Obama’s top aide on battling the bulge

New York, April 21 (ANI): US President Barack Obama’s press secretary, Robert Gibbs, has revealed that the work pressure during the leader’s election campaign took its toll on his health.

But the 39-year-old has also admitted that he is now relaxed into his job and is finding enough time during the workday to go kayaking and bike riding, and then tweeting about it to his 55,600 followers.

“The truth is, having travelled with [Obama] on the campaign, you””re working so much and by the end of the day, you””re just so exhausted, I let my health go. I gained weight,” the New York Post quoted Gibbs, 39, as telling Daily Beast.

On Thursday, he tweeted: “Just spent 45 mins kayaking Potomac — beautiful on the water — 1st day open for Jack””s Boathouse (Water St under Key Bridge — check it out).”

On Saturday, he said: “Just finished 15 miles on the new bike — more hills and lots of wind today but still a pretty day.”(ANI)

Chelsea’s Hiddink plans dream farewell with trophy in one hand, champagne in the other

London, Apr.19 (ANI): Chelsea coach Guus Hiddink is planning out a dream farewell that includes the FA Cup trophy in one hand and champagne in the other.

After the Blues overpowered Arsenal 2-1 to enter the FA Cup final, the Dutchman will walk away from Stamford Bridge on May 31, the day after the 128th showpiece showdown against either Manchester United or Everton.

He’s got a vision of himself leaving the Venue of Legends with the cup in one hand and a bottle of champagne in the other.

News of the World quoted Hiddink as saying: “It is the perfect scenario for me. It could be a beautiful day, win the cup, get a nice bottle of champagne and then on May 31 say, not goodbye because I will be back one day, but farewell for now.”

But it could be even better with the final coming just three days after the Champions League final in Rome and a week after the finale of the Premier League.

Amid all this clamour surrounding a United quintuple, Chelsea are on course for a remarkable treble. o it could be quite a week for Hiddink.

“Yes a whole load of champagnes,” he chuckled. (ANI)

‘One’ voted ‘U2′s Greatest Song Ever’

Washington, Feb 27 (ANI): U2′s 1991 hit single ‘One’ has been named the Irish band’s greatest song ever in a new poll.

HMV’s social networking site getcloser.com asked its users to name their favourite track by Bono and co, reports Contactmusic.

Over 1,000 people voted in the poll, which is still open, and ‘One’ from U2′s classic album Achtung Baby is currently top of the chart.

‘With Or Without You’ came second while ‘I Still Haven’t Found What I’m Looking For’ landed the third spot.

Beautiful Day rounded off the top five.

The top 25 songs in the greatest ever U2 track poll are:

1 One – 20.1 per cent

2 With Or Without You – 15.2 per cent

3 I Still Haven’t Found What I’m Looking For – 10.0 per cent

4 Beautiful Day – 7.9 per cent

5 Where The Streets Have No Name – 7.7 per cent

6. Sunday Bloody Sunday – 7.0 per cent

7 Pride (In The Name Of Love) – 5.1 per cent

8 Sweetest Thing – 4.0 per cent

9 I Will Follow – 3.4 per cent

10 New Year’s Day – 2.9 per cent

11 Stuck In A Moment You Can’t Get Out Of – 2.3 per cent

12 Sometimes You Can’t Make It On Your Own 2.1 per cent

13 Walk On – 2.0 per cent

14 The Fly – 1.6 per cent

15 Angel Of Harlem – 1.5 per cent

16 Stay (Faraway, So Close!) – 1.3 per cent

17 Mysterious Ways – 1.2 per cent

18 Even Better Than The Real Thing – 1.1 per cent

19 Elevation – 1.0 per cent

20 Desire – 1.0 per cent

21 Get On Your Boots – 0.9 per cent

22 When Love Comes To Town – 0.8 per cent

23 The Saints Are Coming – 0.5 per cent

24 Vertigo – 0.4 per cent

25 Window In The Skies – 0.3 per cent (ANI)

U2′s Edge is glad Bono ignored his advice not to discuss Africa’s poverty with Bush

London, February 20 (ANI): U2 member The Edge is glad that frontman Bono ignored his advice not to meet former U.S. President George W. Bush to discuss poverty in Africa.

The rocker, whose real name is David Evans, has revealed that he was of the opinion that Bono would have “custard pies” thrown at him for holding talks with the controversial Republican in a bid to ease the plight of less economically developed nations.

However, he says, he is happy that the Beautiful Day singer proved his critics wrong.

“Hanging out with George W. Bush – which he knew was uncool, deeply unpopular in certain quarters – he knew for his own reasons that it would get results. And he was right. The amount of extra American investment in African development that occurred during that administration, compared to even the Clinton administration, was huge,” the Daily Star quoted him as telling music magazine NME.

“A large part of why that happened was because Bono was willing to be in the photographs, take the meetings and make it a popular issue.

“I mean, I tried to talk him out of meeting George W. Bush when he told me he was going to do a photograph with him. And he said, ‘Well, I think it’s the right thing to do’. So, in the end, I kind of just said my piece and let him get on with it.

“You have to understand that the man actually wants to save people’s lives! But anyway, he was right. He proved me wrong… again!” he added. (ANI)