Fox News | SilverScorpio.Com

Stosur can end Aussie women’s title drought in French Open: Pratt

May 21, 2010 By vani Leave a Comment

Sydney, May 21(ANI): Former Australian tennis star Nicole Pratt has backed Samantha Stosur to break a 30-year drought for Australian women’s tennis by winning the French Open, which begins on Sunday.

Australian woman have failed to taste success at a Grand Slam event since Evonne Goolagong Cawley won Wimbeldon in 1980, but Pratt believes that Stosur has the experience to go all the way at Roland Garros.

“She has now had enough experience with the pressure of being a top player, making the French Open semis last year and I really think she is coming into her own in terms of maturity,” Fox News quoted Pratt, as saying.

“If Sam can just get a few wins early on I am going to pick her to win the French. I think she will handle the pressure quite well,” she added.

Stosur has had a successful run leading to the tournament, having won 14 of her past 16 matches on clay surfaces and losses only to Justine Henin and Venus Williams.

Pratt has been keeping a close watch on Stosur and said her results coming in to the tournament are reflective of her recent form.

“I watched her play in Madrid last week and she is very clear about what she is trying to do on the court. She is looking extremely fit and confident,” Pratt said. (ANI)

Filed Under: International News Tagged With: aussie women, australian tennis, australian woman, australian women, Cawley, Clay Surfaces, Close Watch, Evonne Goolagong, Fox News, french open, Grand Slam Event, Justine Henin, maturity, Nicole Pratt, roland, Samantha Stosur, tennis star, Title Drought, Venus Williams, year drought

Obama job rating slips into negative territory again: Fox Poll

May 21, 2010 By vani Leave a Comment

Washington, May 21 (ANI): Views continue to be mixed on President Obama’s job rating, and for the first time, his approval rating has dipped below 80 percent among Democrats, a Fox News poll finds.

In all, 45 percent of voters approve and 46 percent disapprove of the president”s job performance.

Earlier this month 48 percent approved and 43 percent disapproved. A year ago, 60 percent approved and 30 percent disapproved (May 12-13, 2009).

Seventy-nine percent of Democrats approve and 12 percent disapprove. That”s a record low approval for Obama among his party faithful.

Republicans remain solidly in the disapprove column, as 84 percent give the president a negative rating and 12 percent approve. More independents disapprove (48 percent) than approve (39 percent) — and that”s been true for about two months.

The poll followed up the presidential job rating question with an open-ended question that allowed voters to say in their own words why they approve or disapprove.

Among those approving of President Obama”s performance, 45 percent say it”s because he”s “doing a good job” overall, followed by nine percent saying because he “cares about average people.” Eight percent say health care, 7 percent the improving economy and 6 percent say they agree with him on the issues. Smaller numbers mention his honesty (4 percent) and liking him personally (4 percent).

The most common reason cited for disapproving of the president is “he is doing a bad job” (21 percent). Other reasons include the deficit and government spending (14 percent), disagreeing with him on the issues (14 percent), the economy (13 percent), and health care (13 percent). The next most often cited reason for disapproving is he is “pushing socialism” (6 percent).

The job rating of Congress, meanwhile, is holding steady: 22 percent approve and 65 percent disapprove. Last month 22 percent of voters approved and 68 percent disapproved.
The national telephone poll was conducted for Fox News by Opinion Dynamics Corp. among 900 registered voters from May 18 to May 19. For the total sample, the poll has a margin of sampling error of plus or minus three percentage points. (ANI)

Filed Under: International News Tagged With: approval rating, Congress, Democrats, economy, Fox News, good job, Government Spending, health care, honesty, Independents, national telephone, Negative Territory, news poll, Open Ended Question, Presidential Job, Republicans, Seventy-nine, slips, Socialism, telephone poll

Critics of US intelligence failures force National Intelligence chief Blair to resign

May 21, 2010 By vani Leave a Comment

Washington, May 21 (ANI): The exposure of American intelligence failures by critics has forced the Obama administration to accept the resignation of National Intelligence Director Dennis Blair.

Blair said on Thursday that he would resign.

The intelligence failures include the Fort Hood shooting to the failed Christmas Day bombing plot to the attempted Times Square bombing.

“It is with deep regret that I informed the president today that I will step down as director of National Intelligence effective Friday, May 28th,” Fox News quoted Blair, as saying in a written statement.

“I have had no greater honor or pleasure than to lead the remarkably talented and patriotic men and women of the Intelligence Community,” he added.

