, Mull and the Western Isles remain the core population areas since the species were brought back through reintroduction programmes.

The on-going monitoring of white tailed eagles, as they are also known, is conducted by the Sea Eagle Project team, which includes RSPB, Scottish Natural Heritage and Forestry Commission Scotland.

Jeremy Wilson, head of research at RSPB Scotland and the chairman of the sea eagle project team, said: "It has been a fantastic year for these stunning birds, which are now firmly established as a totem of the incredible natural heritage that Scotland plays host to.

"This breeding population is likely to continue to rise in coming years as juveniles from the reintroduction programmes reach sexual maturity, find vacant territories and pair up with a mate, with which they remain faithful for life.

"Eventually, as they continue to spread out, and west and east coast populations meet, we can expect to see these majestic birds all around Scotland's coast, bringing this fantastic and inspiring spectacle to people throughout the country."

Norway nests

The project team understands that there are about 200 individual sea eagles resident in Scotland .

The reintroduction programme began on the island of Rum from 1975 to 1983 and then on to Wester Ross from 1993 to 1998.

This year breeding pairs have established territories as far south as the Argyll islands and west on to the mainland in the Highland district of Lochaber. Now the final phase of the programme to firmly establish a population right across Scotland is introducing chicks taken from nests in Norway to the east coast.

Fifteen chicks were released in Fife at the beginning of August, and up to 20 young birds from Norway will be released each year for the next four years.

It is hoped that this population will eventually mix with the west coast birds and set up territories right round the suitable coastal habitats of Scotland.

In addition, conservationists in Ireland have taken similar steps to reintroduce sea eagles in the Killarney area of South West Ireland.

Queen and Duke mark anniversary

Queen and Duke mark anniversary

The Queen and the Duke of Edinburgh are set to celebrate their 60th wedding anniversary with a service at Westminster Abbey.
They will be joined by some 2,000 people including more than 30 family members and their grandson, Prince William, will deliver a reading.

After the service, the Queen and Duke will visit Parliament Square where they will unveil a Jubilee Walkway plaque.

Dame Judi Dench will read a specially commissioned poem by Andrew Motion.

On Sunday, members of the Royal family attended a celebration dinner hosted by Prince Charles at Clarence House.

The Queen is the first British monarch to reach a diamond wedding anniversary.

Other couples who married on the same day, along with choristers from the royal wedding, will be among those at the service.

The wedding in 1947, according to one of the couple's friends, was a moment of "blissful brightness and happiness" after World War II.



The royal couple will travel to Malta on Tuesday where they lived as a young married couple from 1949 to 1951, while Prince Philip was stationed there as a serving Royal Naval officer.

BBC royal correspondent Peter Hunt says the couple received gifts from around the world 60 years ago.

These included a thoroughbred horse, 131 pairs of nylon stockings - a rare commodity at a time of rationing and austerity - and 500 tins of pineapple.

However, our correspondent says, Mahatma Gandhi's present caught the disapproving eye of Queen Mary, Princess Elizabeth's grandmother.

She told a friend the piece of hand-spun lace was "indelicate", mistaking the tray cover for the Indian leader's loincloth.

Tougher work tests for disabled

Tougher work tests for disabled
Fewer sick and disabled people will qualify for disability benefits for being unable to work after a new test is introduced from next year.
Work and Pensions Secretary Peter Hain says the changes will end what he calls "sick note Britain".

But campaigners from the Disability Alliance say they have grave reservations about the consequences of bringing in a tougher test.

The new disability test could cut the number of annual claimants by 20,000.

The new work capability assessment, published for the first time on Tuesday, is being introduced alongside the employment support allowance - which will replace incapacity benefits for new claimants from next autumn.

At the moment more than 60% of the people who apply for incapacity benefits are successful, but only 50% of people who take the new test are likely to pass it.

Those who fail will be expected to seek work.

Mr Hain says the new system will place greater emphasis on what sick and disabled people can do rather than what they cannot.

But Neil Betteridge, head of the charity Arthritis Care, says he is worried the new test will not take enough account of people whose conditions change from day to day.

