Lily Allen puts diet on hold for boozy night out with pals

February 15, 2009 By Leave a Comment

London, Jan 14 (ANI): Lily Allen recently gave a slip to her strict diet to enjoy a boozy night out with friends.

The singer, who is trying every trick in the book to get in shape for the launch of her second album next month, has chucked alcohol and has even turned to the late Bob Marley for inspiration on keeping trim.

However, the 23-year-old star’s diet got a big knock on January 12, when she ended up on a massive booze binge.

In fact, the starlet walked home the next day, wearing the same clothes from the night before, reports The Mirror.

He partying started sensibly though-Lily made a trip to the healthy Nobu restaurant on London’s Park Lane with pal Miquita Oliver.

Later, the girls headed to the exclusive Groucho club in Soho, where the ‘Smile’ hitmaker went through several fagging and drinking rounds.

At closing time, she got a call on her BlackBerry, and they jumped in a cab to continue the party.

Lily’s new album ‘It’s Not Me It’s You’ is out next month. (ANI)

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Israel may face UN court ruling on legality of Gaza conflict

February 15, 2009 By Leave a Comment

London, Jan.14 (ANI): Israel faces the prospect of intervention by international courts amid growing calls that its actions in Gaza are a violation of world humanitarian and criminal law.

The UN general assembly, which is meeting this week to discuss the issue, will consider requesting an advisory opinion from the international court of justice, the Guardian reports.

“There is a well-grounded view that both the initial attacks on Gaza and the tactics being used by Israel are serious violations of the UN charter, the Geneva conventions, international law and international humanitarian law,” the paper quoted Richard Falk, the UN’s special rapporteur on the Palestinian territories and professor emeritus of international law at Princeton University, as saying.

“There is a consensus among independent legal experts that Israel is an occupying power and is therefore bound by the duties set out in the fourth Geneva convention,” Falk added.

A Foreign Office source confirmed the UK would consider backing calls for a reference to the ICJ.

“It’s definitely on the table. We have already called for an investigation and are looking at all evidence and allegations,” the source was quoted, as saying. (ANI)

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Alien ‘sceptic’ spots nine UFOs in night sky!

February 15, 2009 By Leave a Comment

London, Jan 14 (ANI): A Brit businessman, who admits being a total alien sceptic, has described his close encounter with nine suspected UFOs as he walked his dog past a wind turbine.

Peter Green says that he was stunned to see the orange-lit crafts making a diamond formation.

The sighting occurred on Jan 4 – less than four hours before a wind farm turbine was damaged by a mystery aircraft near Louth, Lincs.

Experts claim that there were several reported sightings in the same area.

Peter, 55, made his spooky sighting near Scoutmoor Wind Farm, Haslingden, Lancs.

“They were solid orange balls which made no noise – it was weird,” the Daily Star quoted him, as saying.

“I’m a total sceptic but it was like something out of Close Encounters,” he added.

Phil Catterall, of Bolton UFO Society, said: “I’ve had a number of calls and emails saying they saw the same thing.” (ANI)

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Stan Lee to unveil world’s first gay superhero

February 15, 2009 By Leave a Comment

London, Jan 14 (ANI): Stan Lee, the creator of Spider-Man, is to unveil the world’s first gay superhero, according to reports.

The 86-year-old, who has created the Hulk and the X-Men, will reportedly unleash the character in an hour-long TV drama being shot in the US.

TV execs hope it will rival the huge success of shows likes Heroes.

The former Marvel Comics boss developed the idea of a gay character from the award-winning novel Hero by Perry Moore.

“It was only a matter of time before we had our first gay superhero. And if there is one man who can make him a success it is Stan Lee,” The Sun quoted a TV insider, as saying.

“There’s a real buzz among comic book fans,” the source added. (ANI)

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Muslim leader issues public apology for calling Prince Harry ‘a thug’

February 15, 2009 By Leave a Comment

London, Jan 14 (ANI): A Muslim leader in Britain has made a public apology for accusing Prince Harry of being “a thug.”

