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‘We are united’, reiterates Team Anna; visits Hazare (Lead)

October 30, 2011 By admin Leave a Comment

Ralegan Siddhi (Maharashtra), Oct 30 (IANS) Putting up a united front, Team Anna Sunday said there were no differences among its core committee members and accused the Congress of trying to create rifts through a smear campaign.

Team Anna members Sunday came here to meet activist Anna Hazare, a day after holding a core committee meeting in Ghaziabad.

In the wake of graft allegations against some members, the group also decided to draft a code of conduct for its core committee members and anybody violating it would be removed from the committee.

They also said that its members will jointly campaign in the five states that go to the polls in 2012 for a strong Lokpal institution.

“We are all united. We will wait till the winter session of parliament to see if the Lokpal bill is enacted. Otherwise, we will as a team tour the five states going to polls next year to campaign against the Congress,” Team Anna member Arvind Kejriwal told reporters here. He was flanked by members Prashant Bhushan and Kiran Bedi.

They alleged that Congress was trying to divide the team members through its smear campaign against members of the core committee of India Against Corruption.

“Some leaders of the Congress are trying to divide the team. Some are trying to discredit us. This is a 20-crore people’s agitation. If we give up the movement now, people will stop trusting us. Till the time a Lokpal institution is in place, we will continue our movement. We are all united,” Kejriwal said in the presence of Anna Hazare.

“Congress is running scared after its Hisar poll defeat. But we are not against any political party or grouping. Since Congress is in power at the centre, it should fulfill its commitment to the nation to have a corruption-free government and enact the Jan Lokpal bill,” he said.

Kejriwal and Kiran Bedi also dismissed allegations of misuse of funds by them, saying all the IAC accounts were specially audited for six months and the accounts will be put up on the movement’s website on Nov 1.

“If you still have doubts over the accounts, you can order an investigation through any government agency,” Kejriwal said.

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Urine LAM-ELISA not effective as independent diagnostic test for pulmonary TB

August 28, 2009 By admin Leave a Comment

Washington, August 28 (ANI): A trial of the new diagnostic urine LAM-ELISA has indicated that it may not be useful as an independent diagnostic test for pulmonary tuberculosis (TB).

Detailed in the open access journal BMC Infectious Diseases, the results suggest that it was only capable of identifying 50.7 per cent of TB cases.

Klaus Reither led a team of researchers from the Ludwig-Maximilians-University of Munich, Germany, the University College London, UK, and the NIMR-Mbeya Medical Research Programme, Tanzania, who tested LAM-ELISA in 291 Tanzanian patients suspected of having TB.

He said: “Only 35 out of 69 pulmonary TB cases, confirmed by smear microscopy and/or solid culture and/or liquid culture, showed at least one positive LAM-ELISA result. This 50.7 per cent sensitivity of the LAM-ELISA was disappointingly low. The specificity of 87.8 % also fell far short of expectations.”

The LAM-ELISA detects lipoarabinomannan (LAM), a mycobacterium-specific lipopolysaccharide component of the bacilli’s cell wall.

In active mycobacterial disease, LAM is released into the blood and passes the renal barrier without major changes – suggesting that its detection in urine should be a reliable diagnostic indicator.

Urine can be easily obtained, and its collection is often more culturally accepted than the collection of sputum or blood samples.

The LAM-ELISA might not have fulfilled the requirements for a stand-alone diagnostic test for pulmonary tuberculosis, but the researchers speculate that it may still be of some use.

“In our opinion, further investigations are needed to elucidate if the LAM-ELISA, in this stage of development, is valuable as a supplemental tool for the diagnosis of HIV-associated TB. This seems particularly important, when taking into consideration that TB is one of the most important opportunistic infections of HIV patients and that the sensitivity of smear microscopy in immunocompromised patients is low,” they say. (ANI)

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Goody’s cancerous end prompts 20-pct leap in Scotland smear tests

August 26, 2009 By admin Leave a Comment

London, August 26 (ANI): Scottish officials have noticed a 20 per cent rise in cervical smear tests linking it to Jade Goody’s high-profile battle against the disease.