Brown to outline climate targets

Brown to outline climate targets

Gordon Brown is due to give his first major speech on the environment, raising the prospect of tougher domestic targets on carbon emissions.
He will say action on climate change is urgent, but that new green industries could create thousands of jobs.

The prime minister is also expected to say that developed countries must lead the way in cutting carbon emissions.

Planned legislation sets a tough target of cutting Britain's emissions by 60% by 2050.

But Mr Brown believes there may be a case for going even further and may commit to what could be as much as a doubling of the targets to produce renewable energy by 2020.

UN alarm

It is understood he has been persuaded by the Department of the Environment's arguments that Britain must meet European obligations on wind, wave and solar power.

BBC political correspondent Laura Kuenssberg said the prime minister will echo recent remarks that climate change is real and urgent.

United Nations Secretary General Ban Ki-moon has challenged governments to act on the findings of a major new report on climate change, saying real and affordable ways to deal with the problem existed.

The Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change says climate change is "unequivocal" and may bring "abrupt and irreversible" impacts.

Climate change will be discussed at a forthcoming summit of Commonwealth leaders, just ahead of a UN meeting in Indonesia where a new global deal on emissions will be considered.

Granny says girls must be sexy: Riya

Granny says girls must be sexy: Riya

Catching Riya and Raima Sen together is an onerous task. But when they do come together, they tend to bring the house down, literally.

These days these dusky damsels are busy thanking God, now that their granny Suchitra Sen is hale and hearty after a severe bout of illness. The Sen sisters talk to AT about their fears, dreams, aspirations and swapping their screen image.

‘Thank god!’
Both Riya and Raima get emotional, as they talk about the harrowing times they recently faced, what with grandmother being seriously ill. They say in unison, “The feeling is that of great relief. In fact she’s more like a friend and has always told us that girls should be sexy and glamorous.” That’s quite a statement coming from a granny! The sisters laugh throatily and add, “That’s why we take her advice so seriously!”

‘Makeover time?’
Of late, the two girls have shown an inclination to change their image. While Riya flaunted a simple, down-to-earth look in movies like Apna Sapna Money Money , Raima has been flaunting some scintillating dresses at parties, which bring out the oomph factor. Is this entire exercise aimed at changing their respective images? Raima quickly repartees, “I am quite happy with the kind of roles I am doing, but if someone offers me a meaty and glamorous role, why not!” Riya, the self-confessed brat enthuses, “I have already done some seedha-saada roles in a couple of films, but what can I do if people remember my sensuous portrayals only? But it’s a huge high to be doing a school girl’s role at my age. I can always do serious roles later.”

‘I would change her hairstyle’
Riya makes no bones about the fact that it’s Raima, who is more dominating of the two and blithely adds, “She’s only an year older to me but she acts like my mother.” Not one to be outdone, Raima retorts, “Since my parents don’t say anything to her, obviously I have to do the job. Left to herself, she will run amok!” And if they were asked to change one thing about each other’s appearance, what would it be? Riya is the first one to say, “Her hairstyle! She should go for a fringe, as that will enhance her lovely features.” Interestingly Raima has similar take on her younger sister: “Riya should go for a cute short hairstyle. That will give her a different look!”

Given half a chance, which particular screen roles would they like to switch with each other? Raima, who’s done films like Parineeta and Chokher Bali hums and haws and finally adds, “ Jhankaar Beats ”. Riya on the other hand says bluntly, “I wouldn’t want to do any of her roles.”

‘Interesting projects’
While Raima is looking forward to The Japanese Wife , her film with Rahul Bose, she’s also experimenting with some different genres. “In C Company , I am doing comedy for the first time along with Tusshar. After this, I will probably be flooded with offers from the makers of comedy flicks,” she says. Riya on the other hand is enthusiastic about her film Love Game . “ Mera Bharat Mahaan is another multi-starrer where I am working with actors like Salman and Preity. As long as I am doing two films every year, I am cool,” she coos.