A video footage taken in 2006 sees Prince Harry with his fellow military cadets. He is heard to refer to one as “our little Paki friend,” a derogatory term referring to the Pakistanis.

The video sparked a public outrage, claiming the Prince, who once donned a Nazi military costume at a party in 2005, is racist.

While the Royal has already apologised for his comment, Mohammed Shafiq, the chief executive of the Ramadhan Foundation, a Muslim youth organisation, regretted his own choice of language in an apology on January 13.

“On reflection, I wish to issue a sincere and unreserved apology to Prince Harry for any offence I have caused him,” The Telegraph quoted him as saying.

The 29-year-old leader called Harry “a thug” in an appearance on television, but has now admitted to being at fault.

“I recognise that when we make mistakes we should be honourable and decent to accept them and I hope that this apology is accepted in that way. I never intended to offend Prince Harry,” he said.

He added: “I am, however, still of the view that the use of the term ‘Paki’ is unacceptable in the 21st century and I welcome Prince Harry’s acceptance that this word is racist and offensive. I know he is a very talented individual and has a bright future ahead of him and hope we all learn lessons from this sorry episode.” (ANI)

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Muslim leader issues public apology for calling Prince Harry ‘a thug’

February 15, 2009 By Leave a Comment

London, Jan 14 (ANI): A Muslim leader in Britain has made a public apology for accusing Prince Harry of being “a thug.”

A video footage taken in 2006 sees Prince Harry with his fellow military cadets. He is heard to refer to one as “our little Paki friend,” a derogatory term referring to the Pakistanis.

The video sparked a public outrage, claiming the Prince, who once donned a Nazi military costume at a party in 2005, is racist.

While the Royal has already apologised for his comment, Mohammed Shafiq, the chief executive of the Ramadhan Foundation, a Muslim youth organisation, regretted his own choice of language in an apology on January 13.

“On reflection, I wish to issue a sincere and unreserved apology to Prince Harry for any offence I have caused him,” The Telegraph quoted him as saying.

The 29-year-old leader called Harry “a thug” in an appearance on television, but has now admitted to being at fault.

“I recognise that when we make mistakes we should be honourable and decent to accept them and I hope that this apology is accepted in that way. I never intended to offend Prince Harry,” he said.

He added: “I am, however, still of the view that the use of the term ‘Paki’ is unacceptable in the 21st century and I welcome Prince Harry’s acceptance that this word is racist and offensive. I know he is a very talented individual and has a bright future ahead of him and hope we all learn lessons from this sorry episode.” (ANI)

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Rowling ‘lands gold-dust invitation for Obama’s inaugural gala’

February 15, 2009 By Leave a Comment

London, Jan 14 (ANI): Acclaimed author J.K. Rowling has received a special gold-dust invitation for US President-elect Barack Obama’s inaugural ceremony, according to reports.

The author received the special early invitation because Obama is a huge fan of Harry Potter books.

The invitation may see Rowling rubbing shoulders with celebrities like George Clooney and Will Smith at the star-studded inauguration ceremony and White House dinner on Tuesday.

However J.K. Rowling’s spokeswoman said she was unaware of any decision on the invite.

The organisers of the bash in Washington are much aware of Obama’s “cool” status, as rapper Jay-Z, his superstar wife Beyonce Knowles and rock legend Bruce Springsteen are also on the guest list for the glitzy reception.

“Obama is cool. He’s the first pop culture president,” The Sun quoted Morris Reid of the Creative Coalition, as saying.

In 2007, Obama’s wife Michelle outed him as the original “Harry Potter parent”.(ANI)

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Venus may have had continents and oceans in its ancient past

February 15, 2009 By Leave a Comment

London, Jan 14 (ANI): In a new research, scientists have claimed to detect evidence for granite highlands on Venus in data almost two decades old, which suggests that the planet may have once been far more like Earth, with oceans and continents.

