ரஜினியின் கோச்சடையான் - படப்பிடிப்பு முடிந்தது... போஸ்ட் புரொடக்ஷன் பணிகளில் மும்முரம்!

ரஜினி, தீபிகா படுகோனே ஜோடியாக நடிக்கும் ‘கோச்சடையான்‘ படப்பிடிப்பு கடந்த மார்ச் மாதம் தொடங்கியது. லண்டனில் 20 நாட்கள் முதல் கட்ட படப்பிடிப்பு நடந்தது. பின்னர் திருவனந்தபுரத்தில் இரண்டாம் கட்ட படப்பிடிப்பை நடத்தினர். அங்கு உள்ள சித்ராஞ்சலி மற்றும் மோகன்லால் ஸ்டூடியோக்களில் பெரும் பகுதி காட்சிகள் படமாக்கப்பட்டன.

கிராபிக்ஸ் பணிகளில் ஒரு பகுதியையும் இங்கு நடத்தின். உண்மையில் இந்தப் பணிகள் லண்டனில் நடந்திருக்க வேண்டும். ஆதி மற்றும் தீபிகோ படுகோனுக்கு விசா கிடைக்க தாமதமானால், அந்தக் காட்சிகள் கேரளாவில் எடுக்கப்பட்டன.

இறுதிக்கட்ட படப்பிடிப்பை ஹாங்காங்கில் நடத்தி முடித்துள்ளார் சௌந்தர்யா. தற்போது டப்பிங், கம்ப்யூட்டர் கிராபிக்ஸ், மிக்சிங், ரீ-ரிக்கார்டிங் பணிகள் நடந்து வருகின்றன.

லண்டன், லாஸ் ஏஞ்சல்ஸ், ஹாங்காங் ஸ்டூடியோக்களில் ஒரே நேரத்தில் இப்பணிகள் நடந்து வருவதாக படத்தின் இணை தயாரிப்பாளர் டாக்டர் முரளி மனோகர் தெரிவித்துள்ளார்.

படத்தை வெளியிடுவதற்கான தேதியை இன்னும் முடிவு செய்யவில்லை என்றார். இந்த வருடம் இறுதிக்குள் படம் வெளியாகி விடும் என்றும் அவர் கூறினார்.

ஜப்பான், தமிழ், இந்தி, தெலுங்கு ஆகிய மொழிகளில் படம் வெளியாகிறது. இதுபோல் பிரெஞ்சு, ஸ்பானிஷ் மொழிகளிலும் படத்தை ரிலீஸ் செய்ய ஏற்பாடு நடக்கிறது.

காந்திக்குப் பின் மிகச் சிறந்த இந்தியர் 50 பேர் பட்டியலில் ரஜினி!

தேசப் பிதா என கொண்டாடப்படும் காந்தியடிகளுக்குப் பிறகு இந்தியாவின் மிகச் சிறந்த மனிதர் யார் (Greatest Indian after Mahatma Gandhi)?

இந்தத் தலைப்பில் ஒரு வாக்கெடுப்பை நடத்தி வருகிறது ஹிஸ்டரி மற்றும் சிஎன்என் ஐபிஎன் தொலைக்காட்சிகள். அவுட்லுக் பத்திரிகை ஆதரவுடன் இந்த வாக்கெடுப்பு நடக்கிறது.தலைவர்களின் சர்வதேச புகழ், மக்கள் மீதான அவர்களின் தாக்கம், உதாரணத்தன்மை என பல விஷயங்களின் அடிப்படையில் இந்த வாக்கெடுப்பு நடத்தப்படுகிறது.

பிபிசியின் வாக்கெடுப்பு விதிகளின் அடிப்படையில் நடத்தப்படும் இதில் 50 இந்திய தலைவர்கள் மற்றும் பிரபலங்கள் பட்டியல் தயாரிக்கப்பட்டுள்ளது.

அண்ணல் அம்பேத்கர், சர்தார் வல்லபாய் பட்டேல், ஜவஹர்லால் நேரு, அன்னை தெரசா, அன்னை இந்திரா காந்தி, என தலைவர்களும் மனித நேய மாந்தர்களும் இடம்பெற்றுள்ள இந்தப் பட்டியலில் நமது சூப்பர் ஸ்டார் ரஜினியின் பெயரும் இடம்பெற்றுள்ளது.

ஒவ்வொரு நபரும் தனது பேஸ்புக் கணக்கைப் பயன்படுத்தி 10 தலைவர்களை வரிசைப்படுத்தலாம். அதாவது 10 வாக்குகளை அளிக்கலாம். இதுவரை 215332 வாக்குகள் பதிவாகியுள்ளன. இதன் அடிப்படையில், இப்போது 12வது இடத்தில் உள்ளார் ரஜினி. முதலிடத்தில் விஸ்வநாதன் ஆனந்த் உள்ளார். வாக்குகளின் அடிப்படையில் இந்த நிலை மாறிக் கொண்டிருக்கும்.

சகுனியில் நான் ரஜினி.. சந்தானம் கமல்! - கார்த்தி

சகுனி படத்தின் இசைவெளியீட்டுக்குத் தேதி குறித்து அழைப்பிதழும் வைத்துவிட்டார்கள்.

சிறுத்தைக்குப் பிறகு கொஞ்சம் இடைவெளிவிட்டு வரும் இந்தப் படத்தில் கார்த்தி ரஜினியாகவும், சந்தானம் கமலாகவும் வருகிறார்களாம்.

இதுகுறித்து ஹீரோ கார்த்தி கூறுகையில், "சகுனி எனக்கு ரொம்ப பிடிச்ச படமாக வந்திருக்கு. ஒரு பொதுவான பிரச்சினையை என் புத்திசாலித்தனத்தால தீர்த்து, கூடவே தன்னையும் காப்பாத்திக்கிற கேரக்டர். இது அரசியல் படமா என்பதை பார்த்துவிட்டு நீங்கள்தான் சொல்லணும். காரணம், எதுலதான் அரசியல் இல்லாம இருக்கு... அப்படி பார்த்தா இது அரசியல் படம்தான்...

இந்தப் படத்தில் சந்தானம் என்னை ரஜினி என்று அழைப்பார், நான் அவரை கமல் என்று அழைப்பேன்," என்றார்.

ஜூன் 2-ம் தேதி படத்தின் இசை வெளியாகிறது. மொத்தம் 5 பாடல்கள். ஜிவி பிரகாஷ் இசையமைத்துள்ளார். ஏற்கெனவே கார்த்தி பிறந்த நாளான மே 25-ல் இரண்டு பாடல்களின் முன்னோட்டத்தை வெளியிட்டிருந்தது நினைவிருக்கலாம்.

என் படத்தை விற்க சல்மானும், ஷாருக்கும் தேவையில்லை: கமல் ஹாசன்

தனது படத்தை போணி செய்ய பாலிவுட் ஹீரோக்கள் சல்மான் கானும், ஷாருக்கானும் தேவையில்லை என்று உலக நாயகன் கமல் ஹாசன் தெரிவி்த்துள்ளார்.

கமல் ஹாசன் தற்போது விஸ்வரூபம் படத்தில் நடித்து வருகிறார். அதையடுத்து ஊழலை மையமாக வைத்து அமர் ஹை என்ற படத்தை எடுக்கவிருக்கிறார். இந்த படத்தில் நடிக்க அவர் பாலிவுட் ஜாம்பவான்களான சல்மான் கான், ஷாருக்கான் மற்றும் ஹாலிவுட் நடிகர் ஜாக்கி சான் ஆகியோரை அணுகியதாக தகவல்கள் வெளியாகின். ஆனால் இதை கமல் மறுத்துள்ளார்.

இது குறித்து அவர் கூறுகையில்,

நான் இரு கான்களையும் சரி, ஜாக்கி சான், டாம் க்ரூஸையும் சரி எனது புதிய படத்திற்காக அணுகவில்லை. அது வெறும் வதந்தி. எனது படத்தை போணி செய்ய சல்மான், ஷாருக்கான் தேவையில்லை.

நான் தற்போது எடுத்து வரும் சினிமாவே எனக்கு திருப்தியாக உள்ளது. எனக்கு பாலிவுட் நடிகர் திலிப் குமாருடன் நடிக்க வேண்டும் என்ற ஆசை உள்ளது. விஸ்வரூபம் ரிலீஸ் ஆன பிறகு அமர் ஹை பற்றி சொல்கிறேன் என்றார்.

தனுஷ் மனைவி மீது எனக்கு சந்தேகம் இருந்தது.. ஸ்ருதி ஹாசன்

3 படத்தில் நடிக்க ஒப்பந்தமானபோது எனக்கு ஐஸ்வர்யா தனுஷ் மீது சந்தேகம் இருந்தது. இவர் இயக்கும் முதல் படமாச்சே, எப்படி எடுப்பாரோ என்று சந்தேகப்பட்டேன். பின்னர் அது நீங்கியது, ஒரு படைப்பாளியாக அவரை ஏற்றுக் கொண்டேன் என்று கூறியுள்ளார் ஸ்ருதி ஹாசன்.
3 படம் வெளியாகி, ஏகப்பட்ட சர்ச்சைகளும் எழுந்து முடிந்து ஓய்ந்து விட்டது. சில சர்ச்சைகள் ஸ்ருதியை முன்வைத்தும் ஓடிக் கொண்டிருந்தன. இந்த நிலையில் 3 படம் குறித்தும், ஐஸ்வர்யா குறித்தும் கருத்து தெரிவித்துள்ளார் ஸ்ருதி.

அவர் கூறுகையில், 3 படத்தில் பணியாற்றும்போது தனுஷ், ஐஸ்வர்யா, நான் மூவருமே ஒருவரையொருவர் தொழில் ரீதியாக அணுகுவது என்ற முடிவு செய்துகொண்டோம். இதனால் சொந்த விருப்பு வெறுப்புகளுக்கு இடம் தரவில்லை.

தொடக்க காலத்தில் ஐஸ்வர்யா மீது எனக்கு சந்தேகம் இருந்தது. அவர் இயக்கும் முதல் படம். எப்படி கையாளப்போகிறாரோ என்று எண்ணினேன். முதல்நாள் ஷூட்டிங்கில் அவர் பணியாற்றியதை பார்த்தபிறகு அவர் மீதான சந்தேகம் தீர்ந்தது. ஒரு படைப்பாளியாக அவரை ஏற்றுக்கொண்டேன்.

இப்படத்தில் பள்ளி மாணவி, மனைவி, விதவை என 3 விதமான தோற்றத்தில் நடிக்க வேண்டி இருந்தது. நடிப்புக்கு வாய்ப்பு இருந்ததால் நடிக்க ஒப்புக்கொண்டேன்.

நான் காதல் வலையில் விழுந்துவிட்டதாக கூறுகிறார்கள். எனக்கேற்ற ஒருவரை தேர்ந்தெடுத்தால் அதை முதலில் எனது தந்தையிடம் சொல்வேன். இப்போதைக்கு காதல் செய்ய நேரமில்லை என்றார் ஸ்ருதி.

விஜய் பிறந்த நாளில் வெளியாகும் அஜீத் படம்!!

அஜீத் ரசிகர்கள் ஆவலுடன் எதிர்ப்பார்க்கும் பில்லா 2 வரும் ஜூன் 22-ம் தேதி உலகம் எங்கும் வெளியாகிறது.
அதிகாரப்பூர்வமாக இந்த அறிவிப்பு இன்று வெளியாகியுள்ளது.

அஜீத், பார்வதி ஓமனக்குட்டன் ஜோடியாக நடித்துள்ள படம் பில்லா 2. பில்லா படத்தின் முதல் பகுதி கதை இது.