‘Our kind of beau’
Their careers are rock-steady and admirers aplenty. But what about love and marriage? Riya says exasperatedly, “Oh God, marriage! I can’t even think of commitment right now.” Raima on the other hand says philosophically, “I am not exactly looking for love, if it has to happen, it will.” And if she had to choose a groom for Riya, what would be the criterion? “A super rich guy who can pamper her and allow her to be herself. But for myself, I will choose a guy who’s merely rich and has a great sense of humour!” she says

Beyonce's clothes not to be blamed

Beyonce’s clothes not to be blamed

R&B singer Beyonce Knowles has revealed that blaming her clothes for the tumbles she takes wouldn’t be fair because she is used to taking a spill every now and then.


The 26-year-old singer, who slipped and fell during a concert in Orlando in July, said that she her clothes are not responsible for her falls.

“I recently fell down the stairs, because my heel got caught in the hem of my coat. But really, I’ve fallen down the stairs a lot of times, so I can’t only blame it on the coat,” she said.

However, Knowles is confident that she would not fall when it comes to her three-year-old fashion business with mum Tina Knowles, although the inspiration for their dress designs often arrives in unexpected ways.

“Usually, I call months before and tell my mom, ‘I woke up from this dream. I was wearing gold and I was a robot’. And she’s like, ‘Okay you’re crazy, but I’m going to make it happen’. So she makes about 50 robot suits and we choose from those,” Knowles added.

Bips is Sexiest Asian Woman!

Bips is Sexiest Asian Woman!

Bollywood wow girl Bipasha Basu was named the Sexiest Asian Woman in the World on Friday after a poll conducted by Britain’s largest-selling Asian newspaper.


The newspaper was quoted as describing the actress whose new film releases this week as “a living embodiment of sexual attractiveness... whose acting ability, beauty and charm are capable of arousing great interest from the world’s media”.

Madhuri Dixit, who at 42 is making a comeback to Bollywood with her film Aaja Nachle later this month, was not unusually the runner-up.

As BT discovered when Madhuri graced the paper’s 13th anniversary bash in Mumbai on Friday, the Dhak-Dhak girl still has it in her to draw whistles from the crowds! Meanwhile, last year’s winner, the ravishing Priyanka Chopra, who is 25, was found to be the third Sexiest Asian Woman in the World by the newspaper.

Other Asian women in the Top Ten include Aishwarya Rai at No 4, Laila Rouass (5), Shilpa Shetty (6), Katrina Kaif (7), Kareena Kapoor (8), Lara Dutta (9) and Pakistani-based model and actress Iman Ali at No 10. This is the third year that the newspaper is publishing a list of the 50 Sexiest Asian Women in the World.

Its readers first cast their votes from a list of 100 names published and featuring on the newspaper’s website. An unranked shortlist of 20 names which received the most votes is then given to a panel of judges who include eminent British Asians from the world of films, television, fashion, media and showbiz. The judges rank the public’s 20 most popular names and then the newspaper collates the judges’ answers to produce its definite list.

Bipasha, who was also the winner in 2005, is reported to have told the Asian newspaper, “I’m glad I got the crown back and will try and hold onto it this time.

I think sexiness goes beyond just looks and is a total package, from your personality to the way you carry yourself in your everyday life.” Coming up next in the newspaper will be the Sexiest Asian Men in the World list this Friday. BT’s money is on Salman Khan. But readers’ prayers, it is believed, are on Six-Pack Khan... Bollywood Badshah Shah Rukh himself. Anybody interested in a private wager?

Iran eyes nuclear options abroad

Iran eyes nuclear options abroad

Iranian President Mahmoud Ahmadinejad is to discuss with Arab nations a plan to enrich uranium outside the region in a neutral country such as Switzerland.
He made the announcement in an interview for Dow Jones Newswires in Saudi Arabia where he is attending a petroleum exporters' summit.

Gulf Arab states recently proposed setting up a consortium to provide nuclear fuel to Iran and others.

The scheme could allay fears Iran is enriching uranium for a nuclear bomb.

Iran has insisted that its right to pursue a civilian nuclear programme is not up for negotiation.

UN sanctions

Mr Ahmadinejad's comments come after moves by Swiss President Micheline Calmy-Rey to facilitate talks between Iran and the US.

