Dead newborn baby found in Oprah Winfrey Leadership Academy for Girls

LOS ANGELES - The body of a newborn baby was found in a plastic bag at the Oprah Winfrey Leadership Academy for Girls in South Africa, police have confirmed.

According to reports, a 17-year-old gave birth to the baby Wednesday.

No word whether the baby had been murdered or died of natural causes.

A case of concealment of death is being investigated.

The girl, who was a pupil at the school, is being treated at a nearby hospital.

Since opening in 2007, the $40 million school has come under scrutiny. Shortly after the academy opened, a female school staffer was accused of physically and sexually abusing students.

Oprah Winfrey says to Charice Pempengco: Dont fall in love or have boyfirend

Manila (Philippine Daily Inquirer/ANN) - Whatever Oprah Winfrey says, Charice Pempengco follows.

"The last time we talked, she told me not to fall in love or have a boyfriend yet," the 18-year-old Filipino international pop star said, referring to her benefactor and main career adviser.

"I agree with her because I myself am not ready for that. In Ms Oprah's eyes, I'm still a baby," Charice told journalists. She had just flown in from Los Angeles, California, to do a Valentine special for GMA 7.

Her crush: JT

The petite Pinay admitted she did have a crush on Justin Timberlake, whom she met in 2009. "I sang for him at an event and my knees started shaking when he smiled at me. I nearly forgot the lyrics," she recalled, laughing.

But has she ever fallen in love? "There are guys who are hovering... but that's about it," she replied, adding that her mom has even allowed her to entertain suitors.

Charice pointed out that Winfrey - who topped the list of godparents during her church baptism last year - plays a key role in her US management's decisions: "Ms Oprah is part of the Charice team. We seek her permission for every project that I do, like 'Glee.' When I went to a number of auditions, including some movie projects, there were a few of them that Ms Oprah didn't like. She's very strict. She doesn't like kissing scenes."

One phone call

It was actually US TV host Ellen DeGeneres who gave Charice her break on American television by inviting her to guest on "The Ellen DeGeneres Show" on Dec 19, 2007. Winfrey took the singer under her wing the following year, after Charice made a series of guest stints on "The Oprah Winfrey Show."

A powerful and influential media mogul named by Forbes magazine as the richest African American of the 20th century, Winfrey made one phone call to record producer/songwriter David Foster and asked what he could do for Charice. Foster responded by putting Charice on his concert tour lineup. Then he signed her to a record deal with Warner USA.

Foster likewise tapped his (and Josh Groban's) manager, Marc Johnston, to handle Charice's international business deals.

The last time she performed in Manila, on January 8, before an estimated crowd of 70,000 at the SM Mall of Asia open grounds in Pasay City - as endorser of a perfume brand - local media men were miffed. Reporters who had regularly covered her arrivals and concerts wondered why, suddenly, she had too many bodyguards and couldn't give interviews.

"My US management is super-strict and I just follow," Charice explained. "I always tell Marc that, in our culture it's very important for an artist to be within easy reach, especially by media and the fans. He doesn't fully agree; he's concerned about security."

Oversized eyewear

As for other criticisms - for instance, a tabloid columnist wrote that her new signature look with oversized eyeglasses as a recurring character on the hit US TV show "Glee" didn't quite fit her - Charice said: "I don't take negative comments badly. That's an opinion, and I consider it as an advice."

She recalled that she tried putting on the glasses while preparing for her role as exchange student Sunshine Corazon in "Glee." She was afraid the producers wouldn't like it, she recounted, "But they did. I actually told them that I had worn reading glasses as a student in the Philippines."

Using Wayfarers, she said, was a personal choice. No, RayBan is not sponsoring it. "How I wish!" Charice quipped.

The rigors of a busy schedule requires Charice to observe a strict diet now. "Less rice and no fried foods," she disclosed.

She has also started a training programme in an LA gym. "My trainer wants me to develop my abs. The things I have to do are difficult because I'm quite heavy," she complained.

But, she noted, these could also prepare her for a four-night concert series in Japan from February 19-25. "My repertoire has many dance songs ... Beyonce tunes... I easily get tired when dancing while singing," she said.

Rich kid

Asked how it felt to be ranked among the Top 5 richest Filipinos who have made it in the international scene, Charice said: "I don't know that I'm rich. I'm able to provide for my family. I bought my mom a house; and my brother, a car. As for me, I'm happy that I can buy all the gadgets that I want."

The website celebritynetworth.com estimates Charice's current worth at US$12 million.

She recently bought a Blackberry Torch and an iPhone G4, she said, adding, "I also collect G-Shock watches. What I want to buy next is a van."

Egyptian President Hosni Mubarak said he would surrender power in September

CAIRO - Egyptian President Hosni Mubarak said Tuesday he would surrender power in September, angering protesters who want an immediate end to his 30-year-rule, and prompting the United States to say change "must begin now."

The 82-year-old leader said he would not seek re-election when his presidential term ends in September. "I will work in the remaining months of my term to take the steps to ensure a peaceful transfer of power," he said in televised address.