சக்ரி டோலட்டி இந்தப் படத்தை இயக்கியுள்ளார். யுவன் சங்கர் ராஜா இசையமைத்துள்ளார். இன் என்டர்டெயின்மெட் தயாரித்துள்ளது.

பில்லா 2 ரிலீஸ் தேதி குறித்து பல்வேறு தகவல்கள் வெளியாகி வந்தன. இப்போது தயாரிப்பு நிறுவனமே அதிகாரப்பூர்வமாக இதுகுறித்து அறிவித்துள்ளது.

வரும் ஜூன் 22-ம் தேதி இந்தப் படம் வெளியாகிறது. இதனை தயாரிப்பாளர் சுனிர் கேட்டர்பால் அறிவித்துள்ளார்.

ஜூன் 22- அஜீத்தின் திரையுலக போட்டியாளரான விஜய்யின் பிறந்த நாள் என்பது குறிப்பிடத்தக்கது!!

California gay marriage case looks headed to Supreme Court

The 9th Circuit Court of Appeals cleared the way on Tuesday for the Supreme Court to consider California's gay marriage ban, declining an appeal to revisit the case.

Supporters of the 2008 ban, Proposition 8, have lost two rounds in federal court but have made clear they will appeal to the U.S. Supreme Court and hope for a favorable response from the conservative-leaning court.

The top U.S. court could agree to hear the matter in the session beginning in October, putting it on track to decide the case within a year. It could also decline to review Prop 8.

President Barack Obama last month turned gay marriage into a 2012 campaign issue, saying he believed same-sex couples should be able to marry. Republican Mitt Romney disagrees.

The vast majority of U.S. states limit marriage to opposite-sex couples, and popular votes have consistently approved bans on widening those rights.

But polls show growing acceptance of same-sex nuptials, which have been legalized in eight states and the District of Columbia, thanks to votes by legislators and court decisions.

The 1st Circuit Court of Appeals in Boston last week ruled that the federal Defense of Marriage Act unconstitutionally denied benefits to same-sex couples in a state where gay marriage was legal.

The U.S. Supreme Court would set national precedent if it decided to take the California case. Appeals courts have so far declined to rule broadly on whether marriage is a fundamental human right for same-sex couples as well as heterosexuals.

U.S. drone strikes targeted Al Qaeda second-in-command

ISLAMABAD, Pakistan — The fate of Al Qaeda’s second-in-command remained unknown Tuesday after Pakistani intelligence sources confirmed that U.S. drone missile strikes targeted the compound near the Afghan border where he was believed to be staying.

The death of Abu Yahya al-Libi would mark another significant milestone in Washington’s bid to dismantle the Al Qaeda terrorist network. Al-Libi became the top deputy after Ayman Zawahiri took over the militant group following the May 2011 U.S. commando raid that killed Osama bin Laden in the Pakistani city of Abbottabad.

However, there were conflicting reports on whether Al-Libi was killed in the strikes, which occurred Monday in Hesokhel. The small village is located in North Waziristan, a tribal region that has long been a stronghold for Al Qaeda, the Taliban, the Haqqani network and a host of other militant groups.

Some Pakistani intelligence sources said on Tuesday that it appeared Al-Libi, a Libyan national, may have been killed in the second of two drone strikes targeting the area. He was in a vehicle at the time, the sources said.

Other Pakistani intelligence sources, however, stressed there was no information on whether Al-Libi was killed in the strikes. Sources within the Pakistani Taliban denied that Al-Libi was slain, though they said his driver and another Al Qaeda militant died in the attack.

Washington has stepped up its drone campaign against Al Qaeda and Taliban militants in Pakistan’s tribal regions in recent weeks, despite Islamabad’s repeated demands that the U.S. abandon the use of drone attacks against militant groups. Pakistani civilian and military leaders insist that the tactic violates their country’s sovereignty and provides tribesmen along the Afghan border a motive to join the ranks of insurgents.

Nevertheless, Washington has carried out seven drone strikes within Pakistan in the last two weeks.

In the aftermath of errant U.S. airstrikes that killed 24 Pakistani soldiers near the Afghan border last November, Pakistani officials have demanded an end to all drone strikes as a condition to a full restoration of ties between Washington and Islamabad. Pakistani officials have yet to end a six-month blockade that has prevented Afghanistan-bound NATO supply convoys from using Pakistan as a transit route.

On Tuesday, Pakistan’s Foreign Ministry summoned U.S. Deputy Ambassador Richard Hoagland to protest the continuation of drone strikes on Pakistani territory. The issue, the ministry said in a prepared release, “represented a clear red line for Pakistan.”

Damascus merchants put up shutters in challenge to Assad

In the biggest act of civil disobedience by Damascus merchants in Syria's 15-month-old uprising, many stores have been closed for a week in protest against the massacre of more than 100 people in Houla on May 25.

The closures have affected districts all across the capital, from the Old City market to opposition areas where 70 percent of stores appeared shut despite what shopkeepers said were attacks and threats by security forces to force them to reopen.

"We want to participate in the strike but at the same time we are afraid of the reaction of the security police," said Mohammed, who owns a clothes shop in the traditional al-Hamidiya souk - a long, covered walkway that cuts through the Old City.

Widespread closures in the capital, a stronghold of President Bashar al-Assad, represent a major challenge to the Syrian leader and Mohammed said security forces had broken open his locked shop door a few days ago to intimidate him.

Mohammed, who asked to only use his first name to avoid identification by police, said that the action was a piecemeal attempt that he and other merchants have tacitly agreed to in protest against the killing of 108 civilians in Houla in violence blamed by the United Nations on army shelling and pro-Assad militiamen.

"The strike does send a political message," he said, although admitting that the opposition movement was still weak.

Since the attack, Mohammed has opened the shutters to give the impression that his shop is open, but the door is in fact closed while he sits outside in case the police return. During a tour of the Hamidiya souk it appeared that around half of the shops remained shut.

Most Syrians to buy their goods from small local merchants, rather than modern supermarkets, and the dampening effect of the strike is tangible in Damascus' lonely streets.

The Hamidiya souk, a centuries-old cobblestoned street linked to a maze of smaller alleyways winding through the capital, used to be a hive of activity where rich businessmen would make deals and sell merchandise over sugared tea. Now it stands quiet, a backwater in the centre of the capital.

Sunni Muslim merchants have traditionally formed the core of the business community in the Syrian capital and in the commercial hub Aleppo, Syria's most populous city.

Assad, and his late father - from Syria's minority Alawite sect - forged close ties with the Sunni merchant class, who helped prevent a collapse of the Syrian pound last year by keeping their cash in the bank while everyone rushed to exchange weak pounds for dollars.

However, Assad is losing support among merchants who are suffering from a stagnant business climate and Western sanctions imposed to put pressure on the defiant president.

And Assad's crackdown on the uprising by Syria's majority Sunnis has lost him many supporters who are enraged by the deaths of more than 10,000 fellow citizens at the hands of Assad loyalists.

70 PERCENT OF SHOPS CLOSED

More than 70 percent of shops are on strike in Sunni opposition districts outside the Old city such as Midan, where activists say government forces have shot and killed demonstrators at weekly protests.

"We open our shops for an hour a day so people can buy essentials," said Midan-based supermarket owner Amin, who also asked Reuters only to use his first name. Like Mohammed in Hamidiya, many shop owners in Midan sit in front of their businesses so they can open up quickly if security personnel arrive.

Markets in Damascus have been subject to a heavy security presence over the past week, with new checkpoints erected at their entrances, residents say.

Even districts of Damascus that are predominantly Christian, a minority group that Assad's supporters say will stick by the leader against the largely Sunni revolt, have reported a large number of shop closures.

And in towns on the Damascus outskirts, many of which have witnessed army raids and widespread arrests, residents say the markets have been empty for weeks.

Damascus residents, whether they support the strike or not, say the shop closures have compounded the already dire economic situation. Prices have soared over the past 15 months and sanctions have cut vital trade links.

Many Syrians are unable to buy anything but the bare essentials. Syrian government figures put annual consumer price inflation at 31 percent in April, but residents say basic goods such as sugar, vegetable oil and eggs have doubled in price.

Not all are 100 percent behind the campaign of civil disobedience.

"I feel bad about what happened to the people of Houla," said a restaurant owner in the Kafr Souseh district, where most shops are on strike. "But I have three employees to pay and what use is a strike?" he said, echoing the sentiments of many frustrated businessmen.

For others, the loss in earnings is justified by the disruption they are causing to the heart of the capital where state security forces have been scrambling to give an impression of calm and control while the rest of the country crumbles.

"Strikes are less dangerous than open demonstrations," said a high school teacher from the capital. "We need strikes in shops, schools and universities. It's a safer way to express ourselves."

Russia and China to strengthen trade ties

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The presidents of Russia and China laid out ambitious plans on Tuesday to tie their countries into a closer strategic and economic partnership as both Beijing and Moscow seek to use each other to balance their relationship with the US.
The two presidents set a goal of more than doubling bilateral trade from $83.5bn last year to $200bn in 2020, Hu Jintao, China’s president, said after talks with Vladimir Putin, the Russian president.
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The ambitious target was announced together with a slew of investment and trading deals. It was held up by the two leaders as a sign of new heights for the relationship between two powers to be reckoned with on issues ranging from global trade to the international response to Syria.
Mr Hu said that through closer co-operation China and Russia would “set the global political and economic order in a more fair and rational direction”.
Chinese state media feted Mr Putin, a fairly frequent visitor to Beijing who had last been in town in October 2011, praising close and growing bilateral co-operation and consultation of the two nations on the world stage. People’s Daily, the ruling Communist party’s mouthpiece, even ran a long piece by Mr Putin himself in which he talked up ties with China.
“Without the participation of Russia and China, without considering Russia and China’s interests, no international matter or issue can be discussed and implemented,” he wrote.
Moscow and Beijing have angered western countries with their refusal to back an international intervention in the brewing civil war in Syria.
But Russian and Chinese analysts say the two countries are still far away from a close alliance.
“The reason the Chinese media are hyping the visit like this is that a significant portion of the Chinese leadership, including the military . . . hope to build Russia into an ally to help push back against the US,” said Dmitri Trenin, director of the Carnegie Moscow Center. “But for Mr Putin the focus is mainly on strengthening the economic relationship.” And, he cautioned, historical suspicions lingered. “There remains a lack of trust between the two sides, and none of the two wants a true alliance.”
Chinese observers said the fact that Mr Putin had cancelled his participation in a G8 summit soon after his inauguration last month but had now decided to honour his long-scheduled Beijing visit showed the importance he gave to China.
“But there is no need to exaggerate it,” said Li Ziguo, a professor at the Institute of International Relations. “Following the financial crisis, the world order is being realigned, and the economic centre is shifting from Europe to the Pacific, so Russia hopes to lean towards Asia in its economic development.”
The two governments on Tuesday announced more than a dozen co-operation agreements including a joint venture for the development of long-range civilian aircraft. They also officially launched a joint fund for investments in Russia, the creation of which was first reported by the Financial Times last October.
The Russia-China Investment Fund would make its first investments in timber, logistics or agriculture within two months and was also interested in ports, infrastructure and logistics, Kirill Dmitriev, CEO of the Russian Direct Investment Fund, told the FT.
He said China and Russia would sooner or later handle some of their bilateral trade in their own currencies. “If you consider Chinese investments into the equity of Russian companies the amount is less than $2bn each year and we expect it will grow 10 times over the next five years,” he said.
A long-awaited gas pipeline deal was delayed again as the two sides continue to disagree over pricing, although Mr Putin said he hoped Russia would export “large quantities” of natural gas to China eventually.