She said Switzerland recognised Iran's right to use nuclear technology for peaceful purposes.

"We will be talking with our [Arab] friends," Mr Ahmadinejad told Dow Jones on the sidelines of the Opec summit.

The plan suggested by the six members of the Gulf Cooperation Council foresees the creation of a multinational consortium to provide enriched uranium to power plants in Iran.

Nuclear fuel would be supplied to Iran and other Middle East states looking to build their own nuclear power programmes.

Iran is currently under limited UN sanctions for continuing to enrich uranium in defiance of UN Security Council calls to stop. The US has imposed even tougher sanctions of its own.

Western powers are concerned because, while enriched uranium is used as fuel for nuclear reactors, highly enriched uranium can also be used to make nuclear bombs.

Iran hid an enrichment programme for 18 years, so the Council says that until Iran's peaceful intentions can be fully established, it should stop enrichment and certain other nuclear activities.

Asean rules out suspending Burma

Asean rules out suspending Burma

The Association of South East Asian Nations has rejected a US Senate call to suspend Burma from the organisation over the crushing of recent protests.
Speaking in Singapore on the eve of Asean's annual summit, Secretary General Ong Keng Yong said he did not advocate a confrontational approach.

"The rest of the world think they know what is good for all of us," he added.

US Senators have called for Burma to be suspended from Asean until it shows an improved commitment to human rights.

Burma's military government has acknowledged that 15 people died during the crackdown on anti-government protests in September, when security forces fired on crowds and thousands of people were jailed.

'Troubled child'

Mr Ong said Burma would sign an Asean agreement this week committing the 10 member states to strengthening democracy and protecting human rights.

Myanmar (Burma) is part of our family and it is the principle involved

Ong Keng Yong
Asean secretary general

But he warned against alienating Burma through suspension.

"Myanmar (Burma) is part of our family and it is the principle involved," he told reporters.

"It's like you as a parent, if you have a troubled child, do you say, 'Go to the sanatorium, go out of the house, I don't want to talk to you'?"

"Our approach is not to take such a confrontational, drastic action, especially when it doesn't yield good results," he added.

The US Senate passed a resolution on Friday night urging Asean to consider "appropriate disciplinary measures, including suspension" against Burma.

"It is now time for Asean to back its words with actions," said Democratic Senator Barbara Boxer, who sponsored the resolution.

Asean is composed of Brunei, Cambodia, Indonesia, Laos, Malaysia, Myanmar, the Philippines, Singapore, Thailand and Vietnam

Khmer Rouge's Pol Pot 'a patriot'

Khmer Rouge's Pol Pot 'a patriot'

The leader of Cambodia's Khmer Rouge was a patriot who staunchly defended social justice, the regime's former head of state has said.
In a new book, Khieu Samphan says there was never a policy to starve people and no order to carry out mass killings.

Prosecutors are studying the book to determine what defence Khieu Samphan may take if he is ever charged.

Some estimates say up to 2.5 million people died during the Khmer Rouge reign from 1975 to 1979.

Khieu Samphan is one of the few surviving senior figures of the regime.

Four of his colleagues have been charged by a UN-backed genocide tribunal and Khieu Samphan, 76, is expected to be added.

'People's well-being'

In his book, Reflection on Cambodian History Up to the Era of Democratic Kampuchea, Khieu Samphan says Pol Pot was a leader who "sacrificed his entire life... to defend national sovereignty".



Maoist regime that ruled Cambodia from 1975-1979
Founded and led by Pol Pot, (above) who died in 1998
Abolished religion, schools and currency in a bid to create agrarian utopia
Brutal regime that did not tolerate dissent
More than a million people thought to have died from starvation, overwork or execution

Pol Pot was responsible for all policies, right or wrong, Khieu Samphan says.

He writes: "There was no policy of starving people. Nor was there any direction set out for carrying out mass killings.

"There was always close consideration of the people's well-being."

Khieu Samphan says "coercion was also needed" to make people work to redress food shortages.