And to those demanding he leave Egypt, he said, "This is my country ... and I will die on its soil."

His 10-minute speech was greeted with dismay among protesters whose numbers swelled above 1 million across Egypt on Tuesday after week-long demonstrations.

"We will not leave! He will leave!" some chanted.

Washington, caught off guard by the wave of anger over oppression and hardship which has spread from Tunisia to one of its closest Arab allies, added pressure on Mubarak to speed up his response while stopping short of calling on him to quit.

"What is clear and what I indicated tonight to President Mubarak is my belief that an orderly transition must be meaningful, it must be peaceful and it must begin now," President Barack Obama said after speaking to him by phone.

But inside Egypt the immediate future remained unclear.

Soon after Mubarak's speech, state television, which had largely ignored anti-government protests, broadcast footage of smaller demonstrations held in support of the president.

These pro-government marches were an unusual development given there had so far been almost no sign of any counter-demonstrations.

At Cairo's Tahrir, or Liberation, Square, focus of protests for a week, people defying a curfew bitterly criticised Mubarak for failing to heed their call for him to quit.

"The speech is useless and only inflames our anger," said Shadi Morkos. "We will continue to protest."

In Alexandria, the second city, troops in tanks fired shots in the air to keep order after skirmishes between anti-government and pro-Mubarak groups.

ARMY ROLE CRUCIAL

Much will depend on the army, once Mubarak's power base, which has dominated Egypt since it toppled the monarchy in 1952.

Many see it as trying to ensure a transition of power that would allow it to retain much of its influence. It has promised not to fire on protesters and called their demands legitimate.

But some analysts said tensions could rise even within the army if Mubarak were to hang on too long, and if senior officers were seen to be protecting a leader who had lost legitimacy.

"The longer this goes on, the more people will associate the military top brass with Mubarak. That is very dangerous," said Faysal Itani, deputy head of Middle East and North Africa Forecasting at Exclusive Analysis.

"It will put enormous strain on the security services."

A British-based cleric from the Muslim Brotherhood, the officially banned Islamist party and the most organised Egyptian opposition group, also said there was a risk of conflict.

"It will add fuel to the fire. His speech will bring the danger of conflict in the country. We were expecting him to be stubborn, but not to that extent," Kamel el-Helbawy said.

Retired diplomat Mohammed ElBaradei, who has emerged as a leading figure in the opposition, was quoted by CNN calling Mubarak's move a "trick."

Tuesday's demonstration was an emphatic rejection of Mubarak's appointment of a new vice president, Omar Suleiman, and an offer to open a dialogue with the opposition.

Many protesters spoke of a new push Friday to rally at Cairo's presidential palace to dislodge Mubarak: "This won't fly anymore," said 35-year-old doctor Ahmed Khalifa. "If Egyptians stay on the streets till Friday, probably Mubarak's next offer will be to step down right away."

U.S. DIPLOMATIC TIGHTROPE

Obama spoke to Mubarak for a half hour by telephone after he announced plans to step down in September.

A senior administration official said Obama's conversation with Mubarak was frank and direct and left no doubt that "the time for transition is now, it can't be put off."

"He said it was clear how much he loves his country, and how difficult this is for him. President Obama explained to him that an orderly transition can't be prolonged, it must begin now," the official said.

Obama's comments were the clearest sign yet that Washington believes Mubarak might have to leave sooner rather than later. But officials were reluctant to press openly for his resignation to avoid undermining other allies in the region who might face similar uprisings.

His departure would reconfigure the politics of the Middle East, with implications from Israel -- which signed a peace treaty with Egypt in 1979 -- to oil giant Saudi Arabia.

Just four weeks since the death of Mohammed Bouazizi, the Tunisian who set himself on fire to protest at oppression and corruption, the wave of anger he set in motion has gathered strength across the region.

King Abdullah of Jordan replaced his prime minister on Tuesday after protests. Yemen and Sudan have also seen unrest.

The unrest has sent oil prices higher on fears of trouble in Saudi Arabia and on Egypt's Suez Canal. That in turn has raised worries about a further rise in inflation, increasing the potential for social unrest far beyond the Middle East.

Scientists say that California faces the risk of a massive "Superstorm"