Diamond Jubilee: Queen 'humbled' by celebrations

In a message to the nation, she thanked all those who organised the events.

Festivities culminated in an appearance by the senior royals on the Buckingham Palace balcony in front of huge crowds to watch an RAF flypast.

But the Queen's consort, Prince Philip, was absent from her side as he remains in hospital with a bladder infection.

The Earl and Countess of Wessex visited the Duke of Edinburgh on Tuesday afternoon.

Afterwards, Prince Edward said: "He's feeling better." The countess added: "He's in good spirits; he's on good form."

'Happy atmosphere'
The Queen's message was broadcast on television and radio across the UK and Commonwealth.

Continue reading the main story
Analysis


Daniela Relph
Royal correspondent
After Monday's party, today was a more sedate tribute to the Queen.

The Service of Thanksgiving at St Paul's Cathedral was a celebration of 60 years of loyal service and commitment.

In his sermon, the Archbishop of Canterbury spoke of the Queen's "years of utterly demanding yet deeply joyful service". His words are a reflection of the mood throughout the Jubilee celebrations.

Thousands again descended on central London for the ceremonial part of the weekend's festivities - especially the Royal Family's appearance on the balcony of Buckingham Palace.

I have spoken to many people over the past few days about how they view the Queen. Some have been royalists, some far from it. But nearly all have held the Queen in high regard.

The days events have been marked though by the absence of the Duke of Edinburgh. For 60 years he has been at the Queen's side at almost every ceremonial occasion. Today she has been without him.

"The events that I have attended to mark my Diamond Jubilee have been a humbling experience," she said. "It has touched me deeply to see so many thousands of families, neighbours and friends celebrating together in such a happy atmosphere.

"But Prince Philip and I want to take this opportunity to offer our special thanks and appreciation to all those who have had a hand in organising these Jubilee celebrations.

"It has been a massive challenge, and I am sure that everyone who has enjoyed these festive occasions realises how much work has been involved."

She added: "I hope that memories of all this year's happy events will brighten our lives for many years to come.

"I will continue to treasure and draw inspiration from the countless kindnesses shown to me in this country and throughout the Commonwealth. Thank you all."

Earlier on Tuesday, the Queen attended a thanksgiving service at St Paul's Cathedral where Archbishop of Canterbury Dr Rowan Williams paid tribute to her "lifelong dedication".

"I don't think it's at all fanciful to say that, in all her public engagements, our Queen has shown a quality of joy in the happiness of others," he said.

'Tireless leader'
David Cameron, who gave a reading at the service, called her "a real inspiration".


The Queen attended a Jubilee thanksgiving service at St Paul's Cathedral
"We have seen the country come together with a sense of celebration and unity but also tremendous resilience, resilience from people who want to celebrate despite the weather and resilience, of course, from Her Majesty - nothing stops her doing the job she does," the prime minister said.

US President Barack Obama was among those who payed tribute to her "60 extraordinary years".

In a specially recorded message he called the Queen "a steadfast ally, loyal friend and tireless leader" and said she had been "the chief source of resilience" for the unique alliance between his country and the UK throughout her reign.

In other Jubilee events on Tuesday:

Crowds gathered from early morning to cheer the Queen on her journey from Buckingham Palace to St Paul's
The congregation at the cathedral included a large representation from the government, military personnel and members of the royal household, alongside diplomats and foreign leaders
After the service, the Queen attended a reception at nearby Mansion House - the official residence of the Lord Mayor of London
The Prince of Wales and Duchess of Cornwall, the Duke and Duchess of Cambridge and Prince Harry were at a similar event at the Guildhall
All of the senior royals then enjoyed a lunch at Westminster Hall before embarking on a carriage procession through packed streets back to the palace
The day ended in an appearance by the senior royals on the palace balcony to watch a flypast by World War II aircraft and the Red arrows
The flypast had been threatened by the sort of bad weather and poor visibility that forced the cancellation of a similar event on Sunday.

But to the delight of the tens of thousands gathered on The Mall - who had surged forward to get as close to Buckingham Palace as possible - it went ahead as planned.


Queen's procession in open-top carriage procession
Other events during the extended Jubilee weekend included a star-studded concert outside Buckingham Palace on Monday night.

At the end the Queen came on to the stage to press a diamond-shaped crystal into a pod, igniting a beacon in The Mall to mark her 60 years on the throne. It was one of more than 4,000 lit across the UK and the Commonwealth.

On Sunday, about a thousand boats took part in the Diamond Jubilee Thames River Pageant, the first of its kind for 350 years.

Syria permits aid workers to enter 4 provinces

Syria agreed to allow aid workers and supply convoys into four of its hardest-hit provinces, where at least 1 million people are in urgent need of aid because of injuries from the bloody civil conflict or the loss of homes and jobs, officials said Tuesday.
President Bashar Assad's government pledged in a written agreement to ease humanitarian access to the provinces even as the regime plunged itself into further international isolation by labeling a string of U.S. and European diplomats as unwelcome.
The deal requires Syria to provide visas to allow in an unspecified number of aid workers from nine U.N. agencies and seven other non-governmental organizations, and to cut through the bureaucratic red tape that has blocked convoys from delivering critically needed food, medicine and other supplies, said John Ging, operations director for the U.N. Office for the Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs.
But officials were quick to caution they will not declare success until the Assad regime delivers on its promises. Ging said he hopes it will be "days, not weeks" before the workers start filtering in and aid is delivered to the provinces of Daraa, Deir el-Zour, Homs and Idlib, and he urged Syria to keep up its end of the bargain.
"Whether this is a breakthrough or not will be evident in the coming days and weeks and it will be measured not in rhetoric, not in agreements, but in action on the ground," Ging told reporters after emerging from a closed-door session in Geneva to discuss the dire humanitarian situation in Syria.
Syria's uprising began with mostly peaceful protests, but a brutal government crackdown with tanks, machine guns and snipers led many in the opposition to take up arms. The violence has grown increasingly chaotic in recent months, and it is difficult to assign blame for much of the bloodshed as the country spirals toward civil war.
Last week, Western nations expelled Syrian diplomats in a coordinated move over a massacre in which more than 100 people were slaughtered over one weekend in Houla, a cluster of small villages. The U.N. says pro-regime gunmen were believed to be responsible for at least some of the killings, but Assad has insisted his forces had nothing to do it.
On Tuesday, Syria barred a string of U.S. and European diplomats, saying they were "no longer welcome." The countries targeted by the expulsion order have already pulled their ambassadors from Damascus, but the move was symbolic of how far diplomatic ties have disintegrated over the course of the uprising that began last year in March.
Foreign Ministry spokesman Jihad Makdissi said Damascus has decided to take a "reciprocal measure" against ambassadors from the U.S., Britain, Turkey, Switzerland, France, Italy and Spain. A number of French, German, Canadian, Bulgarian and Belgian diplomats also are affected, Makdessi said.
Because of visa delays and hassles over customs clearances and how to distribute the supplies, the U.N. has struggled to deliver aid and it has largely trickled in through the Syrian Arab Red Crescent.
The U.N. launched the Syrian Humanitarian Forum, a gathering of diplomats to negotiate for access. "Today marks a step of progress, in that there is now an agreement with the Syrian government on the scale, scope and modality for a humanitarian response in Syria," said Ging after chairing its latest session, where he said Syria's representatives also expressed support for the new plan.
Ging said many in need in the four provinces have been injured during fighting or have lost jobs or homes. More than 78,000 Syrian refugees were also being helped in Iraq, Jordan, Lebanon and Turkey, the U.N. refugee agency said.
The Britain-based Syrian Observatory for Human Rights, which has a network of sources on the ground, said Tuesday that 113 soldiers have been killed in clashes with rebel forces across the country since Friday. The figure was impossible to confirm independently, but the Syrian government confirmed nearly 80 soldiers had been killed over the past three days.

Life's a picnic at the palace Jubilee concert

We joined the long queue that snaked around the perimeter of Buckingham Palace near the Palace convenience store - I wondered if this is where Her Majesty would pop out to get a pint of milk?

The orderly procession moved slowly as we each clutched one of the 10,000 invitations from the Master of the Household at Her Majesty's command to a Jubilee picnic in the garden.

Once through airport-style security scanners we made our way through the palace gates.

We followed the route I had seen prime ministers and presidents take except that we were not greeted by a senior royal official, but by a picnic hamper from Waitrose.

I followed my wife Joanne up the red carpet and into the palace, passing large portraits as we were shown out into the garden.

Joanne knew where she was going as she had been here before for the Golden Jubilee concert.

Ten years ago her sister Alison won a pair of tickets in the ballot and this time Joanne had been successful along with her brother Stephen - the Gilmores must be the luckiest family in Fermanagh in the royal concert lottery.

Continue reading the main story
The picnic menu

chilled British baby plum tomato soup with garden mint-infused oil
tea-smoked Scottish salmon
Diamond Jubilee coronation chicken
Sandringham strawberry crumble crunch
lemon and caraway cake
chocolate indulgence cake decorated with a chocolate crown and sprinkled with popping candy
A cheese selection and Duchy Originals oat biscuits
After collecting a glass of champagne we found a spot next to the lake and spread the contents of the wicker hamper out on the lawn.

The menu was created by chef Heston Blunenthal with the royal chef Mark Flanagan.

Following a starter of chilled British baby plum tomato soup with garden mint-infused oil there was tea-smoked Scottish salmon and a Diamond Jubilee coronation chicken.

Pudding was a Sandringham strawberry crumble crunch along with a lemon and caraway cake and a chocolate indulgence cake decorated with a chocolate crown and sprinkled with popping candy.

A cheese selection was accompanied by Duchy Originals oat biscuits and there was even a pack of royal hand wipes.

Shelter
A brief shower had people donning their Jubilee ponchos and taking shelter under the trees but thankfully this was not going to be the soaking experienced at the Thames pageant the previous day.

Anyone wanting a royal flush had to face another long queue for the executive portable toilets and all too soon it was time to leave.


Ready for anything, but the Diamond Jubilee poncho was only needed briefly.
I left the palace with one final look behind - I am not expecting a knighthood so this will probably be my first and last visit - and made our way to our seats for the concert.

The roundabout around the Queen Victoria Memorial had been transformed into a stage for a spectacular party featuring a galaxy of rock, pop and classical music stars.

Surreal
Robbie Williams kicked off proceedings with Let Me Entertain You.

Jessie J was popular with the crowd (and me I admit) and Grace Jones performance was surreal as she sang Keep It Up in a skin tight red leather outfit while hula hooping.

It was bizarre but very entertaining. I'm not sure what Her Majesty would have thought especially when Grace Jones finished by wishing the Queen a Happy Birthday.

We will never know as The Queen entered the royal box late just missing out on a powerful set by Tom Jones which had tens of thousands singing along to Delilah.

Other highlights for me were Annie Lennox, Alfie Bowe and classical pianist Lang Lang, before the acts I was most anticipating: Shirley Bassey, Elton John, and Stevie Wonder.

They performed some of their most popular hits for the crowd and VIPs to sing-along to and at one stage I saw Prince Andrew on his feet wrapped in a Union flag leading the chorus in the royal box.

Continue reading the main story
“
Start Quote

The three cheers that rang out along the length of The Mall in honour of The Queen were almost as loud as the spectacular fireworks display that followed. ”

With thousands of flags being waved it was a cross between The Last Night of the Proms and a royal karaoke.

