Beyonce to finally perform in Malaysia next month

Kuala Lumpur, Sep 19 (ANI): Beyonce Knowles is all set to perform in Kuala Lumpur next month, two years after cancelling her Malaysian concert.

Kuala Lumpur is one of her destinations in the ‘I Am…’ world tour which spans North America, Europe and Asia.

The ‘Baby boy’ singer is scheduled to stage her first concert in Malaysia at the National Stadium, Bukit Jalil, at 8pm on Oct 25, reports the Star Online.

The singer was originally slated to perform in Malaysia in 2007, but cancelled her concert following protests from PAS Youth and she headed for Jakarta instead.

The world tour comes with the release of her third studio album, ‘I Am… Sasha Fierce’, which features hits like ‘If I Were a Boy’, ‘Single Ladies (Put a Ring on It)’, ‘Halo’, ‘Sweet Dreams’ and ‘Broken-Hearted Girl’.

Beyonce, along with Black Eyed Peas and Jacky Cheung, will also perform at F1 ROCKS Singapore with LG on Sept 26. (ANI)

Some Americans think opposition to Obama’s policies is based on racism

Washington, Sep. 18 (ANI): Some Americans, including former President Jimmy Carter, believe that those who are opposing US President Barrack Obama’s policies have a racial element against him instead of simple disagreement.

According to a recent Fox News poll, 65 percent Americans think that opposition to Obama’s policies is based on honest disagreements, while 20 percent say it is mostly motivated by racism.

However, Black voters are twice as likely to say the opposition is motivated by race, with 63 percent citing racism as the reason for opposition and 27 percent say it is based on honest disagreements.

Most white voters (71 percent) say the opposition comes from honest disagreements.

Most Republicans (87 percent) and independents (69 percent) believe that opposition to Obama’s policies is based on honest disagreements, while 48 percent Democrats say honest disagreements and 34 percent say it is motivated by racism, the poll found.

Opinion Dynamics Corp. conducted the national telephone poll of 900 registered voters with a 3-point margin of error.

The poll also found that 54 percent of Americans think Obama is a “new kind” of politician, while a large 39 percent minority says he is a “typical” politician.

As for Obama’s handling of health care, 44 percent approved and 48 percent disapproved.

Obama received better ratings on his handling of the economy (55 percent approve) and on the war in Afghanistan (51 percent).

By a wide 60 percent to 27 percent margin, Americans think the country has become more divided rather than more united since Obama took office in January, the poll found. (ANI)

Patna schoolchildren protest against kidnapping of six-year-old boy

Patna, Sep. 16 (ANI): School students in Patna city protested on Wednesday against the kidnapping of a six-year-old boy.

Shresht Sanjay was kidnapped at the gunpoint in Patna on Monday. Shresht is a standard One student at Christ church school in Kankarbagh area.

Students of Montessori School in Patna organised a ‘hawan’ to pray for an early release of Shresht.

“We are praying so that Shresht Sanjay comes home soon and celebrates Diwali and Durga Puja with his parents, ” said Swastik, a student

Meanwhile, students in West Point school observed a ‘Black Day’ by wearing black bands on their arms.

The black band was to express their resentment against the rising incidents of kidnapping and ransom killings in the city.

“Children are living in fear and that’s why we have organised this ‘Black Day’. We hope that the government listens to us and realises that the children are in trouble here and their education is under threat. We also hope that such incidents does not happen in future,” said S.N Suhail, principal of West Point School.

Shresth is suspected to have been kidnapped for ransom.

However, the kidnappers have not made any demand yet.

The police are interrogating the auto-rickshaw driver for further investigations in which Shresth was travelling before his abduction. (ANI)

Drought for Pakistan cricket is over : PCB

Karachi, Sep.16 (ANI): The Pakistan Cricket Board (PCB) has expressed hope that the drought of international tournaments for the national squad would soon be over with several foreign tours and multi nation events scheduled for the next few months.