The British reality TV star, who lost her life to cervical cancer aged 27 earlier this year, left a lasting legacy, prompting tens of thousands of Scottish women to attend examinations.

Authorities observed more than 45,000 cervical smears were processed north of the Border in 2008-09, the highest number for almost a decade.

“The rise in uptake coincides with the HPV immunisation campaign, which promotes the importance of cervical screening, and the very sad illness and death of Jade Goody, who worked hard to raise awareness of cervical cancer,” the Telegraph quoted Shona Robison, Scottish public health minister, as saying.

“This is clear proof that being more open about this illness and the need for screening can and does encourage women to come forward,” Robison added.

The largest increase in tests was recorded among women aged between 20 and 24 with the figures jumping from 50.2 per cent to 56.4 per cent, while for those between 25 to 29 years of age, the leap was from 63.3 per cent to 68 per cent.

NHS statisticians confirmed this “most likely reflects the impact of the publicity surrounding Jade Goody’s death from cervical cancer.”

Elspeth Atkinson, Macmillan Cancer Support’s director for Scotland, said: “It is good news that more women are attending for routine screening and we hope this is a trend that will continue.

“Abnormalities that are detected early by a smear test can usually be treated successfully. This is why it’s also vitally important that women attend any follow up appointments for further tests.” (ANI)

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Malay temple trustees furious at semi-dressed praying woman’s pics

August 19, 2009 By admin Leave a Comment

Kuala Lumpur, Aug 19 (ANI): Pictures of a semi-dressed young Caucasian woman supposedly praying at the Kek Lok Si Temple has left temple trustees furious.

The trustees have denied that the pictures, being circulated through an email, were shot inside their temple, and have claimed that it is the work of some mischievous people, who are trying to tarnish their name.

The 12 e-mail pictures show the young woman clad in a blouse and short skirt, exposing her panties and breasts while performing prayers.

Temple trustee Datuk Steven Ooi said that they were aware of the claims, but ruled out that the pictures were shot inside the temple.

“Someone is out to smear the good name of the temple, which is one of the state’s popular tourist attractions,” the Star Online quoted him as saying.

Ooi said that a comparison of the pictures with the temple’s internal and external features, including the Buddha statues, showed that they could not have been taken at the Kek Lok Si Temple.

“It is almost impossible for the woman to pull off such a stunt inside the temple because it is busy with visitors, nuns and monks most of the time,” he added.

Ooi said that the temple would not make a police report because they did not want to be dragged into a controversy. (ANI)

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First female Oxford Professor of Poetry resigns over smear scandal

May 26, 2009 By admin Leave a Comment

London, May 26 (ANI): The first woman to become the Oxford Professor of Poetry has resigned following allegation that she was involved in a smear campaign against a rival.

Ruth Padel, a great-great granddaughter of Charles Darwin, insisted she had not engaged in smear tactics and had done “nothing intentional” to lead fellow contender Derek Walcott to pull out of the vote.

Walcott, 79 – who had been the favourite to win the job which is regarded as one of the most influential in UK poetry behind that of the laureateship – withdrew following an anonymous letter campaign.

“I genuinely believe that I did nothing intentional that led to Derek Walcott’s withdrawal from the election. I wish he had not pulled out,” the Telegraph quoted Professor Padel as saying in a statement.

“I did not engage in a smear campaign against him, but, as a result of student concern, I naively – and with hindsight unwisely – passed on to two journalists, whom I believed to be covering the whole election responsibly, information that was already in the public domain.

“I acted in complete good faith, and would have been happy to lose to Derek, but I can see that people might interpret my actions otherwise.

“I wish to do what is best for the University and I understand that opinion there is divided.

“I therefore resign from the Chair of Poetry. I hope wounds will now heal and I wish the next professor all the best,” she added.

Oxford University sources said a new election would now be held.