A group of more than 100 scientists and experts say in a new report that California faces the risk of a massive "superstorm" that could flood a quarter of the state's homes and cause $300 billion to $400 billion in damage. Researchers point out that the potential scale of destruction in this storm scenario is four or five times the amount of damage that could be wrought by a major earthquake.
It sounds like the plot of an apocalyptic action movie, but scientists with the U.S. Geological Survey warned federal and state emergency officials that California's geological history shows such "superstorms" have happened in the past, and should be added to the long list of natural disasters to worry about in the Golden State.
The threat of a cataclysmic California storm has been dormant for the past 150 years. Geological Survey director Marcia K. McNutt told the New York Times that a 300-mile stretch of the Central Valley was inundated from 1861-62. The floods were so bad that the state capital had to be moved to San Francisco, and Governor Leland Stanford had to take a rowboat to his own inauguration, the report notes. Even larger storms happened in past centuries, over the dates 212, 440, 603, 1029, 1418, and 1605, according to geological evidence.
The risk is gathering momentum now, scientists say, due to rising temperatures in the atmosphere, which has generally made weather patterns more volatile.
The scientists built a model that showed a storm could last for more than 40 days and dump 10 feet of water on the state. The storm would be goaded on by an "atmospheric river" that would move water "at the same rate as 50 Mississippis discharging water into the Gulf of Mexico," according to the AP. Winds could reach 125 miles per hour, and landslides could compound the damage, the report notes.
Such a superstorm is hypothetical but not improbable, climate researchers warn. "We think this event happens once every 100 or 200 years or so, which puts it in the same category as our big San Andreas earthquakes," Geological Survey scientist Lucy Jones said in a press release.
Federal and state emergency management officials convened a conference about emergency preparations for possible superstorms last week. You can read the whole report here.
(A 2005 California storm: AP)

100 Hindu devotees dies in Pilgrimage stampede

DDUKI, India (AFP) - – More than 100 Hindu devotees were killed after a road accident triggered a stampede among thousands of pilgrims returning from an Indian religious festival, officials said Saturday.

The Friday evening tragedy unfolded in a remote, mountainous area of southern Kerala as pilgrims made their way home from an annual ceremony at the hill shrine of Sabarimala that draws three to four million people each year.

Kerala Home Secretary Jaya Kumar told AFP that 104 people had been confirmed dead and dozens more injured, some of them seriously. The state government ordered a judicial probe into the incident.

Police officials said a packed jeep had lost control and ploughed into a crowd of devotees packed onto a narrow road in a hilly and densely forested area 10 kilometres (six miles) from the shrine.

"The accident caused a mass panic and triggered a stampede on the hillside," said Special Police Commissioner Rajendra Nair.

The search for bodies and survivors was hampered by the remote location, heavy mist and the thick forest terrain.

Indian television showed pictures of casualties being passed over the heads of tightly packed crowds of pilgrims in a rescue effort that stretched deep into the night.

Defence Minister A.K. Antony called the incident "a tragedy beyond anyone's imagination" and the Southern Naval Command dispatched an emergency medical team to the accident site.

The stampede occurred on the final day of the pilgrimage at the Sabarimala shrine, located in Idukki district, about 200 kilometres from the Kerala state capital Thiruvananthapuram.

It is the second time in recent memory that the festival has been struck by disaster. In 1999 more than 50 Hindu devotees died after a landslide on a crowded hillside at the site.

Stampedes at public events in India are common as large numbers of people crowd into congested areas. Few safety regulations and absent or inadequate policing mean panic can spread quickly with deadly consequences.

The spark is often an accident but occasionally simply a rumour about a bomb or attack leads to a crush. Women and children frequently make up the majority of the victims.

The governor of Kerala, a popular holiday destination and spice-growing region with sandy beaches and lush green mountains, said he was "shocked and saddened" at the loss of life.

Prime Minister Manmohan Singh said his thoughts were with the relatives of the victims and announced compensation payments of 100,000 rupees (2,200 dollars) to the dead's next of kin.

Anxious pilgrims with missing relatives thronged local hospitals on Saturday, as officials tried to identify the bodies brought down from the stampede site.

Most of the victims were from the neighbouring states of Tamil Nadu, Andhra Pradesh and Karnataka.

Under the customs of the pilgrimage, hundreds of thousands of men and women set off on foot in groups for the Sabarimala temple, each carrying a cloth bundle containing traditional offerings.

But many of the elderly, or those short of time, opt to cram into overloaded buses and jeeps to travel as close as possible to the temple, which is believed to be where the god Ayyappa meditated.

The shrine is packed with devotees throughout the pilgrimage season from November to January.

In March last year, police in the northern state of Uttar Pradesh blamed lax safety for the deaths of 63 people -- all of them women and children -- in a stampede outside another Hindu temple.

At least another 10 people died in a stampede at a temple in the state of Bihar in October.

The Zodiac Signs might have changed?

If you're the type of person who relies on mysterious-sounding locations of stars to determine your personality and outcome in life, get ready to be shocked.
The field of astrology, which is concerned with horoscopes and the like, felt a major disruption from astronomers, who are concerned with actual stars and planets. The astronomers from the Minnesota Planetarium Society found that because of the moon's gravitational pull on Earth, the alignment of the stars was pushed by about a month.

"When [astrologers] say that the sun is in Pisces, it's really not in Pisces," noted Parke Kunkle, a member of the group's board. Your astrological sign is determined by the position of the sun on the day you were born, so that means everything you thought you knew about your horoscope is wrong.

It turns out that astrology has had issues from its inception. (Aside from the fact that it tries to link personality traits with positions of the stars.) Ancient Babylonians had 13 constellations, but wanted only 12, so threw out Ophuchicus, the snake holder. Libra didn't even enter the picture until the era of Julius Caesar.
According to the Minnesota Planetarium Society, here is where the real signs of the Zodiac should fall. Get ready for your world to change forever.