“The dry spell is finally over and that’s a good sign for our cricket,” PCB’s Chief Operating Office (COO) Wasim Bari said, adding, “A lot of positive developments are taking place. I must say that things are improving for Pakistan cricket.”

After virtually spending the last six months in hibernation, Pakistan has a packed cricket calendar in the forthcoming ten months.

Starting from the elite eight-nation ICC Champions Trophy beginning September 22, Pakistan would be touring three continents for a number of Test, one-day and twenty20 matches.

Pakistan is scheduled to ‘host’ New Zealand for four One-day Internationals and two Twenty20 matches in Abu Dhabi and Dubai next month. It will then fly to New Zealand to participate in a three match ‘home’ Test series against the Black Caps in November-December.

Then follows the tough tour of Australia, where they would be playing three Tests, five ODIs and a Twenty20 game. Later, in 2010, Pakistan would be seen defending their ICC World T20 Champions title in the Carribeans.

Bari also expressed hope that international cricket would soon return to Pakistan and claimed that the security scenario was getting better in the country with time.

“Our players will get plenty of cricket in the coming months.

It’s now time that they prove their worth. The security situation (in Pakistan) is getting better every day which is why I’m hopeful for an early return of international cricket here,” The News quoted Bari, as saying. (ANI)

Black Widow surrenders weapons in Assam

Guwahati, Sep 16 (ANI): Over 170 guerillas of the Dima Halam Daogah (Jewel) (DHDJ) or Black Widow have commenced surrendering their weapons from Wednesday.

Earlier on Sunday, nearly 193 rebels of the DHDJ had surrendered their weapons well ahead of the deadline given by Union Home Minister P. Chidambaram.

Chidambaram had asked the banned ultras to surrender weapons before September 15.

The DHD (J) is responsible for creating terror in the North Cachar Hill District of Assam for last six years, during which over 300 people have been killed.

Among those who surrendered arms were Daniel Dimasa, Daku Dimasa, David Dimasa and Nalo Dimasa who were considered as hardcore militants.

According to the new rules for facilitating peace talks with the militant organization, an outfit has to first abjure violence by depositing weapons and stay away from extortion by moving to designated camps. Only its top leadership will be allowed to sit for talks.

Defence spokesman, Col.R Kalia, said those who have deposited weapons have been kept in two temporary camps at Kapuchera and Jatinga under heavy escort by troops of the Red Shield Division of the Army.

A formal surrender ceremony would be held at Haflong later in the month in the presence of the State Chief Minister Tarun Gogoi, sources said.

The breakaway group of the DHD (J) led by James Dimasa are still undecided on joining the peace process.

According to Additional Director General (Special Branch) Khagen Sarmah, all the cadres of the outfit are expected to surrender their weapons in the next couple of days.

The government has adopted a multi-dimensional strategy in North Cachar Hills with strong deployment of security forces.

The brigade headquarters of the Army at Haflong has coordinating all the efforts.

Till now 373 insurgents have come over-ground depositing 136 weapons including AK series weapons, M16 rifles, INSAS rifles, rocket launchers, grenades and wireless sets, sources said. (ANI)

Ship carrying iron ore sinks off Orissa

Paradip (Orissa), Sep 11 (ANI): A cargo ship carrying around 25,000 tonnes of iron ore to China capsized off Orissa coast.

MV ‘Black Rose,’ a vessel operating under the Mongolian flag, capsized 5-6 km off the harbour after it had loaded iron ore from Paradip port.

The vessel tilted after a technical snag, and later sunk.

Indian Coast Guard and port authorities rescued 26 crew members while a Russian was still missing.

“The ship MV Black Rose had sunk off Paradip with 27 crew members on board. Twenty-six crewmembers were recovered by the port trust and the Indian coast guard ship also sailed after receiving information. The port trust has coordinated very well. One of the crewmembers is missing, ” said V.K. Verghese, a Commandant of the coastguard.

The rescued crew comprises of 17 Bangladeshis, seven Ukrainians and two Russians. (ANI)

Wedding bells for Kate Hudson, A-Rod?