A spokeswoman for Oxford University said: “We respect the decision that Ruth Padel has taken. This has been a difficult chapter for all concerned and a period of reflection may now be in order.” (ANI)

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‘Jade Goody effect’ sends women rushing to UK’s NHS for cervical tests

May 12, 2009 By admin Leave a Comment

London, May 12 (ANI): A record number of women have been rushing to the UK’s National Health Service (NHS) for cervical smear tests since Jade Goody lost her life to the disease on March 22.

According to Sara Hiom from Cancer Research UK, the tragic demise of the late reality star, who passed away aged 27, had sent the number of examinations soaring sky high.

“The Jade effect” had left waiting time for the tests leap from two weeks to as much as two months while the number of hits on the Cancer Research UK website’s cervical cancer pages had also jumped from 100,000 in January to almost 400,000.

“Jade’s legacy will be to help save lives. Her tragic plight brought important cervical cancer awareness messages into living rooms across the UK,” the Daily Star quoted Sara as saying.

She added: “Jade’s story has led to hundreds of thousands of people wanting information on the disease.”

The NHS Cancer Screening Programme further said it was trying to keep up with the towering demand.

A Department of Health spokesman said: “We are aware that there has been increased demand on cervical screening services due to recent media attention.

“Some laboratories are experiencing backlogs but these are being dealt with at a local level.” (ANI)

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Proof surfaces to show dirty tricks website did involve senior UK Labour party leaders

April 19, 2009 By admin Leave a Comment

London, Apr.19 (ANI): A new e-mail shows that Labour’s General Secretary Ray Collins chaired a secret meeting to create the Red Rag website now ensnared in the Smear Gate scandal.
The e-mail’s existence links the dirty tricks site to the very top of the Labour Party, and it exposes the lie put out by Downing Street, and repeated by government ministers this week, that the smears were just a minor aberration cooked up by a couple of renegades acting alone-and which would never have seen light of day.
According to News of the World, the new e-mail, written by Labour’s then Internet campaign chief Derek Draper, proves that the meeting took place. It shows that Collins travelled across Westminster for a summit in the offices of trade union bigwig Charlie Whelan. Whelan, one of Gordon Brown’s closest friends and his former chief spin doctor, was described last night by a Labour insider as the Prime Minister’s “unofficial Mr. Fix-It”.
Joining Collins and Whelan at the meeting were the two men whose leaked smear e-mails later brought the scandal to light: Damian McBride and Draper.

McBride, another of the Prime Minister’s closest aides, was forced to resign last week after it emerged that he and Draper conspired to spread false and sinister stories about Tory leader David Cameron, Shadow Chancellor George Osborne and other Tories.

Draper has since been cold-shouldered by the party, too.

Also in the room was the man who was to be the public face of Red Rag, Unite press officer Andrew Dodgshon, as well as political journalist Kevin Maguire, who was there in a private capacity.

News of the meeting, and the presence at it of the Labour Party’s General Secretary, will horrify and appall senior party workers and Labour MPs who have already been disgusted by the smear campaign.

The e-mail reveals the meeting took place on December 1 last year at Unite’s London HQ, on King’s Street, Westminster, seven weeks before McBride sent an explosive e-mail to Draper outlining “stories” for the site. (ANI)

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Former Labour ministers blame Brown for e-mail fiasco

April 15, 2009 By admin Leave a Comment

London, Apr.15 (ANI): Four former Labour ministers have blamed British Prime Minister Gordon Brown for allowing former aide Damian McBride to draw up plans to smear senior Conservatives.

According to The Independent, the ministers suggested that McBride was carrying out Brown’s wishes rather than acting as a freelance operator.

They joined Conservative leader David Cameron in demanding an urgent shake-up of the Downing Street machine.

Brown also faced the prospect of an embarrassing inquiry into the role of special advisers like McBride.

Labour MPs want the Public Administration Select Committee, which has looked into their work after previous controversies, to launch another investigation.

Frank Field, a former welfare reform minister, said: “A necessary government information machine has been corrupted by a spin that seeks not to inform but control and, if needs be, destroy. And it has been in existence for over a decade.”

