PARIS: Roger Federer faces an early start to the 2009 season as he begins his campaign to reclaim the world number one spot from Rafael Nadal.
The Swiss star was deposed from the top ranking by Nadal in 2008 with the Spaniard also taking his Wimbledon crown after a five-year reign.
Federer will begin his new year in the unlikely surroundings of the Zayed Sports City at the Abu Dhabi International Tennis Complex where Nadal, as well as four other top 10 players, will battle for the $250,000 top prize.
"Never before have I started a tennis year as early as the one ahead. I will be back in action on January 1," said Federer ahead of the January 1-3 exhibition tournament in Abu Dhabi.
"I'm looking forward to the tournament, which is taking place for the first time, as well as the entire season of 2009. There is such a large number of challenges lying ahead - facing them, working hard and giving my best to succeed is precisely why I love my job so much."
Andy Murray, Nikolay Davydenko, Andy Roddick and James Blake make-up the six-man field in the UAE.
Federer said he was taking a lot of positives from 2008 where he picked up an Olympic gold medal, in the doubles with compatriot Stanislas Wawrinka, as well as successfully defending his US Open title, his 13th Grand Slam triumph.
"Looking back at the past 365 days a lot of unforgettable experiences come to mind," Federer told his website.
"But there are, of course, also the tough moments I had to go through. I faced an unexpectedly difficult training period and exhausting start of the season due to illness precisely 12 months ago.
"I spent a great deal of the year battling with the lack of practice and hours of training that I faced at the time."
Federer struggled with glandular fever at the start of the year and lost his Australian Open title to Novak Djokovic.
"So having played another three Grand Slam finals and having brought home the US Open trophy as well as reaching Olympic heights together with Stan Wawrinka makes me just the more proud.
"I was honoured to receive the Laureus title as Athlete of the Year again and also lift the trophy at my home-tournament in Basel once more. These are some of the truly wonderful, emotional moments I had the privilege to experience."
Meanwhile, there seems to be no end to the Nadal success story.
The Wimbledon, French Open and Olympic champion was the subject of a marathon four-hour special aired by Spanish TV over Christmas, documenting his remarkable 2008 campaign.
After the three-day UAE event, Federer and Nadal will resume their competitive rivalry at the Qatar Open which starts in Doha on January 5.
Tuesday, December 30, 2008
http://soccerlens.com/wp-content/uploads/2007/04/gerrard.jpg
Gerrard charged with assault after incident at bar
LONDON: Liverpool captain Steven Gerrard was charged with assault and affray by police early on Tuesday over a brawl outside a bar that left a disk jockey hospitalized with facial injuries.
Merseyside police officers took the decision 24 hours after the England midfielder was arrested in Southport while celebrating Liverpool's emphatic 5-1 victory at Newcastle on Sunday that extended its lead atop the Premier League to three points.
The 28-year-old Gerrard was charged with assault occasioning actual bodily harm and affray, an offense that carries a maximum five-year prison sentence.
He was released on bail to appear in court on January 23, 2009 with John Doran, 29, and Ian Smith, 19, who were charged with the same offenses.
Three other men, who were arrested with Gerrard on Monday morning, were released without charge on police bail pending further inquiries.
Liverpool, which next faces Preston on Saturday in the FA Cup, was making no comment.
In the altercation outside the Lounge Inn, the bar's 34-year-old DJ had a tooth broken and sustained cuts to his forehead, although he was later released from hospital, a police official said on condition of anonymity as he was not authorized to release the information.
Officers only began interviewing the suspects on Monday afternoon and Gerrard's wife Alex Curran was seen near the police station but drove off without answering reporters' questions.
Spots of blood and shards of broken glass were visible on the floor of the venue, which was closed on Monday.
The modern restaurant, which becomes a nightclub later in the evening, in the seaside town of Southport is less than 10 miles from Gerrard's home of Formby in Merseyside.