London, Sept 10 (ANI): Kate Hudson has kicked off rumours of a wedding with boyfriend Alex Rodriguez after being spotted with a diamond sparkler on her ring finger.

The 30-year-old actress has had a smooth relationship with the Yankees ace “A-Rod” ever since she began dating him last November, reports the Daily Star.

However, spokespersons of both stars could not be contacted to confirm the marriage plans.

Hudson has previously married The Black Crowes fronmant Chris Robinson, before getting divorced in October 2007.

She has also dated actor Owen Wilson and ace cyclist Lance Armstrong. (ANI)

Original Walt Disney drawings found in an attic office in Blackpool

London, Sep 9 (ANI): Original Walt Disney drawings have been recovered from an attic office in Blackpool, which could be worth up to 12,000 pounds each.

The 15 mint condition black and white and colour drawings were in the middle of hundreds of files gathered in over a century of Blackpool Illuminations.

Altogether the files have been valued at 500,000 pounds for insurance purposes, but it is thought the original Disney drawings alone could fetch up to 180,000 pounds altogether should they be auctioned off.

The material is being catalogued, and will be archived for future public viewing for the first time.

The Disney drawings had been sent from Hollywood to Blackpool by Walt Disney himself.

His studio was first approached in 1953 by Blackpool Council’s Illuminations staff, when they wanted to include characters, including Mickey Mouse, in their tableaux.

One of the drawings featuring Mickey shows how they wanted to animate him for the Golden Mile, but Disney demanded the characters be totally accurate to the original cinema blockbusters, and so sent off artists’ work to the English resort.

“The attic room is actually part of one of Blackpool’s original farmhouses built long before the town became a seaside resort,” the Telegraph quoted Colette Halstead, Illuminations’ creative development coordinator, as saying.

“The Illuminations department has just grown round it over the decades and old files and equipment like the ex Army field telephones used to co-ordinate the seven mile switch on were stored there.

“We are slowly moving to new premises and we were asked to catalogue the room’s contents when we came across the Disney material,” she added. (ANI)

S. African athlete Semenya tries to gloss over gender controversy

Johannesburg, Sep.9 (ANI): South African athlete Caster Semenya has completed her transformation from gender troubled sporting champion into national celebrity with a photo shoot in the country’s leading gossip magazine.

While the controversy rumbles on over whether the teenage runner is really male or female, her handlers have sought to end the debate with the aid of a costume change, make up and some studio lights.

With the front cover headline: “Wow, look at Caster now!” You magazine proudly boasts that it has turned her from “power girl” into “glamour girl” and apparently, “she loves it”.

Inside, the 800 m world champion – whose gender is being tested by the international athletics authorities – says the whole issue is a joke.

“It doesn’t upset me. God made me the way I am and I accept myself. I am who I am and I’m proud of myself,” The Sun quoted Semenya, as saying.

In the magazine, Semenya poses in skinny jeans, stilettos and a black and white evening dress.

News that the athlete would have to undergo testing was leaked before the 800m final at the world championships in Berlin, putting her under enormous pressure.

Following her victory, the ruling African National Congress seized upon her case to score political points, with left-wing firebrands such as Winnie Madikizela Mandela and ANC Youth League president Julius Malema accusing the athletics authorities of racism.

They have also sought to use Semenya to stir up populist feeling against what is seen as the right wing of the ANC, represented by Trevor Manuel, President Jacob Zuma’s planning chief.

Semenya received a heroine’s welcome in her home village in South Africa’s impoverished Limpopo province at the end of August, with VIPs and a 200-strong crowd singing a version of the Communist Party anthem, which included the lyrics: “My mother was a kitchen girl, my father was a garden boy, that’s why I’m a champion, that’s why I’m a champion.”

The cover shoot has reignited the debate in South Africa over the athlete’s appearance, with radio talk shows inundated with callers.