Two Blairite former ministers, Stephen Byers and Alan Milburn, also attacked Brown.

Byers, a former transport secretary, said: “To dismiss the incident as juvenile, which was the first reaction of Downing Street, totally missed the point and failed to recognise the extent of the hurt and offence caused. If there are people close to the Prime Minister who are thinking of fighting the forthcoming general election in a personal and dirty way, they should go, and go now.”

Former health secretary Milburn described the proposed website as “morally unacceptable” and said the row had inflicted huge damage on the Labour Party and on the Government.

Charles Clarke, the former home secretary, said politics had been “debased” by the affair and that two Labour figures who discussed the proposed website with McBride – Derek Draper and Charlie Whelan – should sever their links with the party’s leadership. (ANI)

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British premier writes to victims in smear row

April 14, 2009 By admin Leave a Comment

London – British Prime Minister Gordon Brown on Monday wrote personal letters to opposition political figures named in emails at the centre of a smear row which caused the resignation of one of his top advisors. Damian McBride, a former aide to Mr Brown in 10 Downing Street, quit his job over the weekend, after emails he sent in January suggesting possible smears of the top Conservative politicians were leaked to an internet blogger.

Facing demands for a public apology, on Monday Mr Brown wrote “personal” letters to at least three of the opposition figures named in the emails, and said he would tighten up rules governing civil servants code of conduct.

McBridge was formerly the prime ministers press advisor and strategy consultant.

Emails containing slurs about the mental health of a top Conservative politician’s wife, and the alleged ex-marital affair of a female lawmaker, among other rumours, were initially dismissed as “juvenile” by Downing Street.

But as the political row grew, McBride was forced to resign, and Mr Brown was facing serious questions about his judgement and calls for a public apology.

It is not the first row to embarrass the prime minster recently. The husband of the home secretary, Jacqui Smith, was recently caught claiming for pornographic movies from taxpayer expenses.

One Conservative parliamentarian was said to be considering legal action over the emails.

Mr Brown, who took over from Tony Blair in 2007, is lagging far behind in opinion polls, and must call an election by next year at the latest.(dpa)

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UK PM’s ruthless ally Watson

April 14, 2009 By admin Leave a Comment

London, Apr.14 (ANI): Tom Watson is regarded as ruthless political hard man and a key ally of British Prime Minister Gordon Brown.

He sits feet away from Brown each day in his open-plan Downing Street war room.

The Cabinet Office minister has also been one of Labour’s leading bloggers – and was mentioned in one of shamed McBride’s emails suggesting dirty tricks against top Tories.

But Watson insists he knew nothing about the Internet smear conspiracy.

Despite his denials, he has form as a plotter. He was the driving force behind the “curry house coup” – a bid by Brownites to force Tony Blair to quit in 2006.

According to The Sun, he even visited Brown in Scotland the day before signing a letter with other plotters demanding Blair name his departure date. (ANI)

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Smear Emails: Tories Want Brown To Say Sorry

April 13, 2009 By admin Leave a Comment

The Conservatives have demanded a personal apology from Gordon Brown over smear stories which forced one of his closest advisers to resign. Skip related content
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* Tories want Brown apology over emails
* Brown’s aide resigns over ‘juvenile’ emails
* Aide to Brown resigns over email scandal
* Related Hot Topic: Gordon Brown

Have your say: Gordon Brown

Damian McBride quit after admitting sending “juvenile and inappropriate” emails from his Downing Street account to former spin doctor Derek Draper.

In the messages, the two men discussed setting up an “attack blog” called Red Rag that would have spread unfounded gossip about Conservative opponents.

Details of the emails, including false allegations about David Cameron and George Osborne, have been published in The Sunday Times and News Of The World.

Shadow home secretary Chris Grayling branded the stories “blatant lies” and demanded to know who else had been aware the talks were taking place.

“The detail of these emails that is now emerging is shocking and completely unacceptable,” he said.