The other men arrested, who are not believed to be footballers, were from the Huyton area of Merseyside, where Gerrard was brought up and spotted by Liverpool scouts at the age of eight while playing for Whiston Juniors.
Gerrard is Liverpool's most influential player and crucial to its bid to win the English league title for the first time since 1990, scoring twice and setting up another goal in Sunday's victory at Newcastle.
Manager Rafa Benitez hailed his talisman's maturity last month.
"He is an example to everyone," Benitez said. "He always trains hard and is a good professional. He is always committed on the pitch, it is a kind of leadership that all captains should aspire to."
Gerrard, who has played 70 matches for England, led Liverpool to the Champions League title in 2005, which prompted his appointment as a Member of the Order of the British Empire by Queen Elizabeth II at Buckingham Palace.
His status as one of the world's best midfielders was recognized by his fellow international professionals in October when he was named in FIFPro's team-of-the-year lineup.
Adebayor tops in Togo again
consecutive year by local sports journalists it was announced on Monday.
The Arsenal striker returned to the national team during October after a row with officials over travelling conditions and scored four goals against Swaziland to keep Togo in contention for a place at the 2010 World Cup.
Adebayor is a finalist for the 2008 African Footballer of the Year award with Chelsea's Didier Drogba of Ivory Coast and the latter's club mate Michael Essien of Ghana and Egyptians Mohamed Aboutraika and Amr Zaki, who has scored 10 goals for his on loan Premier League club Wigan this season.
Bollywood's 'Ms. Populars'
Actress Kareena Kapoor got a majority number of votes (40 %) in the Bollywood's 'Ms. Popular' poll.
Actor Kareena Kapoor's turning point seemed to be Imtiaz Ali's film 'Jab We Met' in which she was paired opposite Shahid Kapoor. Kareena has been in the limelight for her romance with Saif Ali Khan, her fit and fab avatar and her endorsements. Bagging the plum projects, Kareena Kapoor's next big film will be 'Kambakkht Ishq', also starring Akshay Kumar and Hollywood hotties like Sylvester Stallone, Brandon Routh and Denise Richards.
Is Katrina Kaif a possessive girlfriend?
The shooting of 'Veer' at Film City begins by 2 pm and ends promptly at 6 pm, Katrina regularly visits the sets and hangs around till the day's shoot wraps up. A source from the sets of 'Veer' said, "Zarine Khan is making every effort to get friendly with Salman. However, Salman Khan is in a different mood ever since the shooting at Film City began. Incidentally, he turned aloof just when Katrina Kaif started visiting him on the sets. Considering that Katrina seldom visits Salman's sets, this new development has caught the unit of the film off guard."
Commenting on how Salman Khan ignores his Katrina look-alike actress Zarine, we were told, "Often Zarine pulls up a chair to sit near Salman Khan but he does not pay attention. When Zarine tries to talk to Salman, he only replies in monosyllables. This only discourages her further. And if Katrina Kaif is around, Salman Khan only pays attention to Katrina by spending all his free time with her."
Katrina did not deny that she had been on the sets of 'Veer' and said, "Yes, I did go to the sets of 'Veer' but only one day. That's because Anil Sharma, the director of 'Veer' is my friend." Vijay Galani, producer of 'Veer' said, "Katrina came to Film City on Tuesday, though she has come to the sets of 'Veer' a few times earlier too. But Katrina and Zarine get along very well."
So we don't know which version to believe. Our guess is as good as yours!
Aamir-Shah Rukh friends now?
we’re a little confused about their Camaraderie Shah Rukh Khan. (TOI Photo)More Pics
Quotient.
Every controversial comment made by one is quickly followed by a ‘respectful remark’. So when actress Koel Purie got talking with Aamir on a TV show recently she asked him if the two were friends or foes.