The 18-year-old has refused to be drawn on what she is going through at present, telling the magazine: “I don’t want to talk about the tests – I’m not even thinking about them.” (ANI)

KNP to hold Black Day on Oct.22

London, Sep.8 (ANI): The Supreme Council of the KNP held an important meeting in Luton on September 6, which was presided by the party Chairman Abbas Butt. The meeting discussed and analysed the current situation of the Kashmiri struggle and made important decisions.

The Supreme Council strongly condemned the government of Pakistan’s latest attempts to grab territory which is legal part of State of Jammu and Kashmir. The SC said Pakistani governments have never been sincere with the cause of Kashmir and always have formulated policies to snatch Kashmir; and have deliberately deprived people of their fundamental human rights.

The SC said people of Gilgit Baltistan deserve to have their basic human rights which have been denied since 1947; but no one should be allowed to implement their imperialist designs in name of giving rights to people of the region. The KNP leaders said, if Pakistani authorities were sincere they could have discussed the issue with the people of the region and given these rights without making the region a ‘province’ of Pakistan.

PPP government claims to advance rights of people and democracy, but their policies are designed to deprive people of basic rights and advance undemocratic and unconstitutional practises. They tried to make Pakistani Administered Kashmir a province after the Shimla Pact and they plan to make Gilgit Baltistan a province and pave way for division of Jammu and Kashmir.

KNP leaders said some people of Jammu and Kashmir hold Black Day on 27th October, as that is the day when Indian army landed in Kashmir. KNP leaders said in our opinion their wisdom is misdirected. We have to look at the root cause. Indian army came after the tribal invasion and subsequent ‘Provisional Accession’.

KNP Supreme Council said, ‘It was the Pakistani tribesmen supported by the Pakistani government of the time which violated the Standstill Agreement and invaded parts of the State territory. It was these tribesmen which contravened the State sovereignty and killed thousands of innocent Kashmiri men and women. It was because of this unprovoked and unjustified attack on our sovereignty which seriously threatened life, honour and property of people that the Maharaja was compelled to seek help from India.

KNP leaders said we have serious issues with India on their Kashmir policy, as we believe Kashmir is not their internal part; but as for the Black Day is concerned we should have Black Day on 22 October because this is the day when our troubles and miseries started.

KNP SC has decided to take a lead on this matter and hold a BLACK DAY on 22 October; and in this regard various responsibilities have been given to Dr Shabir Choudhry and Nawaz Majid who will liaise with other like minded people and parties. The meeting was addressed by ZubairAnsari, Nazam Bhatti, Nawaz Majid, Asim Mirza, Abbas Butt and Dr Shabir Choudhry.

Earlier KNP held an Iftar Party in which more than eighty people were present; among them were leaders and political activists of various Kashmiri parties who spoke against the new package for Gilgit and Baltistan and condemned designs of Pakistani government. In the meeting pro Pakistan and nationalist leaders were present, and they all strongly spoke against this new package and demanded that it must be taken back.

A unanimous resolution was passed which strongly criticised the new package and demanded from government of Pakistan to withdraw it as it will seriously damage our struggle for right of self determination. The resolution fully supported fundamental rights of people of Gilgit Baltistan; but added that the State of Jammu and Kashmir is one political entity and it must not be divided. (ANI)

Andhra interim government orders CBI probe into chopper crash

Hyderabad, Sep 7 (ANI): The Andhra Pradesh Government on Monday recommended for a probe by the Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI) into the chopper crash that killed Chief Minister Y.S.Rajasekhar Reddy on September 2.

The recommendation comes even as the Andhra Pradesh police began its own probe into the shocking incident.

Along with YSR, his principal secretary, chief security officer and two pilots of the chopper were also killed in the crash in Nallamala forest area.

The state Crime Investigation Department (CID) has gathered the mangled pieces of chopper from the spot of the crash.

Kurnool district collector Mukesh Kumar Meena, who is holding the custody of the mangled pieces of the chopper, said the pieces and instruments would be handed over to a special investigation team of the Directorate General of Civil Aviation (DGCA).

A team of the DGCA is expected to visit the spot in a couple of days for further investigation.