In a written statement, President Obama said he was “grateful” for Blair”s leadership in the job.

“During his time as DNI, our intelligence community has performed admirably and effectively at a time of great challenges to our security, and I have valued his sense of purpose and patriotism,” he said.

“He and I both share a deep admiration for the men and women of our intelligence community, who are performing extraordinary and indispensable service to our nation,” he said.

The president is already is interviewing potential successors. (ANI)

Filed Under: International News Tagged With: admiration, american intelligence, challenges, christmas day, dennis blair, director of national intelligence, Fort Hood, Fox News, Indispensable Service, intelligence chief, intelligence community, intelligence failures, men and women, Patriotic Men, patriotism, pleasure, potential successors, resignation, Sense Of Purpose, times square

Critics of US intelligence failures force National Intelligence chief Blair to resign

May 21, 2010 By vani Leave a Comment

Washington, May 21 (ANI): The exposure of American intelligence failures by critics has forced the Obama administration to accept the resignation of National Intelligence Director Dennis Blair.

Blair said on Thursday that he would resign.

The intelligence failures include the Fort Hood shooting to the failed Christmas Day bombing plot to the attempted Times Square bombing.

“I have had no greater honor or pleasure than to lead the remarkably talented and patriotic men and women of the Intelligence Community,” he added.

In a written statement, President Obama said he was “grateful” for Blair”s leadership in the job.

“He and I both share a deep admiration for the men and women of our intelligence community, who are performing extraordinary and indispensable service to our nation,” he said.

The president is already is interviewing potential successors. (ANI)

”Everybody Draw Mohammed Day” triggers Facebook row

May 20, 2010 By vani Leave a Comment

Washington, May 20 (ANI): The ”Everybody Draw Mohammed Day” on Facebook, which was a cartoonist”s call to action against censorship, has snowballed into a controversy leading to death threats, a court order and a call for a boycott of the social networking site.

Seattle-based cartoonist named Molly Norris started the campaign in a bid to protest against Comedy Central”s decision to censor an episode of ‘South Park’ that depicted Muhammad in a bear costume.

The network took the decision after an Islamic extremist website warned of retaliation against the show”s creators, Matt Stone and Trey Parker

And to protest against the decision, Norris created a poster with likenesses of Muhammad as a domino, a teacup and a box of pasta.

Thus, she declared May 20 as ‘Everybody Draw Mohammed Day!’— and her efforts quickly went viral, spawning several Facebook pages with thousands of followers dedicated to the event.

They also prompted a “protest” movement by thousands of other Facebook users opposed to it.

While Norris herself has withdrawn from the cause, but she is glad her efforts encouraged others to speak out.

“I just thought that Viacom or Comedy Central had overreacted to a veiled threat from a tiny blog or website that not many people even belong to, and I think it just set a precedent for a slippery slope in censorship,” Fox News quoted Norris as saying.

“If artists have to be afraid of what they draw, then what’s the point of even living here? That”s what really bothered me,” she added.

As of May 19, more than 41,000 Facebook users associated themselves to one page dedicated to the event, and a similar page was “liked” by at least 4,400 users.

Meanwhile, over 56,000 users joined a Facebook page opposing it.

And in Pakistan, a court on Wednesday ordered the government to block Facebook pages associated with the campaign until May 31.

Muslims consider any depiction of the Prophet Muhammad to be blasphemous, and it is a crime punishable by death.

“The court also has ordered the foreign ministry to investigate why such a competition is being held,” said Azhar Siddique, a representative of the Islamic Lawyers Forum who filed a petition in the Lahore High Court.

Organizers of the Facebook page protesting the drawing campaign are calling for users to boycott the social networking site for the company”s inaction against the ‘Everybody Draw Mohammad’ pages.

Some say the campaign is nothing more than a way to incite Muslims.

A Facebook spokesman told FoxNews.com it has no plans to censor any of the pages associated with the campaign or the counter-campaign, though threats will be removed. (ANI)

Filed Under: International News Tagged With: cartoonist, censorship, Comedy Central, Cri, death threats, depiction, facebook, Fox News, Islamic Extremist, likenesses, Matt Stone And Trey Parker, Mohammed, Prophet Muhammad, Protest Movement, retaliation, slippery slope, social networking site, Trey Parker, veiled threat, Viacom

Megan Fox out of ‘Transformers 3’?

May 20, 2010 By vani Leave a Comment

Washington, May 20 (ANI): Actress Megan Fox has been reportedly dropped from ‘Transformers 3’.