And Aamir said, “Neither! I’m certainly not competitive as far as Shah Rukh is concerned. I’m certainly very ambitious, but only towards myself. However, Shah Rukh and I share a warm relationship.” Guess the ‘warm’ has become pretty ‘heated’ these days, eh?
COLDPLAY - MARTIN STOPPED BY SECURITY AT LONDON CONCERT
The elusive rocker is known for his reluctance to be photographed by the paparazzi, but his aversion to the press backfired after he went unrecognised when he hopped on an underground train to get to his band's recent sold-out concert in London.
JESSICA SIMPSON - SIMPSON'S BEAU ROMO COLLAPSES AFTER GAME
The Dallas Cowboys quarterback fell in the shower following a defeat by the Philadelphia Eagles on Sunday, reports ESPN.com.
Team sources tell the website medical staff brought a stretcher to the scene, but Romo walked on his own and had to be helped to the podium for a news conference shortly after the game - where he refused to answer questions about his health.
Reports suggest Romo may have suffered a rib injury in the second half of the match - the Cowboys' biggest loss ever at 44 to six.
DUFFY - DUFFY AND ALEXANDRA HAVE BIGGEST SELLERS OF 2008
X Factor winner Alexandra Burke and Welsh songstress Duffy were the top-selling artists of the year, it has been confirmed.
Rockferry, Duffy's debut album, was the biggest seller of the year, with 1.685 million copies shifted.
The Warwick Avenue star held off a late challenge from Take That, whose new effort The Circus sold a million copies in just 19 days.
Duffy also achieved the third biggest-selling single of the year with her number one hit Mercy, one of only three tracks to sell more than half a million copies.
However, the blockbuster single of the year came from Alexandra Burke, whose debut song Hallelujah sold a massive 888,000 copies in the final two weeks of the years.
"Duffy and Alexandra Burke have been the biggest new arrivals on the British music scene over the past year, bar none," said Martin Talbot, managing director of the Official UK Charts Company.
"But the biggest selling singles and albums of the year also show that talent, both new and old, can make an impact, if the music is right.
"Besides the obvious impact of the X Factor artists, including Burke, Leona Lewis and this year's finalists, Duffy, Katy Perry, Sam Sparro and Scouting For Girls all scored big to show that new talent can make an impact."
The top ten singles of 2008 are:
1 Hallelujah - Alexandra Burke
2 Hero - X Factor finalists
3 Mercy - Duffy
4 I Kissed A Girl - Katy Perry
5 Rockstar - Nickelback
6 American Boy - Estelle/ Kanye West
7 Sex on Fire - Kings of Leon
8 Now You're Gone - Basshunter
9 4 Minutes - Madonna/ Justin Timberlake
10 Black & Gold - Sam Sparro
The top ten albums of 2008 are:
1 Rockferry - Duffy
2 The Circus - Take That
3 Only By The Night - Kings of Leon
4 Spirit - Leona Lewis
5 Viva La Vida... - Coldplay
6 Good Girl Gone Bad - Rihanna
7 Day & Age - Killers
8 Out of Control - Girls Aloud
9 Funhouse - Pink
10 Scouting For Girls - Scouting For Girls
At 78, 'politically incorrect' Eastwood still finds edgy roles
Clint Eastwood attends the "Gran Torino" premiere this month with actors Bee Vang, left, and Ahney Her.
Clint Eastwood doesn't know if he's a legend.
"Maybe, what is it?" he asks, before making a reference to a line from director John Ford's "The Man Who Shot Liberty Valance," "When the legend becomes fact, print the legend."
But for more than 50 years, he's appeared on the screen and behind the camera. His film credits include "Dirty Harry," "Every Which Way But Loose" and the three "Man With No Name" Westerns. He owns four Oscars -- two for direction of "Unforgiven" and "Million Dollar Baby" and best picture wins for those two films -- and he's been nominated for six others.
His most recent contribution to the film world is "Gran Torino." In the film, which Eastwood also directed, he stars as Walt Kowalski, a Korean War veteran who is forced by immigrant neighbors to challenge his prejudices.