The palace itself became part of the performance with spectacular light projections dancing along the facade.

As Madness sang Our House (in the middle of one's street) from the rooftop, the palace was transformed into a row of terraced houses.

The grand finale was led by Sir Paul McCartney with a string of hits from the Beatles and Wings accompanied by pyrotechnics.

The stars then all gathered on stage to welcome Her Majesty and the Prince of Wales.

Witty
Prince Charles caught the popular mood with a witty speech that had the crowd laughing as he talked about "Her Majesty's, mummy's" 60 year reign.

Prince Charles also paid tribute to the comedians who had hosted the concert: Rob Brydon, Miranda Hart, Lenny Henry and Lee Mack "who made those jolly good jokes" - more often than not at the expense of Prince Harry.

The three cheers that rang out along the length of The Mall in honour of The Queen were almost as loud as the spectacular fireworks display that followed.

For the last few hours we had forgotten about recession, austerity and the Eurozone financial crisis.

It was a night to remember for everyone who was there and we left clutching our wicker Jubilee hampers knowing we had been a part of something special.

Pakistan summons US envoy over drone strikes

ISLAMABAD: Pakistan's foreign ministry Tuesday summoned US Charge d'Affaires Richard Hoagland to lodge a formal protest over the series of drone strikes in the country, the ministry said.

The protest came a day after two US drones killed at least 16 people in North Waziristan Monday, the third strike in the area over the past three days.

At least 151 people have been killed in 20 drone strikes launched this year.

"US Charge d'Affaires Ambassador Richard Hoagland was called to the ministry of foreign affairs today (Tuesday). He was officially conveyed the government's serious concern regarding drone strikes in Pakistani territory," Xinhua quoted a ministry statement as saying.

"He (Hoagland) was informed that the drone strikes were unlawful, against international law and a violation of Pakistan's sovereignty," the ministry said.

The statement recalled that the Pakistani parliament had in April stated that the drone strikes were unacceptable.

"Drone strikes represented a clear red-line for Pakistan," the US diplomat was told.

Anti-US sentiment runs high in Pakistan, basically stemming from the drone strikes in Pakistan's northwest border region. The drone strikes have killed hundreds of civilians.

Pakistani authorities have repeatedly condemned the drone strikes in the past but the US has never stopped the attacks.

Heat wave kills 30 in West Bengal

Kolkata: After reports of over 30 deaths, apparently due to an intense heat wave in southern West Bengal, the state administration has started taking precautionary measures.

"We have received reports of 16 unnatural deaths from various hospitals in the Burdwan district on Tuesday," District Magistrate OS Meena told Indo-Asian News Service.

"Keeping in mind the intense heat wave which might result in casualties, we have arranged for additional beds and generators in the hospitals," he said.

Also Read
Heat wave kills 15 in West Bengal
"Drinking water tankers are also being placed in various parts and schools have been asked to extend the summer holidays," he added.

While Hooghly reported three such deaths, four people succumbed to the heat in Jhargram in West Midnapore. Two deaths due to intense heat were reported from Howrah and Kolkata, district sources said.

Officials of several other district administrations have taken similar precautionary steps.

While the mercury touched 40.2 degrees Celsius in Kolkata -- five degrees above normal - the temperature rose even higher in the other parts of South Bengal.

The Regional Meteorological Centre forecast the heat wave would continue and said a change in the weather conditions was unlikely in the next 24 hours.

Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee has asked the education department to order the schools to extend the summer holidays till June 17.

The intense heat has even forced advocates of the Calcutta High Court to declare cessation of work till Monday.

Dimple Yadav files nomination in Kannauj; Cong, BJP not to contest

Dimple Yadav, wife of Uttar Pradesh Chief Minister Akhilesh Yadav, today filed her nomination for the Lok Sabha by-election from Kannauj where Congress decided not to enter the fray, reflecting the growing bonhomie between the two parties ahead of Presidential poll.

35-year-old Dimple, who suffered a humiliating defeat at the hands of Congress' Raj Babbar in the by-polls for the Firozabad Lok Sabha seat in 2009, may have a smooth run in the June 24 election in view of the fact BJP has also decided not to put up its candidate and the BSP still undecided.

Accompanied by her husband, Dimple, filed the papers before the returning officer after both of them addressed a rally.

Seeing a buffer in SP, which provides outside support to the UPA government, Congress is keen to covet the party's 68,000 vote value in the Presidential election as a quid pro quo.

Congress General Secretary Digvijay Singh, however, sought to disguise the party strategy saying, "we had not contested the seat in the 2009 Lok Sabha election and we are not contesting it now."

The Kannauj by-election has been necessitated following the resignation of Akhilesh Yadav after his election to the Legislative Council.

However, what is surprising is the decision of BJP not to enter the fray in Kannauj and the BSP keeping the suspense about its strategy.

At the meeting of BJP election Committee here, it was decided not to contest Kannauj by-polls claiming that party's priority was local bodies elections in which it was focussing.

BJP asks Cong to look within instead of criticising Opposition

New Delhi: Taking offence at the attack on the Opposition by the Congress Working Committee at its conclave, BJP on Tuesday asked the ruling party to first look within saying its own leaders and coalition partners were responsible for the corruption in UPA government.

"They have a right to criticise us and we have no objection to that. They have nothing to say about their own achievements but the manner in which the Opposition was criticised without any basis is unfortunate," BJP Chief spokesperson Ravi Shankar Prasad said.

Congress President Sonia Gandhi had defended Prime Minister Manmohan Singh and alleged that the Opposition was uduly critical of the government.

"The almost reckless criticism of the Opposition for articulating the inefficiencies and corruption of this government is truly surprising," Prasad said, adding that this was inspite of over 40 Congress leaders conveying their "deep concern" at the conclave on price rise and rampant corruption had dented the government's image.



BJP charged that both Sonia Gandhi and Singh have tried to run away from this "stark reality".

"To live in chronic denial is the DNA of Congress. It tries to run away from reality," Prasad said.

He also rubbished allegations of "conspiracy theories" being at work against the Congress.

"Congress should remember that this always fails. During the JP movement in the 1970s, Indira Gandhi and Deokant Barua (then Congress President) alleged that JP is a leader of a group of conspirators. Then in 1987-88, during Bofors they said conspiracy theories. And now again. This is the India of 2012, a changed India," Prasad said.

Dhoni MS Dhoni visits Leh

Mahendra Singh Dhoni, brand ambassador of the Indian Army and captain of country's cricket team, on Tuesday arrived at Leh town of Jammu and Kashmir.

Dhoni, who is also an honorary lieutenant colonel of the Territorial Army, was briefed on the unique operational challenges faced by the army on account of rough terrain and hostile weather conditions in the Ladakh region.

Dhoni also interacted informally with the army personnel over a cup of tea at the Leh corps headquarters.

In the afternoon, Dhoni witnessed an exhibition match played between the army and a local cricket team at the highest cricket pitch in the world.

"Spirit of the game came alive when Dhoni cheered not only the army soldiers who had donned the cricket uniform but also the talented local Ladakhi boys when they played exciting shots during the match," a defence release said.

Dhoni is expected Wednesday to visit the army troops deployed in the forward areas, including the world's highest battlefield, the Siachen Glacier.

Mamata wins wards, loses face in civic polls

The Trinamool Congress won four of the six civic bodies for which results were announced today. However, the party that had confidently gone to polls on Sunday hoping to silence both the opposition CPM and ally Congress with its performance lost the two seats that mattered: the CPM retained the prestigious Haldia municipality, located next to Nandigram, while the Congress romped home 11-1 in Cooper’s Camp.

Not only do the results show an erosion in the TMC’s support base since the Assembly polls a year ago, it is also clear that whether she likes it or not, Mamata Banerjee would do well to keep the Congress as an election partner. The civic elections were the first test of their individual strengths since the Assembly polls, and in a large number of wards, Congress votes made up for the winning margin of opposition candidates.

However, the TMC did manage to wrest the Durgapur and Dhupguri municipalities from the Left while retaining Nalhati and Panskura.

Preliminary reports show that the TMC vote share went down in 22 of the 129 wards (in the six municipalities) where it had a lead during the Assembly polls.

Even the CPM didn’t expect to retain Haldia, with its local strongman Lakshman Seth behind bars on charges of murder. The party’s organisational set-up was in a shambles, destroyed by the TMC’s aggressive inroads. TMC MP Suvendu Adhikari, the architect of the party’s Nandigram movement, had predicted a clean sweep, 26-0, for his party in Haldia.

Apart from its location near Nandigram — which was the epicentre of the TMC’s turnaround story in Bengal — Haldia is also the showpiece of whatever industry is left in the state. All the trade union units here have shifted sides from CITU to the All India Trinamool Trade Union Congress, while all the MLAs, MPs from here belong to the TMC and the party controls all the zilla parishads.

US wants India to play more active role in Afghanistan

NEW DELHI: US defense secretary Leon Panetta will encourage India to take a more active role in Afghanistan as international forces draw down after a decade of war, US officials said on Tuesday as the Pentagon chief arrived in New Delhi for two days of talks.

The officials, speaking on condition of anonymity, acknowledged the longstanding rivalry between India and Pakistan for influence in Afghanistan but insisted that both countries had an interest in working with the international community to ensure stability in their northern neighbour.

"There is a risk that the tensions and historical mistrust between India and Pakistan could lead them to view their respective roles in Afghanistan as being in conflict," one official said. "This is not predestined. This does not have to be the case."

Pakistan wields considerable influence over neighbouring Afghanistan, while India is already one of its biggest bilateral donors, having pledged about $2 billion since the 2001 US led-invasion for projects from the construction of highways to the building of the Afghan parliament.

In October, India and Afghanistan signed a wide-ranging agreement to deepen ties, including to help train Afghan security forces, a deal that angered Pakistan.

"India and Pakistan share an interest, the same interest that we have, of peace and stability in Afghanistan," the official said. "That makes Pakistan more peaceful and stable and it makes India a lot more stable."

Their remarks came as Panetta flew to India as part of his week-long Asia tour to explain a new U.S. military strategy to allies and partners in the region. The strategy calls for a shift in U.S. focus to the Asia-Pacific region.

Panetta announced on Saturday during a speech at the Shangri-La Dialogue, a security conference in Singapore, that the U.S. military would rebalance its military assets so that by the year 2020 60 percent of U.S. warships would be in the region, versus 50 percent now.

The officials said the United States views India as a logical partner to work with on security and stability issues in the Indian Ocean region and that India was singled out for its importance in the new strategy.

SUSPICION

Panetta is expected to elaborate on that theme during his meetings with senior defence and political leaders, as well as in a speech at a think tank on Wednesday.

India has a long history of involvement in the country and its activities have often been viewed suspiciously by Pakistan, which is concerned about being diplomatically encircled by its longtime enemy.

India has trained Afghan army and police over the past decade, but on a relatively small scale, the U.S. officials said. It has also increasingly helped Afghanistan with its economic reconstruction, the officials said.

"As we look to the future development of peace and stability in Afghanistan ... we know that the regional actors, Afghanistan's neighbours and extended neighbours like India will play a greater role," one official said.

"That's historically been the case in Afghanistan and that's going to be the case again. And we welcome that."

The official said the United States would like to see "all of the neighbours, including Pakistan and India, harmonize their approaches because they do share an interest in peace and stability in Afghanistan."

The two sides will also discuss their military cooperation, including weapons and training needs.

"We believe that it's very important, again, to help India modernize its capabilities and develop its military capabilities so it can be a net provider of security in the region and internationally," the official said.