Capricorn: Jan. 20-Feb. 16.
Aquarius: Feb. 16-March 11.
Pisces: March 11-April 18.
Aries: April 18-May 13.
Taurus: May 13-June 21.
Gemini: June 21-July 20.
Cancer: July 20-Aug. 10.
Leo: Aug. 10-Sept. 16.
Virgo: Sept. 16-Oct. 30.
Libra: Oct. 30-Nov. 23.
Scorpio: Nov. 23-29.
Ophiuchus: Nov. 29-Dec. 17.
Sagittarius: Dec. 17-Jan. 20.

Janet Jackson Number Ones, Up Close and Personal' tour in Singapore on 7 February 2011

29 Dec –Janet Jackson has announced that she will kick off her 'Janet Jackson Number Ones, Up Close and Personal' tour in Singapore on 7 February 2011, according to USA Today.

The lion city was reportedly chosen by fan votes and the concert will be held at the Singapore Indoor Stadium.

Jackson plans to perform music exclusively from her Number Ones CD, and the singer promises the show will be "more intimate and more personal" than ever before.

"It's not about effects, it's not an extravaganza, it's not about being as big as in the past," says Jackson in a statement. "This one is all about you and me. I love you Singapore. Let's go!"

Tickets for the 35-city tour will go on sale 7 January 2011.

USA Today also reported that Jackson will dedicate a song to each city on her tour, and she also will recognise 20 young people whose lives and work have enriched their communities in a major way. Candidates can submit their entries at JanetJackson.com.

After Singapore, Jackson is scheduled to perform in Hong Kong on 14 February 2011.

Superstitious beliefs around the world on Christmas

(Note: On this page and the next are featured some of the most touching Christmas cards Funfare has received during the season. They portray family togetherness and concern for the environment.)

Here are superstitious beliefs around the world on Christmas, collected by Funfare contributor Leo Udtohan:

• A child born on Christmas Day will have a special fortune.

• The weather on each of the 12 days of Christmas signifies what the weather will be on the appropriate month of the coming year.

• Snow on Christmas Day means Easter will be green.

• A blowing wind on Christmas Day brings good luck.

• Wearing new shoes on Christmas Day will bring bad luck.

• Place shoes by your side on Christmas Eve to prevent a family quarrel.

• To have good health throughout the next year, eat an apple on Christmas Eve.

Louie Heredia and his bosom buddy

• A clear star-filled sky on Christmas Eve will bring good crops in the summer.

• On Christmas Eve all animals can speak. However, it is bad luck to test this superstition.

• If you refuse a mince pie at Christmas dinner, you will have bad luck.

• Good luck will come to the home where a fire is kept burning throughout the Christmas season.

• In Greece, some people burn their old shoes during the Christmas Season to prevent misfortunes in the coming year.

• In Devonshire, England, a girl raps at the henhouse door on Christmas Eve. If a rooster crows, she will marry within the year.

• At midnight on Christmas Eve, all water turns to wine, cattle kneel facing toward the east, horses kneel and blow as if to warm the manger, animals can speak but it is bad for a human to hear them, and the bees hum the Hundredth Psalm.

• It is considered very lucky to be born on Christmas Eve or Christmas Day in most countries. However, in Greece the child is feared to be a Kallikantzaroi or a wandering spirit. In Poland, the child may turn out to be a werewolf.

• There is a game in Germany where they blindfold a goose. The girls make a circle around the goose and whoever it touches first will be the first to get married.

• Place a branch of a cherry tree in water at the beginning of advent. It will bring luck if it wears flowers by Christmas.

• A loaf of bread left on the table after Christmas Eve dinner will ensure no lack of bread in the next year.

• Tie wet bands of straw around fruit trees to make them fruitful, or tie a stone to a branch on Christmas Eve.

• Nothing sown on Christmas Eve will perish, even if the seed is sown in the snow.

• In the Netherlands, they take a fir stick and thrust it into the fire and let it burn partially. They put it under the bed. This serves as lightning protection.

• Never launder a Christmas present before giving it to its recipient as this takes out the good luck.

• Eat plum pudding on Christmas and avoid losing a friend before next Christmas.

• In Ireland, it is believed that the gates of Heaven open at midnight on Christmas Eve. Those who die then go straight to Heaven.

• If you eat a raw egg before eating anything else on Christmas morning, you will be able to carry heavy weights. Shout “Christmas Gift”’ to the first person knocking on your door on Christmas Day and expect to receive a gift from the visitor.

(E-mail reactions at rickylo@philstar.net.ph or at entphilstar@yahoo.com) - FUNFARE By Ricardo F. Lo (Philstar News Service, www.philstar.com)

China surgery probe after death of Aspiring Pop Singer

BEIJING (AFP) - – Chinese authorities have launched a probe into the death of an aspiring pop singer during plastic surgery, an incident that has sparked concerns about the dangers of going under the knife.

Wang Bei, 24, a former contestant on "Super Girl" -- China's smash-hit answer to "American Idol" -- died on November 15 during "facial bone-grinding surgery" in Wuhan, capital of the central province of Hubei.