According to a report in Nature News, the data includes nighttime infrared emissions coming from the surface of Venus, which was detected by NASA’s Galileo spacecraft in 1990.

Analyzing these data, an international team led by planetary scientist George Hashimoto, now at Okayama University, Japan, found that Venus’s highland regions emitted less infrared radiation than its lowlands.

One interpretation of this lower infrared emission from the highlands, according to the authors, is that they are composed largely of ‘felsic’ rocks, particularly granite.

Granite, which on Earth is found in continental crust, requires water for its formation.

“This is the first direct evidence that early in the history of the Solar System, Venus was a habitable planet with plenty of water,” said Dirk Schulze-Makuch, an astrobiologist at Washington State University in Pullman.

“The question is how long Venus remained habitable. But this gives new impetus for the search for microbial life in Venus’s lower atmosphere,” he added.

Before Galileo, researchers had believed that only radar could see through the dense clouds of sulphuric acid in Venus’s atmosphere to the surface, according to co-author Kevin Baines, a scientist at NASA’s Jet Propulsion Laboratory in Pasadena, California.

“Detecting the surface in the infrared is a breakthrough,” he said.

The possible presence of granite also suggests that tectonic plate movement and continent formation may have occurred on Venus, as well as recycling of water and carbon between the planet’s mantle and atmosphere.

According to geophysicist Norm Sleep of Stanford University in California, the implication of continent formation is “quite significant”.

Venus might have once been almost entirely underwater, although without further geochemical data, we don’t know whether this early ocean’s temperature was 30 degree Celsius or 150 degree Celsius, he added.

“Whether tepid or boiling, any ocean on Venus would have lasted only a few hundred million years. As the Sun became hotter and brighter, the planet experienced a runaway greenhouse effect,” Sleep explained.

Nowadays, the planet is a paragon of the uninhabitable, with an atmosphere of 96 percent carbon dioxide and a surface temperature of around 460 degrees C.

“Any life on Venus that hadn’t figured out how to colonize the cloud tops a billion years after the planet’s formation would have been in big trouble,” said Sleep. (ANI)

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Jennifer Hudson perfect to sing US national anthem, says Faith Hill

January 31, 2009 By Leave a Comment

London, Jan 31 (ANI): Country singer Faith Hill has praised Jennifer Hudson for choosing the Super Bowl for returning to the spotlight after her family tragedy.

Hudson is set to perform the U.S. National Anthem in front of millions of viewers before the Super Bowl making her comeback after the brutal murders of mother, brother and nephew in October last year.

Hill feels that Hudson has chosen the perfect event to mark her comeback.

“She is a strong girl, a girl of faith,” the Daily Express quoted Hill as saying.

“I believe to come and perform the National Anthem, which is this country’s favourite song, at a time that our country is stepping up and moving forward for future generations – I think it’s just the perfect choice,” she added. (ANI)

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Hamas must be involved in Middle East peace talks: Blair

January 31, 2009 By Leave a Comment

London, Jan 31 (ANI): Former British Prime Minister and Quartet envoy to the Middle East, Tony Blair, has said that Hamas must be involved in the peace process in the region.

Blair said that in the past, the issue of the Gaza Strip had been neglected in an effort to establish a Palestinian state in the West Bank.

Such an effort “was never going to work and will never work,” The Times quoted Blair, as saying.

“Yes, we do need to show through the change we are making on the West Bank that the Palestinian state could be a reality. The trouble is that if you simply try to push Gaza to one side then eventually what happens is the situation becomes so serious that it erupts and you deliver into the hands of the mass the power to erupt at any point in time,” he said.

Blair added that Hamas must renounce violence and recognize Israel’s right to exist before it could be included in any talks.

“I do think it is important that we find a way of bringing Hamas into this process, but it can only be done if Hamas are prepared to do it on the right terms,” Blair said.

He warned that any such efforts must be made carefully, saying, “If you do this in the wrong way it can destabilize the very people in Palestine who have been working all through for the moderate cause.”