Kowalski is a recognizable type, the gruff, sometimes bigoted old man who may be hiding more heart than he lets on. Even though he's not too caring at the start, "he ends up expressing love to a family he's never known before," Eastwood said.
Sources: Gaza death toll from Israeli offensive exceeds 375
With Tuesday's attacks on key Hamas structures and an incident at sea, Israel's defense minister said it is waging an "all-out war" on Gaza as fighting entered its fourth day.
The airstrikes, which Israel says are aimed at stopping the firing of rockets from Gaza into southern Israel, have killed more than 375 Palestinians, most of them Hamas militants, Palestinian medical sources said Tuesday.
Israel bombed a Hamas government compound early Tuesday, leveling at least three structures, including the foreign ministry building, eyewitnesses and Hamas security sources told CNN.
A Gaza-based journalist, whose name was withheld for security reasons, told CNN he heard 18 blasts in the area and that two fires were burning at the compound early Tuesday.
More bombs continued to drop over Gaza through the morning.
In the Mediterranean Sea, an Israeli patrol boat struck a boat carrying medical volunteers and supplies to Gaza early Tuesday as it attempted to intercept the vessel, witnesses and Israeli officials said.
CNN correspondent Karl Penhaul was aboard the 60-foot, Gibraltar-registered Dignity when the contact occurred. In a radio message, the Israelis accused the vessel of being involved in terrorist activity, its captain said. Watch CNN correspondent describe the incident »
The Dignity was carrying 16 passengers and crew who were trying to reach Gaza through an Israeli blockade of the territory. It was "very severely rammed" by an Israeli patrol boat that had been pursuing the volunteer boat for about half an hour before the collision, and the crew said their vessel was struck intentionally, Penhaul said.
But Israeli Foreign Ministry spokesman Yigal Palmor called allegations that the vessel was rammed deliberately "absurd." He said the volunteer boat was trying to outmaneuver the Israeli vessel when it was struck. Watch CNN's Nic Robertson on the latest developments »
"This is why the collision occurred," Palmor said. "There is no intention on the part of the Israeli navy to ram anybody."
The bows of the two vessels struck each other. He said the Dignity was not "weaving about" and continued on its course as at least two Israeli vessels maneuvered around it.
Friday, December 19, 2008
America's Biggest Billionaire Losers Of 2008
Last year casino mogul Sheldon Adelson was on top of the world. When the Forbes list of the 400 richest Americans was published in September 2007, the gruff son of a Boston cab driver--who spent his life amassing a mega-fortune in conventions and casinos--was worth $28 billion.
A month later, shares of his Las Vegas Sands casino company had swelled to an all-time high of $144 a share, adding another $10 billion to Adelson's fortune. Between September 2006 and September 2007, he made $20.5 million per day.
In Pictures: America's 25 Biggest Billionaire Losers
In Pictures: Out Of Office, In The Money
In Pictures: America's Biggest Billionaire Losers
In Pictures: Inside A Billionaire Poker Game
In Pictures: Private Companies And The Forbes 400
In Pictures: America's 25 Biggest Billionaire Losers
Proud of his accomplishments, the plutocrat reportedly adopted a new nickname. According to a 2008 article in The New Yorker magazine, he began referring to himself as "Sheldon Adelson the 3rd," a nod to his place on our list as America's third-richest citizen. (Adelson's spokesman declined to comment for this story.)
That was before the economy fell apart. Since the beginning of 2008, LVS shares have plummeted 95%, erasing $24 billion from Adelson's fortune as cost-conscious consumers stay away from casinos in Las Vegas and Macau. When the next Forbes 400 is published in September 2009, Adelson will likely be vying just to stay on the list unless the economy rapidly recovers. (He's doing everything he can to stay rich: This fall Adelson injected $1 billion of his own cash into LVS to help keep the company afloat).