Mr Grayling added: “These are blatant lies cooked up in Downing Street by one of the Prime Minister’s key advisers.

“Mr Brown hasn’t even had the decency to apologise. His statement on Saturday afternoon was unacceptable.

“This is an exceptionally serious matter and he needs to explain immediately what happened and how such defamatory comments came to be issued from Downing Street.”

The former Labour Home Secretary Charles Clarke was one of the first to demand Mr McBride’s resignation, saying his actions “bring shame to the Labour Party”.

Mr Clarke told Sky’s Colin Brazier: “This kind of conduct of politics is simply not acceptable.

“It’s not the right way to conduct politics in general, it’s not the right way for Labour to win elections and it’s not the right way in which our public debate is advanced.

“I think there had been a pattern of behaviour with Damian over a long period.

“And I’m glad the Prime Minister’s been decisive enough to get rid of him yesterday when this evidence came out into the open.”

But he insisted the Conservatives also needed to drive the “black arts” out of politics.

Mid Bedfordshire MP Nadine Dorries confirmed she was among four Tories featured in the emails, and called for the Prime Minister to say sorry.

The discussions between Mr McBride and Mr Draper took place in January and were leaked to right-wing blogger Paul Staines.

Mr McBride said he was “shocked and appalled” at the way the emails had been used and regretted any embarrassment caused to the Government.

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Senior Brown aide resigns for sending ‘juvenile, inappropriate’ email

April 12, 2009 By admin Leave a Comment

London, Apr 12 (ANI): One of British Prime Minister Gordon Brown’s closest lieutenant has been forced to resign for sending “inappropriate and juvenile” emails about David Cameron and his team using a Number 10 account.
The private missives, written by special adviser Damian McBride, are said to feature ideas for potential smear stories about private lives of senior Conservative Party leaders. They were apparently sent to Derek Draper, who runs a Labour-supporting political blog

McBride quit his post after landing the Government in a row after high-level calls for him to be sacked, The Telegraph reported.

Former Home Secretary Charles Clarke said that McBride had brought shame on the Labour Party by planning a smear campaign against Cameron.
Downing Street issued a statement saying that McBride had resigned. A spokesman said it was Brown’s view that there was “no place in politics for the dissemination or publication of material of this kind”.

McBride had earlier apologised for the “juvenile and inappropriate” comments, and insisted that no one else at No.10 had been involved. But the row showed little signs of abating as details emerged of the emails’ contents.

The emails contained a number of innuendo-laden suggestions about the personal lives of Tory MPs including Cameron and George Osborne, the shadow chancellor.

Paul Staines, a Tory blogger who runs an Internet site called Guido Fawkes, obtained the emails. They were offered to newspapers including The Daily Telegraph, which declined to buy them. However, several other newspapers were preparing to publish the material.

McBride had been in charge of strategic planning at No 10 since last October, when he was moved from his position as Brown’s spokesman. (ANI)

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Police question Israeli FM Lieberman on bribery

April 3, 2009 By admin Leave a Comment

Israeli police questioned the new foreign minister, Avigdor Lieberman, for more than seven hours on Thursday on suspicion of bribery and money laundering.

Lieberman, an ultranationalist who became Israel’s top diplomat on Tuesday, has denied any wrongdoing and has called the police probe into his affairs a smear campaign.

His anti-Arab rhetoric has alarmed Palestinians as well as Arab leaders in the region.

“Avigdor Lieberman was questioned under caution by police today for seven-and-a-half hours on suspicion of carrying out the following: bribery, money laundering and breach of trust,” said police spokesman Micky Rosenfeld.

The questioning was part of a years-long investigation, details of which were not made available by the police.

Israeli media said Lieberman was suspected of receiving bribes through a consulting firm run by his daughter.

He has been questioned before, but not as foreign minister.

Lieberman had asked Israeli courts to have the investigation expedited, arguing that it was unreasonable for a public figure to be subjected to allegations which cast a stain on his character.

“This is the same investigation that has been ongoing for the past 13 years and which he has petitioned the courts to have speeded up,” said a Lieberman spokeswoman.