But analysts say that mass graves and abundant testimonies from survivors paint a picture of a regime that oversaw the deaths of between one million and 2.5 million people through executions, forced labour and starvation.

Millions were forced from cities to communal farms in the countryside until the Khmer Rouge was finally overthrown in 1979 by invading Vietnamese troops.

The UN tribunal was established to seek justice for the hundreds of thousands of victims of the Maoist regime.

The BBC's Guy de Launey in Phnom Penh says Khieu Samphan's arrest was apparently only days away this week when the former head of state apparently suffered a stroke at his home in Pailin, near the Thai border.

Cambodian Prime Minister Hun Sen arranged for Khieu Samphan to be airlifted to hospital.

Officials must now decide whether ill health will affect any charges.

In his book, Khieu Samphan also criticises the current regime, saying: "Government officials, military officers, the rich, indulge themselves with excessive spending."

Japanese whalers hunt humpbacks

Japanese whalers hunt humpbacks

A Japanese whaling fleet has set sail aiming to harpoon humpback whales for the first time in decades.
The fleet is conducting its largest hunt in the South Pacific - it has instructions to kill up to 1,000 whales, including 50 humpbacks.

The humpback hunt is the first since a mid-1960s global ban and has drawn strong protests from environmentalists.

Commercial whaling was stopped in 1986 but Japan is permitted whaling in the name of scientific research.

Four whaling ships, including the lead craft Nisshin Maru, set off from the southern port of Shimonoseki on Sunday.

The 239-man mission plans to kill more than 900 minke whales as well as fin whales and humpbacks, in a South Pacific whale hunt that will run until mid-April.

The 8,000-metric ton Nisshin Maru was crippled by a fire on a whaling mission in the Antarctic in March. One crew member was killed.

A Greenpeace campaign ship will be following the Japanese fleet.

Sensitive mammals

Tokyo's plan to target the humpback - which was hunted to near extinction four decades ago - has drawn condemnation from environmentalists.




Humpbacks are very sensitive and live in close-knit pods so even one death can be extremely damaging," Greenpeace spokesman Junichi Sato said.

Japanese fisheries officials insist both humpback and fin populations are back to sustainable levels.

"Humpback whales in our research area are rapidly recovering," said fisheries spokesman Hideki Moronuki.

"Taking 50 humpbacks from a population of tens of thousands will have no significant impact whatsoever."

Mr Moronuki said killing whales allowed marine biologists to study their internal organs.

Meat from Japan's scientific catch is sold commercially but Japanese officials deny that the mission plans to make a profit.

Tokyo argues that whaling is an ancient Japanese tradition, and has pushed unsuccessfully at the International Whaling Commission to reverse the 1986 moratorium on commercial whaling.

Environmentalists say Japan's research programme is a pretext for keeping the whaling industry alive.

Australia's Bindi Irwin says no to Hollywood: manager

Australia's Bindi Irwin says no to Hollywood: manager

SYDNEY (AFP) - Australia's pint-sized wildlife warrior Bindi Irwin has declined an offer to move to Hollywood and star in a feature film, her manager John Stainton said. Stainton said the nine-year-old will stay at the Queensland zoo founded by her late father, "Crocodile Hunter" Steve Irwin, where she lives with her mother Terri.

"There has been lots of interest from lots of parties in the States," Stainton told The Sun-Herald.

"But it's one of those things we're not doing. While Bindi lives at the zoo in Beerwah, she has every chance of being a normal kid.

"I think the influences she would get from having to live in Hollywood, or do a movie in Hollywood, would be different."

Steve Irwin, who became internationally famous for his television shows which featured risky stunts with dangerous animals, was killed in September 2006 when a stingray barb pierced his chest.

At the time, he was filming his daughter's wildlife-themed television programme, "Bindi: The Jungle Girl", in far north Queensland.

Since her father's death, Bindi, who has vowed to continue his work in wildlife conservation, has launched a clothing line and a children's fitness DVD, appeared in a stage show and become an official Australian tourism ambassador.

She also helps out at the zoo.