Adelson tops the Forbes list of America's 25 biggest losers of 2008, an estimate of the largest drops (in dollars) of American citizens holding publicly traded stocks from Jan. 2, 2008 to Dec. 5, 2008. It excludes shares bought or sold during that period. Fortunes tied to privately held companies were not evaluated; they will be re-tallied for our list of the World's Billionaires in March.
Combined, the tycoons on our ranking lost $167 billion in 11 months, while shares of the companies in which they own stakes fell an average 59%.
Following Adelson in the loss column is America's second-richest man, Warren Buffett. The Oracle of Omaha (who held the title of world's richest man in March) lost $16.5 billion as shares of Berkshire Hathaway fell 28% this year.
Software visionary Bill Gates was America's third-biggest loser; he watched his shares of Microsoft decline 45%, wiping $12.3 billion off his personal balance sheet in 11 months.
Rounding out the top five biggest losers: investor Kirk Kerkorian and Google Co-founder Larry Page, who each lost $11.9 billion. Page's Google shares shed 59% of their value this year.
Kerkorian lost billions in his casino, oil and auto stakes. His largest holding, MGM Mirage, is down 87% since January. He also recently disclosed he sold a significant portion of his shares of Ford at a loss.
Tycoons who own major stakes in publicly traded hedge funds and private equity shops have been hit especially hard. Stephen Schwarzman's 234 million shares in Blackstone Group were worth $5.2 billion 11 months ago. The stock has fallen 72% since then, reducing the value of Schwarzman's stake to $1.5 billion--a loss of $3.8 billion.
Wesley Edens, co-founder of hedge fund Fortress Investment Group, watched his fortune dwindle as investor redemptions soared at the company's flagship fund. Edens, along with partners Michael Novogratz and Peter Briger, was a member of The Forbes 400 in 2007, but since January has lost $1 billion as Fortress shares fell 89%. Today his stake in the company is worth $130 million; it's doubtful he will regain his billionaire status in the near future.
Four 10-figure fortunes were wiped out by the collapse of insurance giant AIG. Among them: Maurice "Hank" Greenberg. The spry insurance veteran's shares of AIG were worth $2.6 billion in January. Today those shares are worth less than $100 million.
In Pictures: America's 25 Biggest Billionaire Losers
Where do space shuttles go to retire?
If your organization has the right stuff, it could display one of the U.S. shuttles that NASA plans to retire from service in 2010.
Space Shuttle Endeavour comes in for a landing at Edwards Air Force Base in California last month.
The space agency sent a notice this week to museums, schools and similar institutions to gauge their interest and qualifications for properly housing Discovery, Atlantis or Endeavour.
The shuttles are to be retired by September 30, 2010, but they won't be available until about a year later, NASA spokesman Michael Curie said Thursday.
"These are national assets, national treasures and something that NASA feels the public would want to see displayed publicly for years to come," Curie said.
Space shuttle Discovery already has been offered to the Smithsonian National Air and Space Museum in Washington.
"We have the information, and of course, we're thrilled to be considered for this artifact," said Claire Brown, director of communications for the museum. But no action has been taken at this point, and the institution doesn't have a plan for incurring the cost, she added.
The privilege of showing off a shuttle won't be cheap -- about $42 million.
This figure will include $28.2 million for the removal of hazardous chemicals -- such as ammonia, used as a coolant, and nitrogen tetroxide and hydrazine, used as fuel; $5.8 million for moving the shuttle via a carrier aircraft to its new location; and $8 million for preparing the shuttle for display, Curie said.
A carrier aircraft will be the only way to deliver a shuttle to a landlocked location, and such aircraft will no longer be in NASA's budget once the shuttle program ends.
After chemicals are drained from the shuttle, its estimated weight will be about 170,000 pounds, Curie said.