The DGCA is examining the details stored in the block box of the chopper.

“They have taken the CVR (Black Box) to Delhi to retrieve data and examine the same. The CVR along with ELT (Emergency Locator Transmitter) are the important instruments for the investigators,” Meena said. (ANI)

Black bear killed in Jammu and Kashmir

Srinagar, Sep 2 (ANI): In a gruesome incident, resident killed a black bear at Mandi village of Poonch district in Jammu and Kashmir.

Reportedly, the black bear had trespassed into a school and market place. Scores of villagers chased the bear to the nearby forest and killed it with sharp edged weapons and brutally dragged the animal through rocks.

Villagers alleged that they informed the Wild life department and forest officials about the presence of the black bear but no one came to their rescue and they were left with no other option but to kill the animal to save their lives.

Police official present at the spot made no effort to stop the villagers. (ANI)

Gogoi sets Sept.15 surrender deadline for Black Widow terror group

Guwahati, Sep.1 (ANI): Assam Chief Minister Tarun Gogoi on Tuesday set a September 15 deadline for the Dima Halam Daogah (Jewel) a.k.a. the “Black Widow” terror group to surrender.

Talking to reporters here, Gogoi said that the state government would not extend the cease-fire deadline set earlier for the group.

“No extension of cease-fire deadline with Black Widow beyond September 15,” Gogoi tersely said.

Gogoi’s tough stand was reiterated three days fater he had undertaken a four-hour whirlwind tour to Haflong, the headquarters of North Cachar Hills district where the DHD (J) is active.

Gogoi, who reviewed the ground situation in the insurgency-hit district and held key meetings with top administration and security officials, stressed that the DHD (J) must stop all kinds of insurgent activities and extortion campaigns as a precondition to talks.

He said “the group must also hand over all the arms before coming forward for talks.” The arms will be deposited in an armoury, to be supervised by both police and the outfit.

The Calcutta Telegraph had earlier quoted Gogoi, as saying that the government had been receiving feelers from the DHD (J), expressing the outfit’s willingness to sit for a dialogue. But it would not accept any such offer unless the outfit’s leadership, and not a section of its cadres, came forward for talks.

DHD (J) chief Jewel Gorlosa, was arrested along with another leader, Partho Warisa, from Bangalore in June this year, forcing the outfit’s lower ranked cadres to declare a unilateral cease-fire.

Dispur, however, continued its operation against the outfit. The unilateral ceasefire, declared by the DHD (J) in North Cachar Hills for three months, will expire on September 7.

Gogoi also made it clear that Dispur would not agree to the demand of renaming North Cachar Hills into Dima Hajao Raji and that the district would not suffer any vivisection in future.

The chief minister expressed satisfaction over the “visible improvement” in law and order in the district in the past three months.

He assured tribal leaders that measures would be taken to usher in peace, rehabilitate violence-hit people and chalk out a special development package for the district. (ANI)

Bhajji fined for breaking Chandigarh traffic rules with his Hummer

Chandigarh, Sep. 1 (ANI): Driving his dream Hummer landed Indian off-spinner Harbhajan Singh in trouble on Tuesday, when he was fined by Chandigarh traffic police for using the vehicle without a valid number plate.

Singh had to pay a 3000-rupee fine for the offence, according to reports.

Assistant Commissioner of Police (traffic), H S Doon, told reporters that this episode would promote better traffic sense among the general public.

The off-spinner became the latest Indian cricketer to buy the American SUV after skipper Mahendra Singh Dhoni.

Harbhajan imported the car from England, which costs about 70 lakh rupees in India. After paying the duty, the cost of the vehicle has come to one crore rupees.

While Dhoni’s Hummer is silver in colour, Harbhajan has opted for a “Black Beauty”.

Harbhajan is also looking forward to shifting to a new home.

The house is under construction in the New Baradari area of the city. The plot was given by the state government for his outstanding performance in the 2001 home series against Australia.

However, he has no plans to sell off his ancestral home where he was brought up.

