LOS ANGELES (Hollywood Reporter) – Comedy Central is developing an odd-couple comedy series starring two heavy-set comedians, called “Brothers From Another Mother.” Ralphie May, who is white, and Lavell Crawford, who is black, will play lifelong friends who discover they’re brothers when their father passes away and leaves them his barbecue restaurant.
American boy falls to death in Cape Town
June 14, 2010 By Leave a Comment
(Reuters) – An 11-year-old American boy, hiking with his family on Table Mountain, South Africa, fell to his death on Saturday, Cape Town city officials said on Sunday.
U.S.
A rescue services spokesman said the boy slipped while climbing up a tricky section of Skeleton Gorge, falling into a stream.
The unidentified boy, who was with his brother, mother and father, was declared dead at the scene.
Thousands of tourists have flocked to South Africa to watch the continent’s first soccer World Cup, and Table Mountain is among the most popular tourist destinations in the country.
(Reporting by Wendell Roelf)
Snap Analysis: North Korea’s Kim turns to family, old guard
June 8, 2010 By Leave a Comment
(Reuters) – North Korea’s rubber-stamp parliament named leader Kim Jong-il’s brother-in-law to the post of vice chairman of the National Defense Commission, possibly making him the second most powerful man in the reclusive state.
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It also dismissed the prime minister, seen as the main economic policy official, and replaced him with another member of the old guard and a confidant of the Kim dynasty.
Here are some implications of the reshuffle announced at a rare session of the assembly, which Kim has attended.
Tax woes turned friendly cabbie Derrick Bird into mass murderer
June 4, 2010 By Leave a Comment
London, June 4 (ANI): Cumbria gunman Derrick Bird”s spiralling debts turned him into a mass murderer from a friendly cabbie, it has emerged.
Bird, 52, had outstanding income tax dues of more than 100,000pounds.
He wanted to settle it with a large share of his mum Mary”s will when she died.
But he soon found his twin David was to be the main beneficiary.
Bird now felt he had been “stitched up” by David and his lawyer handling the will, Kevin Commons, his brother”s pal.
When a taxman discovered Bird had 60,000pounds in a bank account, he was convinced David has given up on him.
Bird anger was further fuelled by grudges against his previous bosses at the Sellafield nuclear power plant and fellow Lake District taxi drivers.
David and Commons were Bird”s first victims before he murdered 10 and wounded 11 others in the recent gun rampage across Cumbria.
“Derrick believed David had been sucking up to their mum to engineer a huge share of the cash. He became obsessed and finally unhinged, fearing he had been cheated by his family,” the Sun quoted an insider, as saying.
Another source said: “It”s all to do with income tax. David had been trying to help Derrick with his financial problems. But we think Derrick got it into his head that his brother was ripping him off.”
A friend said: “It has been said there was some family problem over the will and how it would affect Derrick”s tax affairs.
“The feeling was that if his mother”s will was divided equally then a lot of it would be swallowed up by the taxman. I think the family thought it better Derrick”s share should be as low as possible so the money didn”t simply go to the Government.” (ANI)
Yoko Ono mourns Oasis split
June 4, 2010 By Leave a Comment
London, June 4 (ANI): Yoko Ono is quite upset about the Oasis spilt – because she feels goodness shines from the band”s music.
John Lennon”s widow is an avowed Oasis fan and still finds it difficult to believe Noel Gallagher walked out on his brother Liam and bandmates prompting the group”s break-up.
Liam still wants to make music with his Oasis pals, but chief songwriter Noel won”t be part of the band.
And Ono is mourning the band”s split.
“I love Oasis. We need the power of goodness like them. The goodness is shining from their music,” the Daily Express quoted her, as saying. (ANI)
Frantic search for brother ends in relief
May 29, 2010 By Leave a Comment
Mumbai, May 29 — “It’s God’s grace,” said Jagdish Ray. Thirty-seven-year-old Ray, a Kolkata-based software engineer who was visiting Mumbai for work, was relieved to know his younger brother, Sandip, had survived the accident involving the Howrah-Mumbai Gyaneshwari Express at West Midnapore on Friday. Sandip (33), a Commerce graduate, was coming to Mumbai for an interview. He was travelling in coach A1. Jagdish had a tough time all morning trying to find out whether his brother was safe. “I have been frantically trying to contact anybody who could help me with updates on my brother,” Jagdish said. Jagdish had boarded the same train on Wednesday and was to reach Lokmanya Tilak Terminus on Friday morning. “My train was on the outskirts of Mumbai when I learnt about the derailment from my fellow passengers. I realised that Sandip was on the same train,” Jagdish said. “I was hoping Sandip had missed the train.”