Whatever facility receives a shuttle must have experience in displaying space hardware and major historical artifacts, NASA said. The shuttles will be released without their engines, which, along with other components, will be offered separately. The deadline for responding to NASA is March 17.
NASA emphasizes that it will pay special attention to ensuring that the shuttles will retire to "appropriate places." The agency wants them to remain in the United States, and private collectors likely would not meet NASA's goal to have the orbiters and engines displayed publicly, Curie said.
"We really feel that these are artifacts that are important to the history of the country and that as many people as possible should have the opportunity to see them if they can," Curie said.
Asked whether NASA had considered trying to sell the shuttles on eBay, he laughed: "No, that probably wouldn't be the prudent thing to do with something paid for by taxpayers' money."
In January 2004, President Bush called for an eventual shift in focus from the space shuttle program to the new Vision for Space Exploration program, which NASA describes as "a sustained and affordable human and robotic program to explore the solar system."
Bush has said he wants astronauts to return to the moon by 2020. However, President-elect Barack Obama has a team reviewing options for the direction of space exploration.
Latest Sports News
For The Record Blog :
Holyfield-Valuev = death of boxing
Favre received a vote for President
Is Sixers' Brand a free-agent bust?
'Idiot' T.O. owes Werder an apology
Evander Holyfield will step into a boxing ring again Saturday for a shot at the world heavyweight championship.
I wish I could tell you I cut and pasted the above sentence from story written a decade ago but I can't.
The sad truth is that the 46-year-old Holyfield, who hasn't fought in over a year and hasn't been considered a legitimate contender for anything in about eight years, will face WBA heavyweight champion Nikolai Valuev, a freakish fighter who at 7-feet and 325 pounds is nearly a foot taller than Holyfield and 100 pounds bigger, not to mention 11 years younger.
If that tale of the tape sounds more like a freak show than a boxing match, it's because it is.
Last week Joe Calzaghe was roundly criticized by many in boxing for saying he thought the sport was dying, well boxing will officially die, in my eyes anyway, on Saturday night in Zurich's Hallenstadion. I won't witness the slow and painful death of the once beautiful sport. DirecTV thankfully won't be offering the pay-per-view mismatch. Besides after watching Oscar De La Hoya's depressing last fight I couldn't stomach the sight of another once proud champion being relegated to nothing more than a punching bag, let alone dig into my pocket to pay for something so sickening.
Unfortunately, I'm probably in the minority. That's probably why this fight was allowed to take place. There are enough people willing to buy tickets and purchase pay-per-views to make this fight worthwhile to promoters who have no problem putting any fighter into a ring as long as they can make money at the end of the night.
Few fighters ever retire gracefully from boxing. Most of them are beaten into it; unwilling to stay down, believing the next round, the next punch, the fight will be their comeback and Holyfield is no different. He says he plans to win on Saturday and go on to unify the world heavyweight title, which should tell you something about his mental condition at the moment. He says he's not fighting for the money, which I wish was true considering he's making $600,000, the lowest amount he has ever received for a championship fight, but the sad truth is that's the only reason he's fighting.
It's the only reason Holyfield, who hasn't fought in Las Vegas in over five years, has allowed himself to fight nobodies for worthless title shots in places like El Paso, Corpus Christi and San Antonio. It's an act that has presumably gotten so tired stateside that he's had to travel to Russia and Sweden for his last two bogus world title shots. In a story as sadly cliché in boxing as a romantic comedy starring Hugh Grant, Holyfield, who earned over $200 million during his career, needs money. He was reportedly broke as of this summer when his $10 million estate in Atlanta was under foreclosure, the mother of one of his children was suing for $9,000 in unpaid child support and a Utah consulting company took him to court claiming he failed to pay for landscaping.
Holyfield says he blames his financial problems on people who took advantage of him while he was focused on boxing. Ironically, it's now the people who are taking advantage of him in boxing that are helping him get out of his financial problems. It's a vicious cycle that doesn't look like it will ever end and one that I'd rather not watch anymore.