"The Ministry of Health has tasked the Hubei health department to investigate and verify the situation... and to announce results of the probe to the public without delay," the ministry said in a statement late Saturday.

Wang, whose beauty had made her a popular contestant on "Super Girl", died in an "anaesthetic accident" as she was having surgery, the official Xinhua news agency reported earlier, citing the local health bureau.

Her jaw suddenly started bleeding during the procedure, blocking her windpipe and causing her to suffocate, reports said.

Wang's mother was having the same procedure at the clinic when her daughter died.

Her death has fuelled concerns about the dangers of plastic surgery in a country where three million people go under the knife each year, according to figures published by state media.

Surging demand for cosmetic surgery has led to untrained doctors carrying out operations, "which is risky and irresponsible," Zhang Huabin, a professor of plastic surgery at southern China's Guangdong Medical College, was quoted by Xinhua as saying.

The health ministry has ordered increased supervision in the industry, according to the statement.

Usher not interested in smelly women

Usher has urged women not to make the ultimate dating faux pas and pass wind.

The R&B singer has attracted the attention of females worldwide ever since bursting onto the music scene at the age of 15. Despite enduring numerous high profile relationships and going through a bitter divorce in 2009, the 32-year-old still has pearls of wisdom for ladies embarking on their first date.

Speaking to the British edition of Cosmopolitan, Usher revealed the major don’ts applicable for women around the world.

“Never pass gas on a first date. It’s not a good idea, I’m telling you,” he declared.

Usher got divorced from Tameka Foster in November 2009, but hasn’t let the experience cloud his thoughts on love. The only thing that worries him is that he sometimes struggles to understand women. The star went on to lament the differing thought process between the two sexes which can cause friction.

“Your inability, at times, to see things the same way as us. Women see things that we don’t,” he concluded.

"Megamind" remains box office hero estimated US$29.1 million

16 Oct – Will Ferrell's supervillain comedy "Megamind" dominated the North American box office for the second weekend in a row, pulling in an estimated US$29.1 million, according to Box Office Mojo.

Voice starring Tina Fey and Brad Pitt, the 3D animation successfully halted runaway train thriller "Unstoppable", which debuted in second with US$23.5 million.

It marks as the fifth teaming of Denzel Washington and director Tony Scott, following "Crimson Tide", "Man On Fire", "Déjà vu" and "The Taking Of Pelham 1 2 3".

Meanwhile, Robert Downey Jr.'s comedy "Due Date" dropped to third with US$15.5 million.

In Singapore, among the new movies that joined in the box office race over the weekend just gone (11-14 Nov) include Denzel Washington's "Unstoppable", Bruce Willis' action "Red", Korean drama "The Housemaid" and Malaysian musical adventure "Magika".

"Unstoppable" didn't manage to derail "Megamind", allowing the animation to lead the weekend by default, while "Red", "The Housemaid" and "Magika" had modest showings.

In other news, Warner Bros has rescheduled "Harry Potter And The Deathly Hallows Part 1" to release a day earlier on 17 November 2010 in Singapore and Malaysia

Philippines Victory: Manny Pacquiao wins 8th world title via unanimous decision

Manny Pacquiao has already won seven world titles in seven weight divisions to achieve boxing greatness.

And on Saturday (Sunday in Manila), Pacquiao annexed his eighth world title belt by scoring a unanimous decision win over Antonio Margarito to claim the World Boxing Council (WBC) super welterweight championship strap at the Cowboys Stadium in Arlington, Texas.

The world's reigning pound-for-pound fighter put himself on a higher pedestal against the likes of Muhammad Ali, Roberto Duran, Joe Lewis, Sugar Ray Robinson and Jack Demspey.

The fight went the distance, full 12 rounds, but Pacquiao was in full control right from the opening bell. - OMG, GMANews.TV

Pacquiao vs. Margarito online live (November 13, 2010 at 9 oclock)

LIVESTEAM MANNY PACQUIAO VS ANTONIO MARGARITO

STREAM 2

Its easy to watch Pacquiao vs. Margarito online live or replay here on WatchPacquiao.com. What you just need to do is to have your browsers ready with necessary add-ons to start a great and nice watching experience of the fight.
First determine your browser. You can use Internet Explorer 8.0, Mozilla Firefox, Safari or Google Chrome. Then, check if Flash plug-in is properly installed on your browser. If you can see the Pacquiao-Margarito videos on this site which is from Youtube, then you have that plug-in already. Flash is the usual plug-in used by video streaming or live cast websites to render videos to their website and WatchPacquiao.com usually recommends these kind of places.

Aside from Flash, I guess you should also ready your SOPCAST software which can be downloaded via http://www.sopcast.com. It is a P2P live cast software that I usually used to watch the fight of Manny Pacquiao back when he fights Barrera, Morales, Marquez, Hatton, Cotto to Clottey. I will share the SOPCAST channels that will show the said streams (I will just put it below later.) I prefer using this than the live cast sites ‘coz it doesn’t lag during fights and no shutdown.