“He cooperated fully with police investigators and answered all their questions and enjoyed drinking their coffee.”

An Israeli television report quoted police sources as saying further questioning was likely and the investigation could be completed within two months.

The Foreign Ministry said Lieberman spoke to U.S. Secretary of State Hillary Clinton during the day, their first call since he took office, to arrange a first meeting.

Soviet-born Lieberman campaigned for a Feb. 10 Israeli election on a slogan “no loyalty, no citizenship”, seen as urging the deportation of Israeli Arab citizens charged with involvement with or advocating the actions of militants based in the Gaza Strip and occupied West Bank.

The election was triggered by a corruption scandal that forced Ehud Olmert, who was leader of the centrist Kadima party, to resign as prime minister, though he remained as caretaker until Tuesday, when rightist Benjamin Netanyahu, Israel’s new premier, was sworn in.

While in office, Olmert was questioned repeatedly by the police, but so far no charges have been brought against him. He denies any wrongdoing.

Last month, former Israeli President Moshe Katsav was indicted for rape and other sexual offences against three women who used to work for him, charges that he denies.

Lieberman’s policies towards Arabs, which some critics call racist, helped him win a wider electorate.

He says land where many of Israel’s 1.5 million Arabs live should be “swapped” for West Bank Jewish settlements in a peace deal with the Palestinians.

A former aide to Netanyahu, Lieberman founded his party Yisrael Beiteinu, which means “Our Home is Israel”, in 1999.

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Sacked Muslim cop called “f***ing Paki” to sue UK police dept for racism

March 10, 2009 By admin Leave a Comment

London, Mar. 10 (ANI): A Muslim cop has claimed that he was forced out of his job after his colleagues referred to him as “f***ing Paki”, and poked fun at his beard.

Former PC Javid Iqbal alleged that Bedfordshire police officers of white ethnicity told him that they were superior to him, and hence forced him to walk home from jobs instead of sending a police car to pick him up.

The Sun quoted Iqbal, as saying, “My beard is an important part of my religion, my identity and my life. There is no other reason for me having a five-inch beard. I am proud of it and it was never a problem in the 18 months I served as a special constable.

I devoted myself to the force voluntarily before I became a PC. I believed in putting something back into society.”

Iqbal had just returned to work after nine months leave on full pay with depression when he was given the boot for poor performance.

Bedfordshire Police stated: “A student officer’s services were dispensed with in August 2008 on grounds of capability.”

However, Iqbal claimed that he was sacked by Bedfordshire Police after fellow officers launched a “smear campaign” making complaints about his performance.

He said officers gave “negative statements” to superiors about him, including an allegation he failed to help a colleague arresting a violent man. He was cleared when CCTV showed he was dealing with other people.

“I’m disgusted I was bullied because of my beliefs. I’ve no doubt institutional racism played a part in this. White officers used to pull faces when they were asked to go on patrol with me,” he said.

He will put his case to an employment tribunal, claiming religious and racial discrimination plus unfair dismissal, saying that shortly after he joined a PC training course in 2006, he became a victim of racial abuse. (ANI)

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Washington lobbyist denies having affair with McCain

March 4, 2009 By admin Leave a Comment

Washington, Mar 3 (ANI): A high-powered Washington lobbyist has denied having any affair with Senator John McCain, as was reported by The New York Times a year ago during the US presidential campaign.

McCain was the frontrunner in the Republican presidential contest when the NYT ran the story, CBS News reported.

In an exclusive interview on Monday, Vicki Iseman, asked point-blank by co-anchor Maggie Rodriguez if she’d had the affair, replied, “No, I did not.”

Later, she emphasized, “Any assertions that there was anything inappropriate, ethically or professionally or personally are just not true.”

The NYT story claimed that, back in 1999, while McCain was running for the presidency, some of his top advisers were “convinced that his relationship with Iseman had become romantic.”

If that were true it would have been a conflict of interest for McCain, then the chairman of the Senate Committee on Commerce, Science and Transportation, since Iseman’s clients often had business before the panel, the Times said.