Thursday, December 18, 2008
Dhoni hands over diamond ring to Anand
Indian cricket team captain Mahendra Singh Dhoni presented a one-carat diamond ring to Anand on behalf of the federation.
Tests at Chepauk - A trip down memory lane | 400 will be a good first-innings total: Strauss
Anand, who cut a cake to celebrate his 39th birthday on Thursday, thanked the federation. "I think I will accept the ring in the spirit of brotherhood. I remember the reception the federation gave me last year and again a very special reception this time. It really means a lot to me."
Lauding the AICF's initiatives for motivating younger generations who have achieved a number of awards this year, he said, "One of the beautiful compliments I have received was the banner put up for me by Indian participants in Vietnam, right after my win in Bonn. It is always wonderful when you mean so much to your country. All of you shared my experience in Bonn so closely and it will inspire me in future."
A keen cricket lover, Anand asked Dhoni to seal the Chennai Test within the next three days.
"I hope you will finish the game during the next three days than going for the entire duration," he said.
Earlier, Dhoni congratulated Anand for retaining the world title.
"It is not only a happy occasion for chess lovers but for all Indians as well," he said.
Full coverage: England in India
Stating that Anand stands alone at the summit in Chess, Dhoni said, "Having role models like Sachin Tendulkar, Sourav Ganguly and Rahul Dravid in cricket, Anand is a role model in chess."
In a lighter vein, the Indian captain said he could beat Anand at Chess if the latter plays using only his left hand.
The federation, on this occasion, presented a cheque of Rs 1 lakh to Abhijit Gupta, who became the junior world champion recently.
Govt orders probe into Satyam's Maytas deal
According to official sources, the government will examine if the company had any malafide intention to influence the stock market.
Satyam and the corporate governance
Satyam Computers had on Tuesday announced that it will acquire two group firms - Maytas properties and Maytas Infra for $1.6 billion (about Rs 8,000 cr) as part of its diversification strategy, a move that sparked a row over alleged violation of corporate governance laws.
Satyam to consider share buyback on Dec 29
However, the company had to reverse the decision within a few hours after its scrip nosedived more than 55 per cent on the US bourses.
Satyam accumulates short positions
Sources said the government will examine whether the company indulged in any short selling and whether it wanted to cover its position after the stock prices plummeted.
More India business stories
The Ministry of Corporate Affairs had said it will look into whether the company violated any corporate governance laws while entering into such a deal involving share holders' money.
W. Mark Felt, 'Deep Throat' of Watergate, dead at 95
W. Mark Felt, who leaked information to reporters under the moniker, "Deep Throat," about the Watergate break-in, died Thursday at the age of 95, sources told CNN.
W. Mark Felt, known as "Deep Throat," divulged information to reporters about the Watergate break-in.
Rob Jones, Felt's grandson, said his grandfather died at his home in Santa Rosa, California. According to published reports, Felt died of congestive heart failure.
Felt admitted in a 2005 Vanity Fair article he was the Washington Post's source for many of its 400 stories on the Watergate affair during the early 1970s. The Watergate break-in eventually led to the 1974 resignation of President Richard Nixon.
"I'm proud of everything that Deep Throat did," Felt, 92, told CNN's "Larry King Live" in 2006, his first public interview on the subject.
Felt's entanglement with history occurred in 1972 after the bungled break-in at the Democratic National Party offices in the Watergate hotel. Felt, an associate director at the FBI, said he was unhappy with the way the administration meddled with the investigation into the break-in, which led him to divulge information to the newspaper.
Carl Bernstein and Bob Woodward, then-rookie reporters with the Washington Post, did stories about the break-in and subsequent cover-up. Both men credited Felt for helping them, but Bernstein said Felt was a tough interview.