The United States is keen to get a bigger slice of India's defence acquisitions, and is negotiating to sell it about a dozen Apache helicopters along with other weapons.

Javdekar No dissension in BJP: Javdekar

Indore: Days after its party mouthpiece launched a veiled attack on leaders including Gujarat Chief Minister Narendra Modi and B S Yeddyurappa, the BJP on Tuesday put up a brave face, claiming "there is no dissension in the party".

"There is no squabbling among party leaders" the party spokesperson Prakash Javdekar told reporters here in reference to the attack made on several saffron leaders in the party magazines,Kamal Sandesh, Panchjanya and Organiser.

"they are like any series of newspapers in the country... Every magazine editor got his idea and concept to write freely as newspapers are doing. It is the media which is making their own interpretation from party's magazine(s) ....Ghar ke andar koi ladayee nahin hai (No internal strife in BJP)," Javdekar said. He was reacting to the editorial in Kamal Sandesh which appealed the party leaders to rise above the petty issues of "self" and "other" besides that of "self existence" and come together for the existence of the party.



On the posters of party leader Sanjay Joshi coming up in Ahmedabad, Javdekar said, "I do not see such posters...Where are they?".

Though the posters did not name Modi directly, it is apparent that the snub is aimed at the chief minister who had his way in elbowing out Joshi from the BJP national executive held in Mumbai last month.

On BJP president Nitin Gadkari touching feet of Yoga guru Baba Ramdev, Javadekar said," Gadkari has touched the feet of a sant (Baba Ramdeo) not of any "rakshasa" (demon)... We are not followers of Baba Ramdev or Anna Hazare. Corruption and black money were the issues that BJP had raised years ago".

Targetting the Manmohan Singh-led UPA government at Centre over its failure to rein in inflation and corruption, the party spokesperson said the dual factors herald a "bad omen" for Congress ahead of the 2014 general elections.

"Inflation coupled with corruption is diabolic to economy. It signals that change in regime is apparent as it had happened in 1975 during Emergency and during economic crises of 1977, 1987 and 1999",Javedkar said.

He said, "inflation and corruption would play a major role in 2014 general elections," .

"The Manmohan Singh government is suffering from policy paralysis..I wonder if we should give credit of unleashing economic reforms to Manmohan Singh," Javdekar said.

When asked if the NDA would field its candidate in Presidential polls or support the UPA nominee, he refused to comment, saying let the Congress first announce their nominee.

Javdekar also appealed the UPA government at Centre to distribute free wheat to poor people in the country to check "spiralling prices".

At least 200 lakh tones of wheat is already lying as buffer stock, while 600 lakh tones is the Rabi production, surpassing the godown capacity of 400 lakh tonne, the senior leader said, adding the excessive produce will perish due to climatic conditions.

"If UPA government wants to arrest inflation, it should distribute a bag of wheat to poor for free," Javdekar said.

During former prime minister Atal Bihari Vajpayee's tenure, wheat was sold in market but in UPA there is a high degree of mismanagement as the foodgrain is rotting in absence of sufficient warehouses to store it, he said.

On Finance Minister Pranab Mukherjee's appeal to states to reduce tax to offer some relief to common people from rising petrol prices, Javdekar said,"This is illogical...Centre increases petrol prices and states have to lower them. The Centre receives about Rs 1.5 lakh crore in excise tax from petrol alone..Let the Centre reduce the tax first"

மங்காத்தா பட வில்லன் ரவிக்குமார் சென்னையில் படுகொலை!

அஜீத் நடித்த மங்காத்தா படத்தில் ஒரு வில்லனாக நடித்தவரான ரவிக்குமார் என்கிற குமார் சென்னை அருகே படுகொலை செய்யப்பட்டார். இவர் விஷால் நடித்த வல்லக்கோட்டை உள்ளிட்ட படங்களிலும் நடித்துள்ளார். மேலும் சில டிவி சீரியல்களிலும் நடித்துள்ளார்.

சென்னை எருக்கஞ்சேரியைச் சேர்ந்தவர் ரவிக்குமார். அதே பகுதியைச் சேர்நத் ராஜ்குமார் என்பவர் இவரது நண்பர் ஆவார். அடிக்கடி தனது நண்பரைப் பார்க்க வருவது வழக்கம். ராஜ்குமார் வட்டிக்குப் பணம் கொடுப்பவர். அப்பகுதியைச் சேர்ந்த சிலர் ராஜ்குமாரிடம் வாங்கிய கடனுக்கான வட்டியைக் கொடுக்காமல் ஏமாற்றி வந்ததாக தெரிகிறது.

இதுகுறித்து ரவிக்குமாரிடம் சொல்லி வருத்தப்பட்டுள்ளார் ராஜ்குமார். இதையடுத்து கோபம் பெருக்கெடுக்க, ராஜ்குமாரை தனது பைக்கில் அமர வைத்துக் கொண்டு பணம் கொடுக்காமல் ஏமாற்றி வருபவர்களைப் பார்க்க கிளம்பினார் ரவிக்குமார்.

நேற்று நள்ளிரவு இவர்கள் போயுளள்ளனர். அப்போது பணம் வாங்கிக் கொண்டு ஏமாற்ரி வந்தா ரமேஷ், ஜானி, தேவா உள்ளிட்ட 10க்கும் மேற்பட்டோர் இருவரையும் பைக்கோடு வழிமறித்து சரமாரியாக தாக்கினர். இதை எதிர்பாராத ரவிக்குமாரும், ராஜ்குமாரும் தலை தெறிக்க ஓடினர்.

அப்போது ரவிக்குமாரை அக்கும்பல் மடக்கிப் பிடித்து சரமாரியாக வெட்டி வீழ்த்தியது. இதில் சம்பவ இடத்திலேயே ரவிக்குமார் பலியானார். ராஜ்குமார் சிக்காமல் தப்பி ஓடி உயிர் தப்பினார்.

நண்பருக்காக பஞ்சாயத்துப் பேசப் போய் கடைசியி்ல ரவிக்குமார் பரிதாபமாக பலியாகி விட்டார். கும்பலைச் சேர்ந்தவர்கள் தாக்க வந்தபோது ரவிக்குமாரை விட்டு விட்டு ராஜ்குமார் தப்பி ஓடி விட்டதாக கூறப்படுகிறது.

தனுஷ் படத்தில் ப்ரியா ஆனந்த்!

தனுஷின் வுண்டர்பார் நிறுவனம் தயாரிக்கும் புதிய படத்தில் ஹீரோயினாக நடிக்கிறார் ப்ரியா ஆனந்த்.

'3' படத்தைத் தயாரித்த நிறுவனம்தான் இந்த வுண்டர்பார். கஸ்தூரி ராஜா குடும்ப நிறுவனம்.

பாலச்சந்தர் இயக்கத்தில் வெளியான எதிர்நீச்சல் படத்தை இந்த நிறுவனத்தின் சார்பில் தயாரிக்கிறார் தனுஷ்.

சிவ கார்த்திகேயன் நாயகனாக நடிக்க, அவருக்கு ஜோடியாக ஒப்பந்தம் செய்யப்பட்டுள்ளார் ப்ரியா ஆனந்த்.

வெற்றிமாறனிடம் பணியாற்றிய செந்தில் இந்தப் படம் மூலம் இயக்குநராக அறிமுகமாகிறார்.

கொலை வெறிடி பாட்டைத் தந்த அனிருத் இந்தப் படத்துக்கு இசை அமைக்கிறார். இந்த செய்தி வெளியானதிலிருந்து படம் குறித்த விசாரிப்புகள் ஆரம்பமாகிவிட்டனவாம்.

அதேநேரம், முன்பு 3 படத்தில் ஏற்பட்ட நஷ்டத்தை இந்தப் படம் மூலம் ஈடுகட்டிவிடுவதாக தனுஷ் தரப்பு உறுதியளித்துள்ளதாம்!

சென்னைக்குத்தாம்பா ஆதரவு கொடுத்தேன்... திரிஷா புலம்பல்!

ஐபிஎல் இறுதிப் போட்டியில் நான் சென்னை சூப்பர் கிங்ஸுக்குத்தான் ஆதரவு கொடுத்தேன் என்று பதறியடித்துப் போய்க் கூறியுள்ளார் திரிஷா.

சென்னை சேப்பாக்கம் மைதானத்தில் ஐபிஎல் இறுதிப் போட்டி நடந்தது. சென்னை அணியும், கொல்கத்தா நைட் ரைடர்ஸும் மோதின. இதில் கொல்கத்தா வெற்றி பெற்றது.

போட்டியைக் காண பல திரைப்பட பிரபலங்கள் குவிந்திருந்தனர். கொல்கத்தாவுக்கு ஆதரவு தெரிவித்து ஜெனிலியா, பாடகி உஷா உதுப் உள்ளிட்டோர் வந்திருந்தனர்.

அதேபோல சென்னை அணிக்கு ஜெயம் ரவி, உமா ரியாஸ் உள்ளிட்டோர் ஆதரவு தெரிவித்திருந்தனர். நம்ம திரிஷாவையும் ஸ்டேடியத்தில் காண முடிந்தது.

ஆனால் அவர் கொல்கத்தா ரசிகர்கள் மத்தியில் உட்கார்ந்திருந்தார. இதனால் அவர் கொல்கத்தாவுக்கு ஆதரவாக இருந்துள்ளதாக பேச்சு வெடித்தது. கொல்கத்தா வேறு வெற்றி பெற்றதால் திரிஷா மீது சென்னை சூப்பர் கிங்ஸ் ரசிகர்கள் திரிஷா மீது காட்டமாகியுள்ளனர். டிவிட்டர் மூலமும், பிளாக்குள் மூலமும் திரிஷாவைத் திட்டித் தீர்த்து வருகின்றனராம்.

இது திரிஷாவின் காதுகளுக்குப் போய் அவர் களேபரமாகி விட்டார். நான் எப்போதுமே சென்னையின் ரசிகைதான். நேற்றும் கூட சென்னைக்குத்தான் ஆதரவு கொடுத்தேன். எனது நெருங்கிய தோழி சபீனா கான் அங்கிருந்ததால் அவர் பக்கத்தில் போய் உட்கார்ந்தேன். மற்றபடி நான் கொல்கத்தாவையெல்லாம் ஆதரிக்கவி்ல்லை, சாமி. தயவு செய்து விட்டுடுங்க என்று புலம்பியுள்ளார்.

விடுங்கப்பா, விடுங்கப்பா...

அஜீத்தை தனியாவிட்டு லண்டன் பறந்த குடும்பத்தார்

அஜீத் குமார் படப்பிடிப்புகளில் பிசியாக இருப்பதால் அவரை தனியாக விட்டுவிட்டு அவரது குடும்பத்தார் கோடை விடுமுறையைக் கழிக்க லண்டன் சென்றுள்ளனர்.

அஜீத் குமார் ஷூட்டிங்களில் பிசியாக இருக்கிறார். இந்நிலையில் விஷ்ணுவர்தன் இயக்கும் இன்னும் பெயரிடப்படாத படத்தில் நயன்தாரா, ஆர்யா, டாப்ஸி ஆகியோருடன் நடிக்கவிருக்கிறார். அந்த படத்தின் ஷூட்டிங் நாளை மும்பையில் துவங்குகிறது. இதற்கிடையே அவரது குடும்பத்தார் கோடை விடுமுறையைக் கழிக்க லண்டன் செல்ல திட்டமிட்டனர். ஆனால் அஜீத்துக்கு படப்பிடுப்புகள் இருப்பதால் அவர் லண்டன் வருவது கஷ்டம் என்பதை அவரது குடும்பத்தார் உணர்ந்தனர்.