“We do have to find a way of making sure that the choice is put before Hamas and the people of Gaza in a clear, understandable, unambiguous way, for them to choose their future. You have to find a way of communicating that choice to them in their terms. Now exactly what way you choose at the moment, that is an open question,” Blair opined. (ANI)

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Verne Troyer may give new girlfriend big Hollywood break

January 31, 2009 By Leave a Comment

London, Jan 31 (ANI): Verne Troyer is reportedly convincing movie bosses to cast his girlfriend Chanelle Hayes in the movie ‘Austin Powers 4′.

The ‘Mini-Me’ star was smitten by the beauty when they hooked up this week and thinks she could make it big in America.

“It is obvious he and Chanelle had chemistry when they met and he is willing to help her become a star,” The Daily Star quoted a source, as saying.

Verne thinks Chanelle could be the perfect babe for the role of Austin’s sidekick, previously played by Liz Hurley, 43, Beyoncé, 27, and Heather Graham, 39.

He is allegedly convincing lead actor Mike Myers, 45, and co-writer Mike McCullers, 37, to give Chanelle their nod.

“The film looks like it is definitely going ahead and Verne is a major star,” the source said.

“It could be a match made in movie heaven. It will really propel Chanelle into the bright lights of Hollywood,” the source added.

Meanwhile, Chanelle recently revealed that she an avid fan of Austin Powers and would love to be a part of the flick.

“I am such a massive fan of Austin Powers, I love those movies. If the chance came up for a part, I’d jump at it,” she said. (ANI)

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Fergie believes Man U can break through 80-goal mark

January 31, 2009 By Leave a Comment

London, Jan.31 (ANI): Coach and manager Alex Ferguson reckons his strike force can break through the 80-goal mark this season and carry Manchester United to glory.

All the talk recently has been about the Red Devils record 11 consecutive Premier League games without conceding.

Now Fergie wants the attack to grab back some of the headlines as they did in cutting loose in the 5-0 demolition of West Brom in midweek.

And the United boss believes Dimitar Berbatov, Wayne Rooney, Carlos Tevez and Cristiano Ronaldo can all go on and get 20 goals each this season.
The Sun quoted Ferguson as saying: “I certainly think they are capable of doing it. Quite rightly the defenders have been taking the credit this season up until now. I just hope now that it’s going to be the forwards who take the credit.”
“The case of Ronaldo is a good one. Last year was a miracle season. To score 42 goals as a winger, it is hard to imagine he could replicate that. Yet people are saying he has not had a great season but he’s still got 13 goals for us and had 11 assists. If we could dismiss last season altogether you would say that was incredible for a winger to score 13 goals by the halfway mark,” he added.

Right now Ronaldo has 13, Rooney 12, Berbatov 11 and Tevez 10. (ANI)

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Robinho turns his home into a fortress

January 31, 2009 By Leave a Comment

London, Jan. 31 (ANI): Fearing that his family might become a target of hate, Brazilian football ace Robinho has beefed up security at his home.

In the wake of him being reportedly involved in the rape of a Leeds girl, Robintho has arranged for a new alarm and security system to be installed at the family’s rented barn conversion in Mobberley, Cheshire, The Star reported.

A Manchester city club insider said, “Security is a key issue for all our players and it’s no surprise Robi wants to step up his. He’s obviously very concerned about the welfare of his wife, child and himself at this particular time.”

West Yorkshire Police quizzed Robinho for four hours after he was accused for raping an 18-year-old student in the VIP area of The Space nightclub in Leeds on January 14.

The Samba striker denied the claim and has pledged to help investigators.

The 160,000-pounds-a-week player went with pals and his wife Vivian to check out the band – fronted by Lewis Hamilton’s girlfriend Nicole Scherzinger, 30 – at Manchester’s MEN Arena for the latest leg of their Doll Domination Tour.