“It has memories of my late father Sardev Singh,” he said. (ANI)

Robert Pattinson shower curtain offers female fans chance to be close to him

London, August 25 (ANI): ‘Twilight’ star Robert Pattinson’s face has been emblazoned on a shower curtain, which is expected to gain popularity among his female fans.

The young English actor can be seen with his recognisable tousled hair and rugged jawline on the hand-painted curtain.

The black and white curtains sold like hot cakes when they were first put up for sale on Etsy, the craft website, in June.

The Toronto manufacturer is presently said to be out of stock.

According to reports, each curtain comes fitted with hook holes to allow it to be hung up in any bath or shower.

The curtain’s maker insists that it can also be displayed as a work of art.

“Hand-painted with a brush just like a piece of art. Hang it in your shower, on your wall, in a window, behind your bed as a headboard, or frame it and display it just like any art portrait in your home,” the Telegraph quoted the listing as stating.

Pattinson has become one of the most desired actors on planet since starring as Edward Cullen in the film adaptation of Stephenie Meyer’s teenage fantasy novel.

He has been strongly linked to ‘Twilight’ co-star Kristen Stewart.

However, he has proved reluctant to talk about his love life, insisting that he spends most of his time at home watching films and reading. (ANI)

Natalie Portman, Mila Kunis put on sizzling show in sex scene

London, Aug 25 (ANI): Actresses Natalie Portman and Mila Kunis are said to have put in their best effort for a sizzling girl-on-girl action in a new movie.

Portman, 28, and Kunis, 26, both play rival ballet stars in the spine-chiller movie ‘Black Swan’.

“There is an angry, aggressive sex scene in the movie. It’s pretty raunchy, both girls give it their all,” the Daily Star quoted an insider as revealing.

Meanwhile, Portman is all set to produce high school comedy ‘Booksmart’ for Fox. (ANI)

Calvin Harris knocks MJ off the top spot in UK album chart

London, Aug 25 (ANI): Late King of Pop Michael Jackson has finally been knocked from the top of the UK album chart.

Calvin Harris has leapt straight to the top of the UK album chart with new release ‘Ready For The Weekend, knocking Jackson’s album ‘The Essential’ from the perch, where it had been for seven weeks, reports the BBC.

Meanwhile, French DJ David Guetta has hit the top spot in the UK singles chart – his new track with Akon has shot to number one.

Guetta’s latest collaboration, ‘Sexy Bitch’, has reached the highest position.

The Black Eyed Peas were knocked to number two with ‘I Gotta Feeling’, while British rapper Tinchy Stryder’s duet with Sugababe star Amelle Berrabah, ‘Never Leave You’, is at number three.

Scottish DJ Calvin Harris is at number four with ‘Ready for the Weekend’, while Beyonce’s ‘Sweet Dreams’ rounds out the top five.

The top five in the UK singles chart are:

1. Sexy Chick – David Guetta featuring Akon

2. Black Eyed Peas – I Gotta Feeling

3. Tinchy Stryder – Never Leave You

4. Calvin Harris – Ready for the Weekend

5. Beyonce – Sweet Dreams (ANI)

Black Eyed Peas break US chart record

London, Aug 21 (ANI): American hip-hop group the Black Eyed Peas have broken a US chart record by notching up 20 weeks on top of the singles countdown.

The band’s song ‘I Gotta Feeling’ has claimed an eighth week at number one, following 12 weeks at pole position with ‘Boom Boom Pow’.

The record beats Usher, who held the number one spot for 19 weeks in 2004 with Yeah! and Burn.

“It is amazing to know that these songs have connected with so many people,” the BBC quoted Black Eyed Peas frontwoman Fergie as saying.

She also added that it was what had “kept them alive for so long”.

“With this kind of success your ego wants to take all the credit,” fellow Black Eyed Peas member Will.i.am said.

“But your heart reminds your soul that it was your heart that had you slaving and creating in the studio making the music.