Stainton said if Bindi were to make a film, she would do so without leaving Austr

Winfrey showers Ga. audience with gifts

Winfrey showers Ga. audience with gifts

MACON, Ga. - Oprah Winfrey, kicking off a series of shows highlighting towns across the United States, concluded a taping in Macon on Saturday by doling out giUnder the theme "Oprah's favorite things," she showered the crowd with presents ranging from refrigerators to camcorders to wrapping paper. The show will air Tuesday.

Winfrey also toured downtown Macon and stopped by Nu-Way, a well-known hot dog restaurant, Friday afternoon.

Afterward, she proclaimed the hot dogs her favorite thing about the visit.

Macon spent as much as $20,000 to ready City Auditorium for Winfrey's visit. Her company, Harpo Productions, has offered to reimburse the city for some of the improvements to the historic building.

fts large and small to audience members

Jackson Browne campaigns for Edwards

Jackson Browne campaigns for Edwards

DES MOINES, Iowa - Jackson Browne says that Democrat John Edwards is the most progressive candidate with a chance at winning the White House, and that he would do the most for working-class Americans"It's a challenge to hook yourself up to what a politician says he's going to do, and see if he's going to do it," the singer-songwriter said in a telephone interview with The Associated Press. "I think it's a really critical time in our country and our world, and I think that working people need a champion, and I think that John Edwards is that person."

Famous for hits including "Running on Empty" and "The Pretender," Browne will be joined by Grammy Award-winning colleague Bonnie Raitt next week at five of Edwards' campaign stops in Iowa.

The two are co-founders of Musicians United For Safe Energy, along with Graham Nash and John Hall. In 1979, the group played a series of "No-Nukes" concerts, drumming up activism to thwart the spread of nuclear power. The group now works through Nukefree.org and opposes a federal bailout of the nuclear energy industry.

Edwards frequently says he wants to expand safe, renewable fuels opportunities and would oppose the construction of more nuclear power plants.

Browne said he met Edwards a few months ago and was drawn to the former North Carolina senator's magnetic personality and populist views.

He said Edwards is "certainly the most progressive of the candidates that have a chance" at winning the presidency. He said that Edwards had the best solutions for the war Iraq, health care and nuclear power, and that he would faithfully represent working Americans.

"He comes from working-class origins; he's a person who is a self-made man and worked hard to get where he is," Browne said.

Browne hasn't had much experience campaigning. But he said that, like everyday Americans, "celebrities are concerned about the future of our country, our role in the world and finding the answers to the problems this country faces."

I haven't found Mr Right: Larishma

I haven’t found Mr Right: Karishma

Tall, pretty and sexy, Karishma Tanna has always grabbed eyeballs for her stunning.


From having played a bubbly girl in Kyunki Saas Bhi Kabhi Bahu Thi to showing a negative shade in Ek Ladki Anjaani Si , the actor is now out on a hunt to find her baliye for a reality dance show she’s doing on TV. We get chatting with the lady.

We start with asking what’s keeping her busy these days? “Well, these days I am consciously keeping away from daily soaps. I am trying to explore other possibilities in this field instead which could help boost my career further.”

Any plans of moving to Bollywood? “Of course, I wouldn’t deny it completely. Having settled down as small screen actor, I know that today I don’t have dearth of proposals on TV but as far as Bollywood is concerned I still have to make efforts for getting there. But one day I definitely wish to work with the Johars and the Chopras,” she says.

Known more for her chirpy image like that of Indu on Kyunki... she says, “But being an actor I want to try every kind of role. That would not only satisfy my urge for acting but also give me a chance to show my versatility. In fact, I wouldn’t even mind doing revengeful roles like what Urmila did in Ek Haseena Thi.”

But with spate of new face joining the small screen almost everyday, does that bother her? “That’s true. Almost every day a new face is introduced on television but frankly that doesn’t bother me at all. For I feel,
if the actor is talented then he will be noticed despite all the competition.”

On the personal front Karishma insists she is single. “I haven’t found my Mr Right yet, but yes if I do come across someone special I would love to get married.” Well, so is Bappi Lahiri’s son Bappa, with whom she has been spotted holding hands in recent times, just a friend?
Never mind!