He delighted fans by signing autographs at a Pussycat Dolls concert in Manchester. (ANI)

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Simon Cowell fantasises snogging Cheryl Cole

January 31, 2009 By Leave a Comment

London, Jan 31 (ANI): Simon Cowell has revealed his “sexual desire” for fellow X-Factor judge Cheryl Cole.

The music mogul admitted that he fantasises to kiss fellow Cole, if she weren’t married.

When asked who he would choose if he could kiss anyone in the world, and the 49-year-old star revealed that he fancied the Girls Aloud star, 25.

“I’m going to get into so much trouble after this. I want a disclaimer first of all that I’m going to say this person as if they weren’t married… so I am going to say Cheryl Cole,” The Sun quoted him as saying.

In the magazine interview he added: “Who wouldn’t?”

He then said hastily: “This is just pretend, right?”

Cowell has been single since splitting from long-time girlfriend Terri Seymour last October.

And his comments come weeks after Cheryl – married to Chelsea star Ashley Cole – admitted: “Simon’s the most charismatic man I’ve ever met – it’s like he’s trancing you.” (ANI)

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Emily Blunt, Jason Segel tapped to join Jack Black for ‘Gulliver’s Travels’

January 31, 2009 By Leave a Comment

London, Jan 31 (ANI): Emily Blunt and Jason Segel will be starring alongside comedian Jack Black in a new movie version of fictional adventure book ‘Gulliver’s Travels’, according to reports.

According to reports, the pair is in talks with bosses at Twentieth Century Fox to join Black on the big screen adaptation of the famous tale.

Black was signed on in November (08) to play a travel writer who gets lost in the Bermuda Triangle and washes up on an island of tiny people.

To be directed by Shark Tale’s Rob Letterman, the film will give a modern spin to Jonathan Swift’s classic 18th century tale, reports The Daily Express.

However, if Blunt takes up the role, then she might have to give up starring as femme fatale the Black Widow in the forthcoming Iron Man sequel opposite Robert Downey, Jr, amid scheduling concerns from her bosses at Fox studios.
‘Gulliver’s Travels’ is scheduled to go on floors in March 2009. (ANI)

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Bullying at school could be good for kids

January 31, 2009 By Leave a Comment

London, Jan 31 (ANI): Being a victim of bullies at school can actually be good for children, according to an academician.

Helene Guldberg, associate lecturer in child development at the Open University suggest that bullying can help students to learn how to manage disputes and boost their ability to interact with others.

In an article on Spiked website, Guldberg urged teachers not to break up “boisterous banter or everyday playground disputes” and let children handle it themselves.

She said that the “obsession” with bullying among teachers and politicians was depriving children of the “experiences they need to develop”.

However, her idea was panned by anti-bullying campaigners.

Despite the government’s crackdown on attacks and intimidation, almost half of children still claim they are bullied at school.

“Teachers are increasingly lumbered with the task of looking after children’s health and wellbeing rather than being allowed to get on with the task of educating them,” the Telegraph quoted Guldberg as saying.

“Children are encouraged to assume their relationships with other children are damaging, and tacitly encouraged to look upon their peers with trepidation and suspicion.

“If we treat children as if they cannot possibly cope with hurtful experiences, then we will likely undermine their confidence and make them less likely to cope with difficult events in the future.

“In effect, we will prevent them from growing up,” she added. (ANI)

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Seeing KP hurt was hell, says his wife

January 31, 2009 By Leave a Comment

London, Jan.31 (ANI): Dancing On Ice star Jessica Taylor has said that her husband Kevin Pietersen’s shock resignation as England cricket captain, has left everyone in the family hurt, and added that it has not been easy to live with it.
“It’s been tough. It hasn’t been easy. It’s never nice to see someone you love going through something hurtful,” The Sun quoted her, as saying.

She said that she was proud that Kevin has returned to play for England.