இதையடுத்து அஜீத்தின் மனைவி ஷாலினி, செல்ல மகள் அனோஷ்கா, மாமனார், மைத்துனி ஷாமிலி ஆகியோர் மட்டும் லண்டன் பறந்துவிட்டனர். அவர்கள் எல்லாம் ஜாலியாக லண்டனை சுற்றிப் பார்க்க தல மட்டும் இங்கு தனியாக உள்ளார்.

படப்பிடிப்புகள் இருப்பதால் குடும்பத்தார் வீட்டில் இல்லாதது ஒரு வேளை வித்தியாசமாக தெரியாமல் இருக்கலாம். ஆனால் அவர் நிச்சயம் தனது மகளை மிஸ் பண்ணுவார்.

ஷாருக்கான் வாழக்கையில் என்ன தான் நடக்குது?

பாலிவுட் கிங் ஷாருக்கானின் திருமண வாழ்க்கை சிக்கலில் இருப்பதாக பேச்சு அடிபடுகிறது. 

சீரியல்களில் நடிக்கும் போதே கௌரியைப் பார்த்து காதலில் விழுந்து அவரையே திருமணம் செய்தவர் ஷாருக்கான். மனைவியின் நம்பிக்கைக்கு பாத்திரமானவர் என்று பெயர் எடுத்திருந்தார். எங்கு சென்றாலும் கணவனும், மனைவியும் ஜோடியாக செல்வார்கள். இந்நிலையில் ஷாருக் நடிகை பிரியங்கா சோப்ராவுடன் மிகவும் நெருங்கிப் பழக ஆரம்பித்தார்.

இது கௌரிக்கு கொஞ்சமும் பிடிக்கவில்லை. இந்த விவகாரத்தால் அவர்கள் அடிக்கடி சண்டை போட்டுக் கொள்வதாக செய்திகள் வெளியாகின. இந்நிலையில் தற்போது பார்ட்டி, விருது விழா என்று எங்கு சென்றாலும் ஷாருக் தனியாகத் தான் செல்கிறார். கடந்த ஆண்டு ஐபில் போட்டிகளில் அரங்கிற்கு வந்து வீரர்களை ஊக்குவித்த கௌரி இந்த சீசனில் ஆளையே காணோம்.

ஷாருக்கானின் கொல்கத்தா நைட் ரைடர்ஸ் அணி ஐபில் கோப்பையை கைப்பற்றிதற்காக மேற்கு வங்க முதல்வர் மமதா பானர்ஜி அவர்களுக்கு இன்று பாராட்டு விழா நடத்தினார். அந்த விழாவிற்கும் ஷாருக் கான் தனியாகத் தான் வந்து ஆட்டம் போட்டுக் கொண்டிருந்தார். கௌரியைக் காணவில்லை.
  

கேவி ஆனந்த் இயக்கத்தில் ஏஜிஎஸ் தயாரிப்பில் ரஜினி?

கோச்சடையான் படம் முடிந்ததும் ரஜினி அடுத்து நடிக்கவிருப்பது ராணாதான் என பலரும் சொல்லிக் கொண்டிருக்க, கடந்த சில தினங்களாக புதிய பரபரப்பு கிளம்பியுள்ளது.

கே வி ஆனந்த் இயக்கத்தில் அவர் நடிக்க சம்மதித்திருப்பதாகவும், இதற்காக ஆனந்தை அவர் இருமுறை தன் அலுவலகத்துக்கு வரவழைத்து ஆலோசனை செய்துள்ளதாகவும் செய்திகள் வெளியாகியுள்ளன.

தன்னைச் சந்தித்த ஆனந்திடம், கோச்சடையான் முடியும் வரை எதையும் வெளிப்படுத்த வேண்டாம். சூழலைப் பொறுத்து சொல்லிக் கொள்ளலாம் என ரஜினி சொன்னதாகவும், ஆனால் தகவல் அறிந்த சிலர் விஷயத்தை கசியவிட்டதால், மீடியாவில் பரபரப்பாகிவிட்டதாகவும் கூறுகிறார்கள்.

கே.வி.ஆனந்தும் அவரது ஆஸ்தான எழுத்தாளர்கள் சுபாவும் இணைந்து ரஜினிக்கென ஒரு அதிரடி கதையை தயார் செய்து வருகிறார்களாம்.

ரஜினி – கே.வி.ஆனந்த் கூட்டணித் தகவலை கேள்விப்பட்ட ஏ.ஜி.எஸ். நிறுவனம் இப்படத்தினை எப்படியாவது தங்களது நிறுவனத்தின் மூலம் தயாரிக்க வேண்டும் என்ற முனைப்பு காட்டி வருகிறது.

இன்னொரு பக்கம், தனது ஆஸ்கர் ரவிச்சந்திரனும் இந்தப் படத்தை தனது பேனரில் செய்யுமாறு ஆனந்தை கேட்டு வருகிறாராம்.

ரஜினியே சொல்லும் வரை இவையெல்லாவற்றுக்குமே 'வதந்தி' அந்தஸ்துதான்!

புகைப்பதை நான் விட்டுவிட்டேன்.. நீயும் விட்டுடு அம்பரீஷ்!- சூப்பர் ஸ்டார் ரஜினி

பெங்களூர்: புகைப் பிடிப்பதை நான் விட்டுவிட்டேன். நீயும் அந்தப் பழக்கத்தை விட்டுவிடு அம்பரீஷ், என சூப்பர் ஸ்டார் ரஜினி கூறினார்.

கன்னட நடிகர் அம்பரீசின் 60-வது பிறந்தநாள் விழா பெங்களூரில் நடந்தது. தமிழ், தெலுங்கு, இந்தி நடிகர், நடிகைகள் விழாவில் பங்கேற்று அம்பரீசின் 40 ஆண்டு கால திரையுலக சாதனைகளை பாராட்டிப் பேசினர். ரஜினியும் நேரில் வாழ்த்தினார்.

அவர் பேசும்போது, அம்பரீஷ் திறமையான நடிகர். அவரிடம் கிருஷ்ணர், பீமன், சகுனி, துரியோதனன் அம்சங்களைப் பார்க்கிறேன். சமையலில் பீமனுக்கு நிகர் அவர். பிரியாணி சாப்பிடுவதற்காக அவரது வீட்டுக்கு போவேன். கர்ணனைப் போன்ற கொடையாளி.

துரியோதனனைப் போல அனைத்து நல்லது கெட்டதுகளையும் அறிந்தவர் அவர். துரியோதனனைப் போலவே, கெட்ட விஷயம் தெரிந்த பிறகும் விடாமல் இருக்கிறார்.

புகை பிடிப்பதனால் வரும் பாதிப்புகள் அம்பரீசுக்கு தெரியும். ஆனாலும் அதை அவர் விடவில்லை. புகைப் பழக்கத்தால்தான் என் உடல்நிலை இந்த அளவு பாதிக்கப்பட்டது. அதனால் நான் அடியோடு அதை விட்டுவிட்டேன். அம்பரீஷ், நீயும் இந்தப் பழக்கத்தை இன்றோடு விட்டுவிடு," என்றார்.

தொடர்ந்து சத்ருகன் சின்ஹா பேசுகையில், "புகைப்பிடிக்கும் பழக்கத்தை அம்பரீஷ் விட்டு விட வேண்டும். ரஜினி, அம்பரீஷ் மற்றும் நான் சினிமாவில் ஸ்டைலாக சிகரெட் பிடிப்பவர்கள். சில வருடங்களுக்கு முன் புகையிலை ஒழிப்பு தினமான மே 31-ல் சிகரெட் பிடிப்பதை நான் நிறுத்தி விட்டேன். ரஜினியும் நிறுத்திவிட்டார்.

அதுபோல் அம்பரீஷும் இப்பழக்கத்தை விட வேண்டும். புகையை விடுவதால் உடல் ஆரோக்கியம் ஏற்படும். ரசிகர்கள் நீண்ட காலம் அவரை பார்க்கவேண்டும்," என்றார்.

ஓ.கே. ஓ.கே. டாட்டூ குத்திய உதயநிதி

உதயநிதி ஸ்டாலின் தனது முதல் படமான ஓ.கே. ஓ.கே. என்ற தலைப்பை தனது உடலில் பச்சை குத்தியுள்ளாராம்.

தயாரிப்பாளராக இருந்த உதயநிதி ஸ்டாலின் ஒரு கல் ஒரு கண்ணாடி படம் மூலம் ஹீரோவானார். ஹன்சிகா, சந்தானம் உள்ளிட்டோர் நடித்த இந்த படம் வெற்றிகரமாக ஓடுகிறது. இன்னும் சில நாட்களில் 50 நாட்களை தொடவிருக்கிறது. இந்த படத்தில் புதுமுக நாயகன் உதயநிதியின் நடிப்பு பேசப்பட்டுள்ளது.

இந்நிலையில் தான் நடித்த முதல் படம் அதுவும் ஹிட்டான படத்தின் நினைவு தனது வாழ்நாள் முழுக்க இருக்க வேண்டும் என்பதற்காக அவர் படத்தின் முதல் எழுத்துகளான ஓ.கே.ஓ.கே. வை தனது உடலில் பச்சை குத்தியுள்ளார். அவர் ஏற்கனவே தனது மகன் இன்பா மற்றும் மகள் தன்மயா ஆகியோரின் பெயர்களை பச்சை குத்தி வைத்துள்ளார் என்பது குறிப்பிடத்தக்கது.

வழக்கமாக காதலன், காதலி பெயரை பச்சை குத்துவார்கள். ஏன் ஆக்ஷன் கிங் அர்ஜுன் நாட்டுபற்று மிகுதியால் நம் தேசியக் கொடியை கையில் பச்சைக் குத்தியுள்ளார். இந்நிலையில் உதயநிதி சற்று வித்தியாசமாக படத்தின் பெயரை பச்சை குத்தியுள்ளார்.

அண்ணாமலை ரீமேக்கி்ல் விஜய்?

சூப்பர் ஸ்டார் ரஜினிகாந்த் நடித்த சூப்பர் ஹிட் படம் அண்ணாமலையை ரீமேக் செய்கிறார்கள் என்றும், அதில் விஜய் நடிக்கிறார் என்றும் செய்தி பரப்பியுள்ளனர்.

1992ம் ஆண்டு வெளிவந்த படம் அண்ணாமலை. அதில் சூப்பர் ஸ்டார் ரஜினிகாந்த் அப்பாவி பால்காரராக நடித்திருப்பார். அவருக்கு ஜோடியாக குஷ்பு நடித்திருந்தார். அவர்கள் கெமிஸ்ட்ரி அப்போது சூப்பர் ஹிட்டானது. தற்போது அண்ணாமலை படத்தை ரீமேக் செய்கிறார்கள் என்று கோலிவுட்டில் பேச்சு அடிபட்டது. மேலும் அதில் ரஜினி ரோலில் நடிக்க விஜய் ஆர்வமாக உள்ளார் என்றும் கூறப்பட்டது.

படத்தை எடுப்பவர்கள் குஷ்பு ரோலில் சின்ன குஷ்பு என்று அழைக்கப்படும் ஹன்சிகாவை நடிக்க வைக்க வலியுறுத்தினர் என்று செய்தி வெளியானது. வேலாயுதம் படத்தின் மூலம் விஜய்-ஹன்சிகா ஜோடி வெற்றி ஜோடியாக ஆனது என்பது குறிப்பிடத்தக்கது.