According to a report from Access Hollywood, a source who works at Paramount, the studio that produces the film, said Fox’s character would not be revived in the third installment of “Transformers,” as producers want to take Shia LaBeouf’s character Sam Witwicky in a different direction, reports Fox News.

Director Michael Bay apparently made the decision months after Fox compared his work approach on set to that of “Hitler” and “Napoleon.”

Production on the third installment has already begun, according to reports. (ANI)

Filed Under: International News Tagged With: access hollywood, actress megan fox, direction, director michael bay, Fox News, Hitler, Hollywood, megan fox, napoleon, News Director, Paramount, producers, Sam Witwicky, shia labeouf, transformers, Work Approach

Times Square Bomb suspect Faisal Shahzad appears in court for his first hearing

May 19, 2010 By vani Leave a Comment

New York, May 19 (ANI): Times Square bombing attempt suspect, Faisal Shahzad has been produced in court for his first trial after being charged with terrorism and possession of weapons.

Shahzad was wearing a gray sweat suit and was composed. He pleaded ‘no plea’ to the five felony charges against him.

He had admitted to driving the SUV bomb into Times Square and told authorities he had received terror training during a recent five-month trip to Pakistan.

He has been charged with using a destructive device in an attempted violent crime, punishable by up to 30 years in prison; transporting and receiving explosives, punishable by up to 10 years; and attempting to damage and destroy property with fire and explosives, punishable by up to five years.

Assistant public defender Julia Gatto said she was his attorney and requested for Shahzad to be provided Halal meals while in custody.

According to FOX News, authorities said that the ex-budget analyst from Connecticut had voluntarily waived his rights to an initial court appearance while he was cooperating.

Shahzad “has provided valuable intelligence from which further investigative action has been taken,” the U.S. attorney”s office in Manhattan said in a statement Tuesday, the report said. (ANI)

Filed Under: International News Tagged With: 10 years, Assistant Public Defender, bomb, Budget Analyst, court appearance, Destructive Device, explosives, Felony Charges, Fox News, Gatto, Investigative Action, manhattan, News Authorities, plea, possession, shahzad, Sweat Suit, times square, violent crime, weapons

Kendra Wilkinson’s sex tape cover revealed but release delayed

May 19, 2010 By vani Leave a Comment

Washington, May 19 (ANI): The cover art of former Playmate Kendra Wilkinson’s sex tape has been revealed. However, the date of its release has been postponed to June over ‘legal issues’.

The image shows the reality star smiling beside three smaller screen grabs from the alleged tape that show Wilkinson sucking her finger, licking sheets and staring sexily into the lens, reports Fox News.

Vivid Entertainment expects to release the tape with the title “Kendra Exposed.”

The video was supposed to release in the end of this month but has been pushed back to June while “legal issues” are being negotiated, a source said.

Meanwhile, Wilkinson’s husband/NFL player Hank Baskett is “totally upset and embarrassed,” over his wife’s sex tape, which he apparently thinks will affect his NFL career, according to Life & Style.

Kendra’s bridesmaid and playmate Brittany Ginger, said: “Hank makes her (Kendra) pray before meals now. His family is so religious and he really calmed her down a lot, he””s good for her.” (ANI)

Filed Under: International News Tagged With: bridesmaid, brittany, Cover Art, exposed, Fox News, ginger, hank baskett, life style, lot, Nfl Career, nfl player, playmate kendra wilkinson, Screen Grabs, sex tape, sexily, Sucking, Vivid Entertainment, Wife Sex

LiLo denies new lesbian romance

May 19, 2010 By vani Leave a Comment

Washington, May 19 (ANI): Lindsay Lohan has dismissed reports that she has a new lesbian lover.

Celebrity photographer Indrani has told the New York Post that she and the ‘Mean Girls’ star were an item.

Indrani said: “I have never had a relationship with a woman before, but Lindsay is just somebody who I find fascinating, gorgeous and extremely smart, as well as super-hot.”

Also, sources cited several dates and that Indrani had spent the night at Lohan”s hotel.

However, Lohan has denied all reports linking her to Indrani.

“No, no, no… In NO way am I dating her,” the Fox News quoted her, as telling Us Weekly.

Meanwhile, it has been reported that the two posed for a steamy photo shoot on the Mother”s Day.

Abe Gurko of IMeanWhat.com, said: “The mood was amazing. Lindsay and Indrani were cozy at the end of the shoot and snuggling up. There”s definitely a sensual attraction.” (ANI)