Sandip’s relatives managed to trace him among the injured. “I was relieved when they informed me that Sandip had sustained injuries but was safe. I told my relatives to admit him to a private hospital,” he said, adding he would fly to Kolkata soon.
Times Square plot: 11th suspect held in Pakistan
May 27, 2010 By Leave a Comment
Islamabad, May 27 (IANS) Pakistani officials have detained an 11th person in connection with the botched attempt of bombing New York’s Times Square early this month, CNN reported quoting a Pakistani intelligence source.
The man, identified as Qamar Ejaz, is the brother of Adnan Ejaz, a former major in Pakistani army who is already in custody for having alleged links with Faisal Shahzad, the prime suspect in the plot, said the intelligence source, who requested anonymity.
However, it was unclear how Ejaz is linked to Faisal Shahzad or the Times Square bombing plot.
Shahzad, a naturalised US citizen of Pakistani origin, was arrested at John F. Kennedy International Airport while trying to board a flight to Dubai May 3, two days after he planted an explosive-laden vehicle in Manhattan’s Times Square. The bomb failed to detonate.
Liam Gallagher forms new band ‘Beady Eye’
May 26, 2010 By Leave a Comment
London, May 26 (ANI): Liam Gallagher has reunited with his former ‘Oasis’ band mates Gem Archer, Andy Bell and Chris Sharrock to form new band ‘Beady Eye’.
‘Oasis’ members had parted ways after guitarist Noel Gallagher separated before a concert in Paris over differences with brother Liam.
The group has uploaded their new pic on the Oasis website, reports the Telegraph.
Liam had said last year: ”” If we don”t come up with something else by the time we”re ready to release the album it”ll be Oasis.
””I”m not going to call myself something ridiculous just for the sake of it.”” (ANI)
Ambani brothers end non-compete pacts
May 24, 2010 By Leave a Comment
Reliance Industries, controlled by billionaire businessman Mukesh Ambani, and Reliance ADA Group, led by his brother Anil Ambani, on Sunday agreed to cancel all existing non-compete pacts which the groups had signed in 2006.
Reliance ADA Group said in statement the two groups have entered into a new and simpler non-compete pact only for gas-based power generation.
(Reporting by Devidutta Tripathy; editing by Surojit Gupta and Louise Heavens)
J G Farrell wins another Booker prize – 30 years after death
May 20, 2010 By Leave a Comment
London, May 20 (ANI): Renowned litterateur J G Farrell has won another Booker prize, this time for 1970, three decades after his death.
Farrell has been posthumously conferred with the Lost Man Booker Prize for his book Troubles.
The award was instituted to acknowledge novels published in 1970 that did not get recognition because of a change in the award”s rules.
In 1971 a decision was taken to judge books from the current rather than the previous year.
Farrell, who bagged the Booker in 1973 for The Siege of Krishnapur, has now joined the league of J. M. Coetzee and Peter Carey who have won twice.
Richard Farrell, the late author”s younger brother, collected the prize at an event in Central London.
“This is a bitter-sweet moment for me…Sweet because he has won the prize, but bitter because he can”t be here to collect it himself. To his family it is proof-positive that he had overcome his disease, in childhood, of polio,” the Times quoted Richard, as saying.
He added: “To me, the book is a time machine. It takes me back to our childhood – growing up in Ireland, the smell of peat smoke in the air.”
Talking about how his brother would have felt about after winning the Booker again, Richard said: “I don”t think he would have been very surprised. He said that he expected his books to be read in 30 to 40 years” time, and he said that he thought Troubles was his best work.” (ANI)
Kylie Minogue can’t believe sister Dannii is pregnant
May 20, 2010 By Leave a Comment
London, May 20 (ANI): Kylie Minogue says she still can”t believe her little sister Dannii is pregnant – and admits that she keeps thinking the X Factor judge just has ‘a balloon up her jumper’.
“I said to Dannii, ”I think I”m a rational person and I”ve just felt the baby kick, I know that”s all reality,” The Sun quoted the pop star saying.
“But at the same time, as your sister, it”s just so surreal.
“”It”s like someone”s just put a balloon up your jumper,’” she added.