ஒரே பேச்சாக கிடக்கிறதே என்று இளைய தளபதி விஜயிடமே கேட்டதற்கு, அண்ணாமலை படத்தை ரீமேக் செய்வது பற்றி நான் எதுவும் கேள்விப்படவில்லையே என்றார்.

சரி ஹன்சிகாவிடம் கேட்டுப் பார்க்கலாமே என்று சென்றால், எனக்கே இது புது செய்தி. நானே சில இணையதளங்களில் வந்த செய்தியைப் பார்த்து தான் தெரிந்து கொண்டேன் என்றார்.

யாரப்பா இந்த புரளியைக் கிளப்பிவிட்டது?

ஈகோவே இல்லாதவர் 'தல': ஆர்யா புகழாரம்

அஜீத் குமார் புகழ் பாடும் நடிகர்கள் பட்டியிலில் லேட்டஸ்டாக சேர்ந்திருப்பவர் ஆர்யா.

அஜீத் குமாரை வைத்து இயக்குனர் விஷ்ணுவர்தன் எடுக்கும் படத்தில் ஆர்யாவும் நடிக்கிறார். அவருக்கு ஜோடியாக டாப்ஸி நடிக்கிறார். இன்னும் பெயரிடப்படாத இந்த படத்தில் நடிக்க ஆர்யா ஓவர் ஆர்வமாக உள்ளார்.

இந்நிலையில் அஜீத் குறித்து ஆர்யா கூறுகையில்,

எனக்கு அஜீத் படங்கள் மிகவும் பிடிக்கும். அவருக்கு ஈகோவே கிடையாது. மங்காத்தா நடிகர்களுடன் அவர் பழகிய விதத்தை பார்க்க வேண்டுமே. அவர் டெக்னீஷயன் முதல் சக நடிகர்கள் வரை அனைவரையும் சரிசமமாக பார்ப்பார். எனது பிறந்தநாளைக்கு எனக்கு வாழ்த்து கூறினார். நம் கூட்டணி சிறப்பாக இருக்கப் போகிறது என்று அவர் என்னிடம் தெரிவித்தார்.

விஷ்ணுவர்தன் எனக்கு நல்ல நண்பர். அவர் கேட்டால் நான் அவருக்காக துணை நடிகராகக் கூட நடிக்க தயங்கமாட்டேன் என்றார்.

தல கூட பழகும் அனைவருமே அவர் புகழ் பாடும் மாயம் தான் என்ன?

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Spain must tell Europe Bankia restructure plans: European Commission

Spain must lay out its plans for the refinancing of nationalized lender Bankia (BKIA.MC) to the European Commission, EC spokesman Amadeu Altafaj said on Thursday.

"What we need first of all is for the Spanish government to tell us its restructuring plans for Bankia, what options it is considering," he said. "From there, we will study the plans and see whether they comply with requirements for public aid."

Asian Stocks Fall as Yen Rises; Treasury Yields Drop to Record

May 31 (Bloomberg) -- Asian stocks tumbled, heading for the biggest monthly drop in more than three years, while U.S. bond yields fell to a record low and the yen strengthened as divisions widened over solving Europe's debt crisis.

The MSCI Asia Pacific Index lost 0.7 percent as of 2:46 p.m. in Tokyo, set for an 11 percent monthly decline. Futures on the Standard & Poor's 500 Index rose 0.2 percent. Yields on 10- year Treasuries slid as much as 3 basis points to 1.59 percent, while similar-maturity Australian debt fell below 3 percent for the first time. The yen reached the highest in more than three months against the dollar. Rubber plunged 5.1 percent.

World stock markets have lost $4.1 trillion this month amid concern Europe's crisis is spreading. The cost of protecting Spanish bonds against default climbed to a record yesterday and a Greek poll showed support for anti-austerity parties ahead of elections next month, while the European Commission challenged Germany's remedies to the financial crisis. India's economy and Japan's industrial production expanded less than forecast by economists.

"The market is genuinely worried about the potential disorderly default and exit by Greece and what that means in terms of contagion risks," said Prasad Patkar, who helps manage about $1 billion at Platypus Asset Management Ltd. in Sydney. "It will have to be a response by governments and the central bank to stem the panic in the market."

Alternate Edwards jurors are released

It was Day Eight of deliberations. They had fueled speculation with matching shirts.

By Michael Biesecker
Associated Press

John Edwards. The four jurors seemed pleased to go.
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GREENSBORO, N.C. - The judge overseeing the John Edwards campaign-corruption trial sent the jury home Wednesday after eight days of talks without a verdict and released the four alternate jurors, who have garnered attention for their matching shirts but have not participated in the deliberations.
U.S. District Judge Catherine C. Eagles cautioned the alternates not to discuss or read media reports about the trial in case they need to be recalled. Eagles gave no indication whether she believed the 12 jurors were any closer to deciding the fate of the two-time Democratic presidential candidate.

The four alternate jurors began drawing attention last week when they wore the same color shirts, including shades of yellow, red, and, on Wednesday, purple. The alternate jurors appeared ecstatic they were going home, with one woman pumping her fist in apparent delight.

"This means you can go back to your lives," Eagles told the alternates. "Everyone in the courtroom will miss your cheerful faces and regret not knowing the color for tomorrow."

The move came after Eagles met privately with prosecutors and Edwards' defense lawyers at least six times in the last three days court was in session, providing no public explanation other than that they were discussing a "juror issue" and a "note from a juror."

Kieran Shanahan, a former federal prosecutor and Raleigh defense attorney who has been attending the trial, said that if the issue involved the entire jury, proper procedure would be for Eagles to read the note in open court. However, if the issue involves a single juror, the judge could be trying to protect that individual's privacy, he said.

Edwards faces six felony counts in a case involving nearly $1 million provided by two wealthy political donors to help hide the Democrat's pregnant mistress as he sought the White House in 2008.

The jurors must sift through notes from 17 days of testimony and review about 500 trial exhibits, many of them voluminous phone and financial records. They must not only determine whether Edwards knew about the secret payments, which he has denied, but whether he realized he was violating federal law by allowing them.

As the four alternate jurors left the courtroom for what may be the last time, a smile disappeared from Eagles' face.

"At least we have four happy people," the judge said.

Orangevale entrant in National Spelling Bee bows out in third round

Orangevale's Jack Maglalang entered the 2012 National Spelling Bee with the savoir-faire of a seasoned veteran.

At the very least, the 12-year-old sixth-grader at Pershing Elementary School knew the lay of the land, having competed in last year's bee. This time, as one of 278 spellers to take the stage, Jack felt much more prepared.

"It's still nerve-wracking," Jack said, "but it doesn't feel as huge as last year."

Jack's grace under pressure showed first thing Wednesday morning, as he nailed "fugleman" in the second round of the competition. Google it, or go old-school with an actual dictionary, and discover the word means a leader, or, originally, a soldier who stands as a role model for others.

In the third round, Jack missed the word "Labanotation," a term for a system used to record human movement. Combined with the score from an earlier written test, this meant Jack was knocked out of the contest that concludes with today's semifinals and finals. He was pretty disappointed at first, but then some minutes passed and things didn't seem permanently bad.

"I can relax now, and have fun in D.C.," Jack said, and "there's probably going to be no more studying for a while."

Jack and his competitors first confronted a 50-word preliminary test Tuesday, delivered individually via computer and headphones. Only 25 of the words counted, but the spellers, who ranged in age from an audience-charming 6-year-old to several 15-year-old high-schoolers, didn't know which ones those were.

The scores from the preliminary test were combined with results from the second and third rounds conducted in public Wednesday to yield 50 semifinalists who advanced to today's rounds. The finals in the 85th annual event, formally called the Scripps National Spelling Bee, will be broadcast on ESPN starting at 5 p.m. today. By reaching the semifinals, students earn gift cards worth $600, in addition to a dictionary on CD-ROM. The winner receives financial prizes totaling $37,500, plus other goodies. Students knocked out Wednesday receive $100 gift cards and dictionaries.

Although the fundamentals have stayed the same, the atmosphere has become flashier since Sacramento student Rageshree Ramachandran won the national championship in 1988 with her spelling of the word "elegiacal." An eventual Stanford graduate who went on to earn both medical and doctoral degrees, Ramachandran remains the only resident of California's Central Valley to win the national spelling competition.

"Now, there are additional opportunities for academically oriented kids, but in 1988, the National Spelling Bee and the spelling bee circuit in general were some of the only outlets for kids who wanted to take on an interesting, reading-related activity outside of school," she said in an email Wednesday.

Boosted in part by television and the 2002 documentary "Spellbound," the number of contestants in the national bee has risen by about 25 percent since Ramachandran's turn in the spotlight. Each year brings a new star. The overwhelming media interest this time went to 6-year-old Lori Anne Madison of Woodbridge, Va., the youngest-ever contestant, who was eliminated Wednesday.

The event itself has moved from a downtown Washington, D.C., hotel to the relatively remote Gaylord National Resort and Convention Center, in a Maryland location far from any monument.

On the other hand, the spelling bee's staff has started delivering blow-by-blow accounts via Twitter.

Irish referendum explained

13 corpses found in Syria amid massacre fallout

Thirteen bound corpses, many apparently shot execution-style, have been discovered in eastern Syria just days after the massacre of more than 100 people provoked international outrage and the coordinated expulsion of Syrian diplomats from world capitals.
The latest killings happened in Deir el-Zour province, where the bodies were found late Tuesday blindfolded with their hands tied behind their backs, U.N. observers said Wednesday. A statement by the U.N. mission said some appeared to have been shot in the head at close range.
A video posted online by activists showed the men lying face down, pools of dried blood under their heads.
The head of the U.N. observer team, Maj. Gen. Robert Mood, said he was "deeply disturbed by this appalling and inexcusable act."
The fresh killings underline violence that seems to be spiraling out of control as the uprising against President Bashar Assad that began in March 2011 has morphed into an armed insurgency. Activists say as many as 13,000 people have been killed since the revolt began.
In the wake of last weekend's massacre in Houla, in which nearly half of the 108 dead were children, the United States and Western nations expelled Syrian diplomats in protest — a move Syria's state-run media denounced Wednesday as "unprecedented hysteria."
The massacre drew continued harsh criticism Wednesday, even from Syria's closest ally Iran, with Iranian President Mahmoud Ahmadinejad saying that anyone responsible for the killings should be punished. "I'm not excluding anyone from this responsibility," Ahmadinejad told France 24 TV station.
U.N. investigators and survivors have blamed pro-regime gunmen for at least some of the carnage in Houla, a collection of poor farming villages in central Homs province, saying men in civilian clothes gunned down people in the streets and stabbed women and children in their homes. The Syrian government denied its troops were behind the killings and blamed "armed terrorists."
Damascus had said it would conclude its own investigation into the Houla deaths by Wednesday but it was not clear if the findings would be made public. The U.N.'s top human rights body planned to hold a special session Friday to address the massacre.
Meanwhile, violence continued unabated. Syrian forces bombarded rebel-held areas and clashed with army defectors in Homs province, killing at least eight people, activists said.
The United States, Britain, Canada, Australia, France, Germany, Italy, Spain and Bulgaria ordered top Syrian diplomats to leave on Tuesday.
On Wednesday, Turkey, Syria's neighbor and a former close ally, joined the coordinated diplomatic action, saying it ordered the Syrian charge d'affaires and other diplomats at the Syrian Embassy in Ankara to leave the country within 72 hours. The consulate in Istanbul will remain open for consular duties only.
Among the most outspoken critics of the Assad regime, Turkey closed its embassy in Damascus in March and withdrew the ambassador. Its consulate in Aleppo remains open, but the Foreign Ministry said it reduced the number of its personnel there on Wednesday.
Turkey's Prime Minister Recep Tayyip Erdogan also said new unspecified sanctions might be imposed against Syria in the coming days. The world "cannot remain silent in the face of such a situation," he said.
Japan also ordered the Syrian ambassador in Tokyo to leave the country because of concerns about violence against civilians. Japan's foreign minister, Koichiro Genba, said his country was not, however, breaking off diplomatic ties with Syria.
The Obama administration added new sanctions on a Syrian bank Wednesday as a top White House official said the U.S. wants to economically throttle Assad's regime and cut off salaries of pro-government thugs blamed for the grisly massacre in Houla.
The U.S. Treasury Department said the Syria International Islamic Bank has been acting as a front for other Syrian financial institutions seeking to circumvent sanctions. The new penalties will prohibit the bank from engaging in transactions in the U.S. and will freeze any assets under U.S. jurisdiction.
"We are strangling the regime economically," White House deputy national security adviser Denis McDonough said.
The international community has been grappling with ways to quell the deadly violence and spur a political transition. The U.S. and Western countries are loathe to use military intervention similar to last year's campaign in Libya to oust Moammar Gadhafi, fearing a backlash.
The White House said this week that such an assault risks leading to "greater chaos, greater carnage."
But for now, Syria can still count on the support of its allies China and Russia, which on Wednesday criticized the diplomatic moves.
"The banishment of Syrian ambassadors from the capitals of leading Western states seems to us to be a counterproductive step," Russian Foreign Ministry spokesman Alexander Lukashevich said. He said the move closes "important channels" to influence Syria.
U.N. special envoy Kofi Annan met with Assad on Tuesday in Damascus to try to salvage what was left of his peace plan, which since being brokered six weeks ago has failed to stop any of the violence on the ground.
Tensions have escalated as more information emerges about the May 25 killings in Houla.
The U.N.'s human rights office said most of the victims were shot execution-style at close range, with fewer than 20 people cut down by regime shelling.
The U.N. Security Council met behind closed doors Wednesday to hear briefings from Annan's deputy Jean-Marie Guehenno and U.N. peacekeeping chief Herve Ladsous.
U.S. Ambassador Susan Rice warned that a failure of Annan's peace plan could create a spreading conflict that creates "a major crisis" not only in Syria but also region-wide.
"And members of this council and members of the international community are left with the option only of considering whether they are prepared to take actions outside of the Annan plan and the authority of this council," she told reporters.