She said: “He’s scoring runs this week and he’s back doing what he loves to do. He got a century last week, so I’m very proud of him! I do believe that everything happens for a reason. I really miss him and I’m glad I’ve got the distraction of the show, although obviously it would be lovely to have him here,” she said.
“It meant the world to have him in the audience last week because he’s never really seen me perform before. We met just as we were doing our final Liberty X shows so he never really saw that side of my life. He said he was very proud and that meant a lot to me. I hope he can watch me on YouTube in the West Indies and keep up with my progress,” Jessica said. (ANI)

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A cold as dangerous as a drink when it comes to driving

January 31, 2009 By Leave a Comment

London, Jan 31 (ANI): Having a bad cold or the flu can be as bad for driving as a couple of whiskies, a new reports has revealed.

According to the study, symptoms such as a stuffed-up head, grogginess and sneezing have the same impact on people’s abilities as a level of alcohol close to or at the drink-drive limit.

In the research, for Lloyds TSB Insurance, one hundred drivers with a range of conditions including colds, stress and headaches and 50 who were healthy were put through a hazard simulator test, reports the BBC.

From the analysis, the study revealed that drivers with colds scored, on average, 11 percent worse – equivalent to the effect of a double whisky.

The study, carried out by PCP research agency, looked at 60 people with colds and flu as well as 40 with other conditions including premenstrual syndrome.

They said that applying the 11percent effect to reaction times would add 1m (3.3ft) to stopping distance if travelling at 30mph (48km/h) – on top of a normal distance of 12m (40ft).

It would add 2.3m (7.5ft) onto the normal stopping distance of 96m (315ft) if travelling at 70mph (113km/h). (ANI)

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Mushtaq Ahmad named ‘official spin bowling coach’ for England’s Caribbean tour

January 31, 2009 By Leave a Comment

London, Jan.31 (ANI): The England Cricket Board (ECB) has extended Mushtaq Ahmad’s tenure as England’s spin-bowling coach upto the forthcoming Test series in the West Indies.

The ECB said that the players in the national team are really happy with Ahmad and his coaching abilities, as he has helped in tremendously improving players like Monty Panesar grow on the international arena.

“He’s created a really good impression with the spin bowlers. His experience and skill at international level have led us to the conclusion that he would be valuable to have around for a longer period,” The Daily Times quoted the ECB’s managing director Hugh Morris, as saying.

Earlier, Ahmad was supposed to spend only the ten-day warm-up period in St Kitts.

The Carribean tour will be the first official tour of Ahmad as England’s spin bowling coach.

The former Pakistan leggie, Mushtaq Ahmed is considered as the main force behind nurturing England’s current premier spin bowler Monty Panesar.

Panesar said that he was eagerly looking forward to the tour and the newly appointed coach’s invaluable suggestions.

“It’s been great having Mushtaq with us and I’ve really enjoyed both his company and the way he’s been coaching us,” he said. (ANI)

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Tributes paid to radio cricket legend Bill Frindall

January 31, 2009 By Leave a Comment

London,Jan.31 (ANI): Tributes were paid last night to radio cricket legend Bill Frindall, who died days after contracting Legionnaire’s disease.

Frindall, 69, was the scorer on Radio 4′s Test Match Special from 1966 and covered 377 Test matches.

He was dubbed The Bearded Wonder, or “Bearders”, by the late commentator Brian Johnston for his huge knowledge of cricket facts, reports The Sun.

It is believed he contracted the disease in Dubai, where he was on a tour with the Lord’s Taverners earlier this month.

Jonathan Agnew, the BBC cricket correspondent and Frindall’s colleague in the commentary box, said he brought scoring alive for many listeners. Agnew said: “The weird world of cricket scoring to many people is incredibly dull but Bill made it interesting and lively.”

Gordon Turnbull, the head of BBC Radio Sport, said: “Bill was an iconic figure in the commentary box and was the sport’s most celebrated statistician.”

Frindall, who is survived by wife Debbie and daughter Alice, was made an MBE in 2004 for services to cricket. (ANI)

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