Some sites also uses Silverlight for their streaming so you should download it from http://silverlight.net/ to be sure.

OTHER STREAMING LINKS:

sop://broker1.sopcast.com:3912/65154
sop://broker1.sopcast.com:3912/6002
sop://broker.sopcast.com:3912/7524
sop://broker.sopcast.com:3912/69756
sop://broker.sopcast.com:3912/51813
sop://broker.sopcast.com:3912/29629
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sop://broker1.sopcast.com:3912/85856

Bruce Lee biopic come 25 November 2010.

Independent distributors from Malaysia and Singapore have taken up several movies from Hong Kong's Asia Media Distribution at the recent American Film Market (AFM), including a seven-figure deal for the Raymond Yip-helmed "Bruce Lee, My Brother" according to Variety. RAM Entertainment (Malaysia) and Encore Films (Singapore) will release the Bruce Lee biopic come 25 November 2010.For movies slated next year, Andrew Lau's "Beautiful Life" as well Johnnie To's crime thrillers "Punished" and "Don't Go Breaking My Heart", have been pre-sold to Golden Screen Cinemas (GSC) in Malaysia and Clover Films in Singapore. GSC has also bought distribution rights to another one of To's upcoming film of the same genre, "Life Without Principle".Meanwhile, Encore Films in Singapore together with RAM Entertainment in Malaysia nabbed "Wind Blast", an action thriller from China's Gao Qunshu.

Twilight Saga's Breaking Dawn Part 1: Filming of Bella and Edward's Kissing Scene

Kristen Stewart and Robert Pattinson have heated up the set of "The Twilight Saga's Breaking Dawn" in Rio de Janeiro, Brazil. During the filming of what looks like Bella and Edward's honeymoon scene, the twosome was spotted lip locking on the street.

Stewart, wearing a cream-colored dress, and Pattinson in a blue shirt were surrounded by a flock who kept dancing and walking despite witnessing the pair's PDA. The depicter of the mortal beauty was even captured wearing Bella's engagement ring on the set on Sunday night, November 7.

Previously, the on-screen couple had been spotted filming another romantic scene where they ride a boat. It is believed these scenes are parts of the sequence where Bella and Edward enjoy their honeymoon on a private island called Isle Esme, off the coast of Brazil.

In another news, Examiner has just reported that Andrea Powell is cast in "Breaking Dawn". "looks like I'll be making an appearance in the next #Twilight movie...and that my loyalties are now divided," the "The Gates" beauty wrote on her Facebook on Friday. "No word yet on whether or not I sparkle. At the VERY least I'm hoping for some really cool eyes.... I'll be playing Sasha, 'mother' of Tanya, Kate & Irina."

Beside shot in Brazil, "Breaking Dawn" is also filmed in Baton Rouge, Louisiana and Vancouver. Bill Condon serves behind the lens for these last two installments of the vampire drama film franchise, which are shot back to back. "The Twilight Saga's Breaking Dawn Part I" is due November 18, 2011 in the U.S. while "The Twilight Saga's Breaking Dawn Part II" is slated for November 16, 2012 release.

Chile celebrates for successful 33 rescued miners

By FRANK BAJAK, Associated Press Writer –1 hr 54 mins ago

SAN JOSE MINE, Chile – Chileans reveled Thursday in the stunning glory and jubilation of a record-setting mine rescue. As the celebration fades, however, several key questions await resolution.
Officials at the copper and gold mine whose collapse trapped the 33 men for more than two months still have to answer why it was allowed to operate at all.
Attention will also focus in coming days on the rescued miners themselves, their emotional scars must be tended — and, eventually, it remains to be seen how many will want to return the underground profession that nearly killed them.
President Sebastian Pinera seemed unequivocal after Wednesday's rescue about the fate of the San Jose mine.
"This mine will definitely never open again," he said after a dizzying day in which the miners were pulled up through a narrow escape chute from nearly a half-mile down in under 23 hours — far less than originally forecast.
Pinera also said the conditions that allowed the accident "will not go unpunished. Those who are responsible will have to assume their responsibility."
Pinera said the rescue would end up costing "somewhere between $10 (million) and $20 million," a third covered by private donations with the rest coming from state-owned miner Codelco — the country's largest company_ and the government itself.