Obama and Romney, deepening crisis in Syria is a no-win political situation

Escalating violence in Syria has become the ultimate no-win political situation for President Barack Obama and Republican challenger Mitt Romney: The deepening crisis is impossible for their campaigns to ignore but too complex for them to articulate an easy solution.

Romney has seized on the crackdown in Syria as an opportunity to dent Obama’s foreign policy credentials, painting him as weak and indecisive in the face of more than a year of violence. But Romney’s vague prescriptions for what he would do differently have opened him to criticism from the Obama campaign that he is weighing in from the sidelines with “nothing but tough talk” while the president does the real work of managing the crisis.

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The violence in Syria hasn’t captured the full attention of an American electorate consumed by the economy and other domestic issues. But the barbs being traded between the campaigns try to raise questions of leadership for the two men battling for a job filled with unexpected challenges.

Romney zeroes in on what he portrays as a lack of leadership in Obama’s handling of Syria’s 14-month government crackdown on opponents to the regime. Following a weekend massacre of more than 100 Syrian civilians, including dozens of women and children, Romney said the president’s weakness had resulted in a “policy of paralysis.”

In turn, the Obama campaign has sought to cast the president as the one bearing the responsibility for actually handling the crisis. While Obama “has demonstrated his ability to work with world leaders to resolve international conflicts,” campaign spokesman Ben LaBolt said, Romney has a “rudderless foreign policy agenda.”

The heated rhetoric between the rival campaigns belies the fact that there are significant gaps in both candidates’ policy positions on Syria and few differences in the specifics they have offered. And that vagueness does little to shed light on how Obama may approach Syria in the coming months and how Romney would behave if elected this fall.

Both Obama and Romney have called for Syrian President Bashar Assad to step down and clear the way for a political transition. Mindful of the war-weary American public, neither candidate supports direct U.S. military engagement in Syria. And both agree on the need to pressure Russia, which holds veto power on the U.N. Security Council, to end its support of Assad’s regime, though Romney argues that Obama hasn’t been tough enough with Moscow.

Romney, however, has called on the U.S. and its partners to “arm the opposition so they can defend themselves.” But he has offered little sense of what he would do if the ensuing battles didn’t push Assad from power or, if they did, what type of political transition he would support.

Jon Alterman, director of the Middle East program at the Center for Strategic and International Studies, said Romney is unlikely to articulate a fuller vision for Syria before the election because he doesn’t want to own the problem before he needs to.

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Rondo's Game 2 performance one for the record books

MIAMI – All heart, all guts, the embodiment of this version of the Boston Celtics, point guard Rajon Rondo produced a playoff game for the ages: 44 points, 10 assists and eight rebounds, playing all 53 minutes Game 2 of the Eastern Conference finals against the Miami Heat.


By Steve Mitchell, US Presswire
Boston Celtics point guard Rajon Rondo shoots against the Miami Heat during the first half in Game 2 on Wednesday. Rondo had 44 points but the Celtics fell to the Heat.
Enlarge
By Steve Mitchell, US Presswire
Boston Celtics point guard Rajon Rondo shoots against the Miami Heat during the first half in Game 2 on Wednesday. Rondo had 44 points but the Celtics fell to the Heat.
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The praise came from near and far.
"He was absolutely phenomenal," Boston coach Doc Rivers said.
BLOG: Rondo on Game 2 missed call: I think it was obvious
STORY: Heat hold on, take 2-0 series lead
"First of all, Rondo was absolutely amazing tonight," Heat forward LeBron James said. "The performance he put on tonight will go down in the record books. … He showed tonight why he's an all-pro and one of the superstars in the league. He's a unique player. He's an unbelievable player."
"Rajon Rondo is the best PG in the league hands down, he does it all ppl," former teammate Jeff Green Tweeted.
"There was nothing you could do about it," Heat guard Dwyane Wade said. "He was out there every minute of the game. And he made a big impact."
"He's a flat-out incredible. He does everything. I just love the guy. What an Ironman performance," teammate Keyon Dooling said.
"Rajon demonstrated last night why he is one of the greatest competitors the league has seen in a while. He truly has as much heart as anyone who has ever played the game in my opinion," his biased and proud agent, Bill Duffy, wrote in a text message to USA TODAY Sports late Wednesday night.
Rondo sat down at the dais postgame and was asked about his performance.
"It's irrelevant," Rondo said. "We lost. It's as simple as that."
That's right. The Celtics lost, 115-111, in overtime in Game 2, despite Rondo's brilliant performance.
In the past 26 NBA seasons, no point guard has had at least 40 points, 10 assists and eight rebounds in a playoff game. Not one. Not Magic Johnson. Not Steve Nash. Not Allen Iverson. Not Isiah Thomas. Not Tony Parker. Not Chris Paul. Not Russell Westbrook.
In the golden age of NBA point guards, Rondo shined like no other. He scored all 12 of Boston's points in overtime. He played with a purpose that was absent in Game 1 when he had nice-looking but ultimately empty stats. That was not the case Wednesday.
In the past five days, Miami Heat coach Erik Spoelstra has expressed his concern for Rondo with Spoelstra-isms.
"His greatness is his unpredictability," Spoelstra has said multiple times since Saturday.
His insistence on using that phrase become comical and even more so when Spoelstra called Rondo a "basketball maestro."
But Spoelstra knew, after watching hours of video on the Celtics, exactly what he was saying. Spoelstra said Tuesday the Heat needed to match Rondo's unpredictability with unpredictability. That meant putting different defenders on him - James, Dwyane Wade, Mario Chalmers - for different looks. Keep him out of his comfort zone. Make him think a little bit more than he normally does.
It didn't matter. "We tried almost everything with him," Spoelstra said.
Not known as a reliable jump shooter, the Heat, as other teams have done, made a conscious decision to play off Rondo and let him take jump shots. That's the book on Rondo. During the regular season, he made just 39.3% of his shots outside of the paint, but inside the three-point line - the so-called mid-range jump shot area.
Rondo burned Miami. He made 16-of-24 shots, including 9-of-11 mid-range jumpers and 2-of-2 three-pointers. Even with the Heat play off Rondo, he still finagled his way to the rim for easy shots.
One of those easy shots turned out to be a controversial play in overtime. Rondo drove the basket and missed a shot with the score tied at 115-115 and 1:50 left in overtime. Wade hit Rondo in the face but no foul was called. Miami went the other way, scored and took the lead for good.
Rivers was asked about the no-call. He didn't want to get a fine. He pointed out James shot 24 free throws and the Celtics shot 29.
"I tell my guys it doesn't matter. We can't get distracted," Rivers said. "We will not get distracted in this series. I guarantee you right now they're distracted. But we have to get it out of us and move on."
Rondo knew he was fouled. "It was obvious," he said. "I can't comment about that play in particular."
Allen interjected: "We all thought he got hit. I'll say it, he did. But what can you do about it."
Rondo is mercurial with teammates, coaches and news reporters, and one reason his name always comes up in trade talks. But Celtics president of basketball operations Danny Ainge knows better than to ship him.
Early in the 2010-2011 season, Rondo refused to leave trainer's room in Boston to talk to a reporter. A few nights later in another city, Rondo offered insightful answers to his game.
"You always want to be ahead of the game but not too far ahead and make sure guys are on the same page with you," he said back then.
He admitted he sometimes goes back and re-watches great passes he made. "I know it may sound crazy but I like watching myself pass the ball," Rondo said.
He is one of the most fascinating point guards to play the game. He makes incredible ball fakes. Sometimes he keeps the ball. Sometimes he passes it. But often times, the defense is fooled, leading to a wide-open shot.
It took him time to gain the trust of his teammates as rookie in 2007-2007 and second-year player in 2007-2008. He clashed with teammates and Rivers, a point guard in his playing days who admits he was extra tough on Rondo because he played the same position.
Now, Rivers loves Rondo's game.
"He's great," Rivers said during the Celtics-Sixers series in the Eastern Conference semifinals. "He's as smart of a player as I've ever been around. Sometimes, he's too smart. But when he's right, he's good. His IQ is unbelievable. We laugh a lot. Sometimes, I'll call play, and he's already called it.
"It's nice to have a guy who wants to think the game for the team. A lot of players think the game individually for themselves. What play can I run for me? He thinks, what play works for the team? That's really nice having a player on the floor doing that."
Rondo is often a contradiction - orthodox and unorthodox point guard often at the same time.
Rondo isn't one of the Big Three, but it's just as much his team today than it is forward Paul Pierce's or guard Ray Allen's or center Kevin Garnett's.
"We feed off what he's doing now," Allen said.
Deflating and demoralizing losses, in the face of an unbelievable individual performance with unexpected victory so close, can crush a team. But probably not this team. The Celtics have played too many playoff games since 2007-2008. Too much pride. Boston might not win a game in this series, but it won't quit because of a loss.
Rivers said the Celtics will let this one go, eventually.
"You just do," he said. "It's basketball. Listen, we played terrific. I told them we played extremely hard. I thought we played with great heart, but I didn't think we played smart all the time. And there's things we can absolutely fix, and we'll do that. We'll be ready for Friday.
"You don't throw it away. You hold onto it for 24 hours, and then you move on. We've been really good at that. We have no choice in the matter."