“In the fight between heart and ego my heart always wins,” he added. (ANI)

New X-ray technique reveals buried image in N. C. Wyeth’s painting

Washington, August 20 (ANI): A new X-ray imaging technique has for the first time in a century revealed unprecedented details of a painting hidden beneath another painting by famed American illustrator Newell Convers Wyeth, who is regarded as the greatest American illustrator of the 20th century.

While making a presentation at the 238th National Meeting of the American Chemical Society (ACS) on Wednesday, Dr. Jennifer Mass said that the non-destructive look-beneath-the-surface method could reveal hidden images in hundreds of Old Master paintings, and other prized works of art.

In the study paper, the researcher noted that many great artists re-used canvases or covered paintings with other paintings, in order to save money on materials or to let the colours and shapes of a prior composition influence the next one.

Art historians believe that several of Wyeth’s most valued illustrations have been lost from view in that way, and one of them, depicting a dramatic fist fight, was published in a 1919 Everybody’s Magazine article titled ‘The Mildest Mannered Man’.

X-ray techniques previously used by other scientists suggested that Wyeth had covered the fight scene with another painting called ‘Family Portrait’, but they had not shown the the true image except in black and white reproductions.

The new instrument, called a confocal X-ray fluorescence microscope, was developed at the Cornell High Energy Synchrotron Source (CHESS) national X-ray facility.

The instrument reveals minute details in hidden paintings without removing paint samples. It shoots X-ray beams into a painting and then collects fluorescent X-ray “signals” given off by the chemicals in the various paint layers.

Scientists can link each signal to specific paint pigments.

In addition to revealing the original image, the method is providing new information on Wyeth’s materials and methods.

The same technique may ultimately reveal hidden images in paintings by other famed artists, the researchers say. (ANI)

Spielberg’s Saving Private Ryan named Best War Film Of All Time

London, Aug 20 (ANI): Steven Spielberg’s flick Saving Private Ryan, starring Tom Hanks and Matt Damon, has topped the list of all time best war movies.

More than 3,000 members of the online DVD and games rental service, Lovefilm, took part in the poll. The survey was conducted to mark the release of Quentin Tarantino’s Inglourious Basterds.

Saving Private Ryan is an Oscar-winning epic about the D-Day landings and it pipped Steve McQueen starrer The Great Escape to land the honour.

The 1998 Spielberg classic received 21 per cent of the fans’ votes.

The Great Escape got 11 percent of votes, and it pipped another Spielberg movie, Schindler’s List, to grab the second spot.

Francis Ford Coppola’s Apocalypse Now, based on Josef Conrad’s novel Heart of Darkness, was ranked fourth with nine per cent of the votes.

The Vietnam War inspired Full Metal Jacket by director Stanley Kubrick and Oliver Stone’s Platoon, came fifth and sixth.

Mel Gibson starrer Braveheart claimed the seventh spot, Back Hawk Down, a tale of American troops in Somalia, came eighth.

Michael Cimino’s haunting The Deer Hunter was positioned at number 10.

Wolfgang Peterson’s German U-Boat drama Das Boot was the only non-English language film to make it in to the top 10 in ninth place.

The Telegraph quoted Darren Bignell, Lovefilm’s communications manager, as saying: “Having polarised opinion at the 2009 Cannes Film Festival, Inglourious Basterds marks the comeback of one of modern cinema’s most revered directors.

“Tarantino fans have been chomping at the bit for his latest offering and we’ll soon discover whether it hits the mark with cinema-goers.”

The Top 10 War Films Ever:

1 Saving Private Ryan (1998) 21 percent

2 The Great Escape (1963) 11 percent

3 Schindler’s List (1993) 10 percent

4 Apocalypse Now (1979) 9 percent

5 Full Metal Jacket (1987) 7 percent

6 Platoon (1986) 6 percent

7 Braveheart (1995) 5 percent

8 Black Hawk Down (2001) 4 percent

9 Das Boot (2006) 2 percent

10 The Deer Hunter (2078) 1 percent (others 24 percent) (ANI)