"He didn't leak. He had to really be squeezed," Bernstein said in a 2006 interview. "He confirmed mostly what we had gotten elsewhere. He didn't want to volunteer a lot of information, yet his role was essential in giving us a solidity and a knowledge that what we were reporting was right."
When King asked Felt whether he felt he had done anything wrong in going outside approved channels to get information out, Felt was unequivocal.
"I thought I was doing the right thing," he said.
Felt, who retired from the FBI in 1973, had his own legal problems. He was convicted in 1980 on conspiracy charges for authoritizing government agents to break into homes without search warrants in a hunt for bombing suspects in 1972 and 1973.
When the case went to trial, former President Nixon testified on Felt's behalf. Felt was eventually pardoned in 1981 by President Ronald Reagan.
When asked how he would like to be remembered, Felt said, "I'd like to be remembered as a government employee who did his best to help everybody.
Guy Ritchie 'bans Madonna from his house'
The warring couple, who had been granted a preliminary divorce in November and are presently locked in a bitter custody battle of their kids, were allegedly set to reunite at the director's 10million-pound Ashcombe House in Wiltshire, England, to have a family celebration.
However, according to sources, Guy had shown the door to his ex wife saying he could not bear to sleep under the same roof, reports the Sun.
A source close to the duo said: "Guy is desperate to see the children on Christmas Day and was OK with them all spending the day at Ashcombe. He was even willing to have Madonna there and try to be civilised for the sake of the children.
"But having her stay over was just too much. He couldn't bear the thought of her padding round the kitchen next morning like old times - there are too many sad memories."
"Guy's said he'll do anything she wants - fly to America if needs be - to spend the day with the kids, just as long as it doesn't involve him and Madonna spending the night under the same roof.
"But the plan was for the children to come to England and that's what Madonna still wants. It's a mess," the source added. (ANI)
Saturday, December 13, 2008
Moonlight Award 2008 ropui takin zawhfel a ni
Male singer of the year – LB Nohro
Female singer of the year – S.Siamkungi
Gospel singer of the year – T.Samari
Gospel male singer of the year – Lalhmingliana Chhangte
New Artist of the year - C.Reuben Kypacha(Pahnai)
Choir of the year - ECM Choir
Rapper of the year - Benjamin Colney
Sport person of the year - Gloria
Lai dist best female Artist - Rosy K.Remsangpuii
Lai dist best male artist - TBC Zaithanpuia
Lifetime achievement(Music) - Beithakhu Hlychho
Special Award - MS Dawngliana
Special Award - S.Lalrimawii
Special Award - K.Saidi
Special Award - Mimi Lalzamliani
Special Award - Malsawmtluangi Fanai
Special Award - C.Lalthlengliana
Special Award(Lunglei dist) - CR.Dingliani
Special Award - P.B Sanghlunpii
SMS - Samari Azyu
Best Music Video - T.Beirapha
Moonlight Award 2008 Photo(Clik Here)
Saturday, December 6, 2008
SAIHA-AH VOTE COUNTING SUPERVISOR TEN TRAINING NEI
Saiha District-a Vote tla te hi ni 8/12/08 zing dar 8 ah Saiha Bial atanga chhiar tanin Palak bial chhiar chhunzawm a ni ang. Vote tla te hi dawhkan 10 ah chhiar a ni ang a, round tin result puan a ni ang, He Training ah hian Counting Supervisor 11 leh Counting Assisstant 11 te an kal a ni. Counting Hall chhungah hian Mobile Phone ken luh khap a ni dawn a, DCs Conference Hall kawt zawl lai hi motor parking ah hman a nih dawn avangin mipui awm khawm phal a ni lo ang, Vote chhiar results puan theih apiangte chu mipui hriat theih turin aurinna hmangin puanchhuah zel a ni ang.
Inthlan chungchanga zawhna nei emaw, hriat duh nei apiangte tan Media Centre buatsaih a ni a, Telephone number 222025 dah niin zawhfiah theih reng a ni ang.