Mining accounts for 40 percent of the Chilean state's earnings and the rescue's details were run by its operations manager, Andre Sougarett.
The Aug. 5 collapse brought the 125-year-old San Jose mine's checkered safety record into focus and put Chile's top industry under close scrutiny. Many believe the collapse occurred because the mine was overworked and violated safety codes.
The families of 27 of the 33 rescued miners have sued its owners for negligence and compensatory damages.
Also suing the San Esteban company is Gino Cortez, a 40-year-old miner who lost his left leg from the knee down a month before the accident as he was leaving the mine after his shift and a rock fell on him. He contends he was hurt because the mine was short on the metallic screens that protect miners from such collapses.
Pinera said he would soon offer a proposal to better protect Chilean workers.
After the collapse, he fired top regulators and created a commission to investigate both the accident and the industry's Sernageomin regulatory agency. Some action was swift: the agency shut down at least 18 small mines for safety violations.
"The mine has been proven dangerous, but what's worse are the mine owners who don't offer any protection to men who work in mining," said Patricio Aguilar, 60, of nearby Copiapo, during celebrations of the meticulously executed rescue.
Advances in technology notwithstanding, mining remains a dangerous profession in the smaller mines here in northern Chile, which employ about 10,000 people.
Since 2000, about 34 people have died every year on average in mining accidents in Chile — with a high of 43 in 2008, according to Sernageomin data.
Most of the rescued miners live in Copiapo, a gritty, blue-collar city surrounded by the Acatama desert. Copiapo's central plaza was jammed with thousands of revelers watching the operation on a giant screen as street vendors hawked Chilean flags bearing the faces of "Los 33."
The last miner, shift foreman Luis Urzua, emerged from the Phoenix rescue capsule after the 2,041-foot ascent to a joyous celebration. Pinera, eyes moist with emotion, told him: "You are not the same, and the country is not the same after this. You were an inspiration."
No one is known to have survived as long trapped underground. For the first 17 days, no one even knew whether the men were alive. In the weeks that followed, the world was captivated by their endurance and unity.

With hardhats held to their hearts, the pair led the rescue team in singing the national anthem. Broadcast by state TV, it seemed ubiquitous in small country of 16 million roiling with pride.
"Chile today is more united and stronger than ever and I think that Chile is today a country more respected and more esteemed by the world," Pinera said after chatting with Urzua on live TV about how the men endured.
The rescue exceeded expectations every step of the way. Initially, officials said it might December before the men could get out. Once the drill that opened the escape shaft pierced the men's subterranean prison, they estimated it would take 36 to 48 hours to get everyone out.
The actual time: 22 hours, 39 minutes.
The only real glitch was indeed minor — it became bit difficult to open and close the escape capsule's door as the day wore on, said Laurence Golborne, the mining minister who Pinera put in charge of the rescue. Early Thursday morning, the last rescuer who helped the miners into the escape capsule came up safely to end the operation.
Golborne has won high marks for his deft management of the closely scrutinized rescue, and Chilean media have been abuzz with discussion of him as Pinera's most likely successor. Elected in December 2009 to a four-year term, Pinera is constitutionally barred from running again.
Once rescued, the miners were taken to a hospital in Copiapo for observation
Initially, officials said all would be there a full 48 hours after emerging from the mine. But Health Minister Jaime Manalich said some would probably be able to leave Thursday.
"They are being kept more as a preventative measure than to treat anything," First lady Cecilia Morel told The Associated Press. Better to be in the hospital "than at home where they could be given meat and fried pork rinds."
All but a few of the men emerged in very good health, officials said.
Manalich said many had been unable to sleep, wanted to talk with families and were anxious. One was treated for pneumonia, and two needed dental work.
But it became clear that they also faced emotional challenges from their ordeal.
Dr. Guillermo Swett said miner Jimmy Sanchez, at 19, the youngest of the group and the father of a 4-month-old baby, appeared to be having a hard time adjusting and seemed depressed.
"He spoke very little and didn't seem to connect," Swett said.
Chile has promised to care for the miners for six months at least — until they can be sure each man has readjusted.
Psychiatrists and other experts predict their lives will be anything but normal.
Pinera said he would visit all of them in the hospital Thursday and then host them at the government palace in Santiago, the capital.
Previously unimaginable riches awaited men who had risked their lives going into the unstable mine for about $1,600 a month.
At some point, the men will need to decide whether they will return to the mines.
Many of their relatives are dead-set against it, but they also acknowledged that they probably couldn't stop the miners from going down again.
Mario Medina Mejia, a local geologist. said plenty of Chilean miners have returned underground after close calls, and he compared it to sailors who survive shipwrecks only to ply the waves again.
"If they need the work they will return to the mine," he said. "It's their life, their culture, the way they make their living."
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Associated Press Writers Michael Warren, Franklin Briceno, Peter Prengaman, Vivian Sequera and Eva Vergara contributed to this report.

Jerry Yan would probably be a gigolo

If not for his mum, singer Jerry Yan would probably be a gigolo instead of the pop idol he is today.

"Because I'm good at peeling grape skins, I had the potential to be a gigolo," joked Jerry Yan at the recording of Chinese variety show, Fei Chang Jing Ju Li.

"I nearly went astray when I was young. If not for my mum who brought me back to the right path, there wouldn't be me today. "

Currently in China for promotions of his latest pictorial book, which reportedly took five years to produce, Jerry talked at lengths about his family.

As a child from a single-parent family, the pop star felt that he never knew how to love somebody, and also added that he shared a "sibling-like" relationship with his divorcee mum.

"In certain aspects, I'm more like an older brother (to my mum)," he quipped.

The star also revealed that he felt like he has failed in all his relationships.

"Even if I wanted to, I don't know how to express my love sometimes. I only know how to carry all burdens on my shoulder," he said.