The Australian star is already an aunt as her brother has two children, but said it is “different” this time because Dannii, 38, is her sister.
The pop princess reckons even feeling her tiny niece or nephew-to-be kicking does not make it seem any more realistic.
Minogue is trying to work her dates out so that she can be around for her sister’s delivery, and is very excited by how well her sister has looked while expecting her first child.
“We all want to be like that!”
She added, “She”s just absolutely shining and I couldn”t be any more proud of her than I am.
“I saw her just before she left and she”s glowing. It”s very exciting for the whole family.”
Minogue, who will be busy touring and working for her next album, has denied that she would want to replace Danii as the next X-factor judge.
She said, “It”s a little impractical and I think that it”s really Dannii”s gig and she excels in that.
“I”ve never done it, maybe I”d be OK but I just think she does it so well.” (ANI)
Sub-caste marriage takes place amid tight security in Uttar Pradesh
May 16, 2010 By Leave a Comment
Noida (Uttar Pradesh), May 16 (ANI): A Hindu marriage ceremony took place amid tight security in Chithera village of Uttar Pradesh”s Noida district following a warning issued by the village council not to marry in the same sub-caste.
The matter was brought to the notice of the village council on May 11 by some residents, who were opposed to the marriage.
The council summoned the families of the bride and groom, but they refused saying their children had already been engaged.
The council had threatened to kill the groom if the families defied its ruling.
The wedding, however, passed off peacefully under the shadow of the gun.
“I am very thankful to the administration for providing me security. But I am still afraid of notorious elements in the society,” said Jayvindra Bainsala, the groom.
“We are satisfied. But we want security till the ceremonies conclude,” added a brother of the groom.
Earlier on March 30, a sessions court in Karnal had awarded death punishment to five persons on the charges of killing a young couple – Manoj and Babli, who had married in 2007 against the community”s wishes. (ANI)
Nine-year-old plane crash survivor has been told his family is no more
May 15, 2010 By Leave a Comment
London, May 15 (ANI): The lone survivor of the Libyan plane crash that left 103 people dead, nine-year-old Dutch boy Ruben van Assouw has been informed that he is the only surviving member of his family.
The boy is reportedly coping well under the adverse circumstances.
“We have explained to Ruben exactly what happened,” said a statement from the boy”s aunt and uncle read out to media in Tripoli. “He knows that his parents and his brother are dead.”
“The time ahead will be a difficult period for us,” the statement said. “We hope that the media will respect our privacy,” The Telegraph reports.
There has been an outpouring of support for the little boy who has lost his parents and brother in the crash. The Libyan Organization for Children is going out of its way to ensure that the boy is able to recover from the trauma. He is being treated at the Tripoli Hospital and is recuperating after surgery was performed on his smashed legs.
Earlier Ruben told a Dutch newspaper he was “fine” but could remember nothing of the crash.
“My name is Ruben and I am from Holland,” he told the Telegraaf newspaper in a telephone conversation.
“I am fine, but my legs hurt a lot,” the boy said.
“I am in a hospital,” Ruben said. “I don”t know how I got here, I don”t know anything more. I really want to go home,”
The boy and his family were returning to Tripoli from a South African safari holiday, when they boarded the ill-fated Afriqiyah Airways flight that disintegrated upon landing on Wednesday. (ANI)
Cheryl Cole’s brother ‘arrested following armed terror raid’
May 14, 2010 By Leave a Comment
London, May 14 (ANI): Cheryl Cole is reportedly in a state of shock following her brother’s alleged involvement in a robbery case.
The singer’s sibling Andrew Tweedy has reportedly been held for questioning by the cops after a violent raid in a post office at Longbenton, Newcastle.
In the attack robbers waved a gun and machete at customers and staff before making off with thousands of pounds.
Cops arrested nine people, including one woman, in connection with the robbery.
A police spokesman said: “A vehicle and firearm have been recovered.”
Northumbria Police did not reveal the identity of those arrested, reports the Daily Express.
However, a police source confirmed that unemployed Tweedy was one of those being held for questioning.
Tweedy’s life has been marked with drugs, alcohol and solvent abuse, along with anxiety and depression. (ANI)
Missing Indian youngster ‘probably dead’: New Zealand police
May 10, 2010 By Leave a Comment
Wellington, May 10 (ANI): Police are yet to trace Srikanth Rayadurgam, an Indian youngster who has been missing since October 1st, leading them to conclude that he is probably dead.