The McCain campaign called the Times story a “hit-and-run smear campaign,” and took to the airwaves to slam their reporting.

“It was inappropriate and unprofessional behavior by the New York Times,” campaign CEO Rick Davis said in late February 2008.

Last December, Iseman filed 27 million dollars defamation lawsuit against the newspaper for suggesting she and McCain had been romantically involved.

Now, Iseman has dropped the lawsuit and settled with the Times. (ANI)

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Controversial Fritzl satirical play opens in Vienna amid death threats

February 24, 2009 By admin Leave a Comment

London, Feb 24 (ANI): A controversial stage comedy inspired by the case of Josef Fritzl, the Austrian man who fathered seven children with his daughter while keeping her captive in his cellar, has opened in Vienna.

The play, described as a satire, opened under heavy security after the director received death threats.

Originally called Pension Frizl: A Cellar Soap, the title was changed to Pension F: The Ultimate Media Satire following nationwide protests that culminated in vandalism attacks against the 3raum-anatomietheater, where the premiere is taking place in the presence of police and private security.

Hubert Hubsi Kramar, a controversial actor, has written and directed the Fritzl play and plays the main role.

Speaking on the phone from the stage immediately before the performance, Mr Kramar, 60, told The Telegraph: “I have received anonymous death threats, the exterior of the theatre was vandalised, and people ripped the promotion posters and put glue in the lock of the stage entrance door.”

He said tickets for the first night had sold out, mainly to foreign journalists.

Kramar, a Harvard graduate, said that he had to hire a private security company, in addition to requesting police protection, in order to guarantee the safety of his ensemble and the theatre staff.

“It is all a result of a smear campaign after the tabloid press immediately assumed it was an incest comedy poking fun at the victims of a terrible crime, which is of course not true.

“The piece is actually based on the media coverage of the case, it is a satire that deals with the depiction of victims and perpetrators and culminates in a tragedy about the role of media and politics,” Kramar said.

Fritzl, 73, a retired engineer and property developer, will appear in court on March 16 for incarcerating his daughter Elisabeth, 42, for over 24 years in a purpose-built concrete dungeon connected to the cellar beneath his home in the town of Amstetten.

He has been charged with murder, as well as false imprisonment, rape, incest, slavery and coercion. (ANI)

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“Jade Goody effect” behind rise in cancer screenings, say docs

February 17, 2009 By admin Leave a Comment

London, Feb 17 (ANI): Specialists dealing with cervical cancer have reported that there is a rise in the number of women coming in for their cervical smears and they have dub it as the “Jade Goody effect”.

After Goody, 27, revealed that she was suffering from the disease, there was an increase in the number of tests done.

University Hospital Lewisham, in southeast London, reported that it has carried out 21 percent more tests in the months since Goody was diagnosed with cervical cancer last August compared with the same period in 2007.

“We have definitely seen an increase in uptake due to Jade Goody,” the Guardian quoted Robert Music, director of the cervical cancer organization, Jo’s Trust, as saying.

“The fact that it is in the news a lot of the time clearly makes a difference. I think that in this celebrity age, many people relate to Goody. It is almost as if she has become a part of their lives- a family member,” he said.

Katie Boyd, consultant pathologist for Bournemouth and Poole primary care trust, said cervical screening workloads had increased markedly in the past four months, particularly among women of Goody’s age.

“We have seen a lot more women coming for smear tests who have not come before and therefore an increase in the number of abnormalities among that group. Women read magazines and are influenced by these things,” she said.

“I am very sad for Jade Goody but if it encourages more people to have tests then that is positive,” she stated.

But she cannot say for sure if the Goody effect will lead to an increase in cervical cancer detection in England.

“The test is not much fun. People don’t come because they are embarrassed or they can’t take the time off work,” Boyd added.

In 2005, 2,803 women in the UK were diagnosed with cervical cancer. It caused 949 deaths in the UK in 2006. (ANI)

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