To maintain Jerry's idol image, his surprising revelation will not be aired on television. However, raw clips of the recording have since gone viral.

Adam Lambert in Manila

Clad in leather with his signature dark eyeliner and edgy hairstyle, Adam Lambert took to the stage at the Mall of Asia concert grounds on 10.10.10 (October 10th, 2010), and wowed a crowd of 18,000 people. From his amazing backup dancers, to his talented band, the show was a spectacle of theatricality, musicality, and good old-fashioned glamorous fun.

The repertoire included Adam’s songs off his debut album, For Your Entertainment – specifically his hits: “Whataya Want From Me,” “For Your Entertainment,” and “If I Had You.”

One of the highlights of the show was an intimate performance of his moving, motivational rock ballad, Aftermath, which began with an important piece of advice care of Adam himself: “To love anyone else, you have to first…love yourself.” Through the performance, he sat on a stool in the middle of the stage and broke the song down into a charged up acoustic, and the crowd lovingly sang along with him. “Just remember, you are not alone in the aftermath,” he sang to the hopeful and hopeless alike.

Sweet, and conversational, Adam made it clear early on in the show that it was all about – and for the glory of, love, proving that he has heart, soul, and passion. “This show is about love,” he declared, smiling at his audience, “Both the dark side of it, and the light side…You see, sometimes in love, it’s not just about answers, but it’s about asking the right questions.” It was at that point when he jumped into an epic rendition of his hit, “Whataya Want From Me,” which generated a surge of energy and cheers from the crowd.

Despite the venue’s limitations in terms of production design, Adam was able to make a major impact with his vocal prowess alone. His deliciously risqué dance moves, and the quintessential intimate moment between his bassist (Tommy) and himself ten minutes into the show, were just the cherry on top of the most glamorous cake.

The last song on the list was a 10-minute long performance of his latest hit “If I Had You,” and as the intro began, Adam wanted to know: “Manila, are you having fun?!” He said, pointing his microphone toward the audience. Screams erupted from the crowd, and he grinned, “I said, Manila, are you having fun?!” he repeated, receiving even more enthusiastic cheers of agreement.

“The message I want you to walk home with tonight is that no matter how much money, fame, success, or sex you have in your life,” he declared, “it really doesn’t mean much unless it’s connected with love.” He screamed, “Love. That’s right people, come on!” Then the song began, and the crowd went crazy.

Bows, thank you’s, and I love you’s were exchanged, but as he exited the stage the audience began to cheer, “More!” and a few minutes later Adam was back on singing his final song (his encore): the infamous “Mad World.” In a more up-beat rendition of his popular Tears For Fears cover, Adam wowed the crowd one last time, then the lights dimmed on his final high note, he took one last bow, and walked off.

As the crowds dispersed, some concertgoers could be heard enthusing amongst themselves: “He sounded so amazing, and he’s got such an awesome personality too!” Although the show ended much too soon, after a performance like that it is impossible to deny Adam’s musical talent, as well as his stage presence. Hopefully he comes back soon to share more of his greatness. For now, he came for our entertainment, he strutted his stuff, he treated us like surefire winners, and he gave us what we wanted from him: love.

After all, all we need in this world is some love, right?

By Alex Romualdez,
For Yahoo! Southeast Asia

Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows - Part 1 film will be released only in 2D

Warner Bros. has scuttled plans to release the new "Harry Potter" in 3D.

In a statement released Friday, the studio said that when "Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows - Part 1" arrives in theaters on Nov. 19, it will be in 2D, playing both conventional theaters and IMAX, but that "we will not have a completed 3D version of the film within our release date window."

The statement continued: "Despite everyone's best efforts, we were unable to convert the film in its entirety and meet the highest standards of quality. We do not want to disappoint fans who have long-anticipated the conclusion of this extraordinary journey."

Director David Yates adds: "This decision, which we completely support, underscores the fact that Warner Bros. has always put quality first."

Recent 2D-to-3D conversion have been controversial, with many fans and critics complaining about the look of the studio's "Clash of the Titans," which underwent a similar conversion and was released earlier this year.

"Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows - Part 2" is still scheduled to be released in 2D and 3D on July 15th, 2011.

UFO Flying Over China as of July 9 2010

An unidentified flying object (UFO) disrupted air traffic over Zhejiang's provincial capital Hangzhou late on Wednesday, the municipal government said on Thursday.
Xiaoshan Airport was closed after the UFO was detected at around 9 pm, and some flights were rerouted to airports in the cities of Ningbo and Wuxi , said an airport spokesman, who declined to be named.
The airport had resumed operations, and more details will be released after an investigation, he said.
A source with knowledge of the matter, however, told China Daily on Thursday that authorities had learned what the UFO was after an investigation.
But it was not the proper time to publicly disclose the information because there was a military connection, he said, adding that an official explanation is expected to be given on Friday.
Inbound flights were diverted to the nearby airports in Zhejiang province's Ningbo and Jiangsu province's Wuxi. Outbound flights were delayed for three to four hours.
A staff member at the airport's information desk said the airport had "no idea" how many flights were affected by the closure.