Much to the chagrin of his brother-in-law, Nagesh Kakanoor, who says that it took the police nearly a week to send divers to search the area, a delay that, Kakanoor believes might have cost Srikanth his life.
Rayadurgam walked out of the Mt Albert home of his sister Padam and Kakanoor and out of their lives on Thursday, October 1.
Later that day he took $250 out of a Queen St money machine and that night tried to call his uncle in India on his cellphone.
The following day his wallet and some personal items were found at the Westhaven Marina, stuff.co.nz reports
Kakanoor says the family is still hoping Srikanth would resurface. Speaking about the family’s predicament, Kakanoor told stuff.co.nz, “There is no closure, it is the biggest thing which is happening in our life.”
The aggrieved family is still hoping Srikanth would resurface. (ANI)
Asian origin Bishop’s sons assaulted by racist mob in Britain
May 8, 2010 By Leave a Comment
London, May 8 (ANI): The sons of former Bishop of Rochester, Dr Michael Nazir Ali who is of Asian extraction, were reportedly chased and assaulted by a mob of about twenty young men, in what has been described as a racially motivated attack.
Both men suffered bruises and cuts as a result of the attack.
“While we were giving our orders over the counter, a gang of about 20 guys came up to the window of the kebab shop. One of them called me ‘gay’ and then others started shouting racist abuse, calling me and my brother ‘Pakis’,” the Daily Express quoted Ross as saying.
“They started to follow us. One of them spat at us and shouted: ‘Keep walking.’ ” he added.
Dr Nazir, who was the first Bishop of Asian origin to be appointed by the Church of England, has strongly condemned the attack on his sons.
A Kent Police spokesman confirmed to the Daily Express that they were treating the assault as racially-motivated.
When a passer-by mistook Sir Ian McKellen for a tramp
May 7, 2010 By Leave a Comment
London, May 7 (ANI): A passer-by mistook Sir Ian McKellen for a tramp and gave him a dollar.
The Lord of The Rings star, whose latest venture is ‘Waiting for Godot’, was taking a break from a dress rehearsal, when a kind passer-by took pity on him.
“I was crouched by the stage door of the Comedy Theatre, getting some air, my bowler hat at my feet.
Seeing an unkempt old man down on his luck, a passer-by said: “Need some help, brother?’ and put 1-dollar in my hat.”
“I hope the audiences will be as generous,” he laughed.
“The coin is now lodged between two drawing pins above my dressing room mirror. It’s going to be my lucky talisman for the tour,” The Daily Express quoted Sir Ian as saying. (ANI)
Susan Boyle’s bro claims ‘she doesn’t know who to trust’
May 4, 2010 By Leave a Comment
London, May 04 (ANI): Britain’s Got Talent star Susan Boyle’s brother claims that she doesn’t know whom to trust.
While talking about his relationship with her, Gerry stated that the people who don’t have her best interests at heart are controlling her career, reports the Mirror.
“Basically, two of Susan’s nieces who had no time for her before Britain’s Got Talent are now controlling her career,” Gerry says in an interview with New Magazine.
He added: “She’s living her dream. The downside is that she has to be careful who she’s involved with.
“She has good days and bad days. She’s under intense pressure now. I don’t think Susan realises just how famous she is.” (ANI)
Kings XI Punjab under I.T. scanner over Burman”s share
April 29, 2010 By Leave a Comment
Mumbai, Apr 29 (ANI): The Indian Premier League (IPL) team, Kings XI Punjab, has come under the scanner of the Income Tax (IT) Department with respect to Mohit Burman”s share in the team.
“Mohit Burman”s funds came from London via Mauritius,” said IT sources.
“Kings XI Punjab incurred unexpected losses of Rs 70 crore,” sources added.
Kings XI co-owner Ness Wadia has rubbished all the charges against the team.
“Do not wish to get sucked into speculations in the media,” said Ness Wadia.
“All funds are above the Board and we are co-operating with the investigating agencies,” he added.
Preity Zinta, actor and part-owner of the Punjab team has said that there are no proxy holdings in Punjab Kings XI.
Zinta said that she is confident that suspended IPL Commsioner Lalit Modi is not a secret owner in the Punjab franchise.
Modi”s relative Mohit Burman, bought into the team at the same time as Zinta and other partners like Karan Paul. Mohit”s brother, Gaurav, invested in the team later, said Zinta, and he is not a front for Modi. (ANI)