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Showing posts from October 17, 2009

Maldives cabinet meeting underwater

MALE: The Maldives government is holding a cabinet meeting underwater in a bid to attract international attention to the dangers of global warming.President Muhammad Nasheed, dressed in full scuba gear, is holding the 30-minute meeting on Saturday at a depth of six metres just north of the capital Male.Reporting from Male, the Maldives captial, source said that a sea-level rise of just a few centimetres would have a devastating effect on the island nation."A tourist paradise we most associate with its coral reefs and white sand beaches, many of the 1200 islands that make up this country are less than one metre above sea level.”"If global warming continues as predicted, 600 of these islands will disappear and many of those that remain will be uninhabitable. This is why they are making this publicity statement", sources continued.Ministers are using white boards to communicate under water."But the real message they want to communicate is that the world must reduce em

9-Year-Old Asks Obama: "Why Do People Hate You?"

Saturday, October 17, 2009 NEW ORLEANS: When Obama called on 9-year-old fourth-grader Tyren Scott of Paulina, La., whose mother had gotten tickets to the town hall meeting for them, to ask the last question of the day, the boy's question temporarily silenced the crowd:"Why do people hate you and they're supposed to love you and God is love?"Obama handled the question deftly. "Well, first of all, I did get elected President, and not everybody hates me," he told Tyren. "If you're watching TV lately, everyone seems mad all the time. Some of it's just what's called politics. One party wins, the other party feels it needs to poke you to keep you on your toes. You shouldn't take it too seriously. People are worried about their own lives, losing jobs, health care, homes, and feeling frustrated. When you're President of the United States you've got to deal with all of that."Gambit asked Tyren what he thought of Obama's answer.&

Muslims stage protest against anti-Islamic Dutch MP

Saturday, October 17, 2009 LONDON: Around 20 Muslim protesters protested much-criticised far-right Dutch MP as arrived for a meeting in British parliament on Friday.Geert Wilders, who faces prosecution in his homeland for anti-Islam remarks, came to London after winning an appeal earlier in the week against a ban on him entering Britain. Scores of police formed a barrier between a group calling itself "Islam in the UK" and Wilders' car as the protesters waved banners reading 9and shouted "Wilders go to Hell" and "Muslims rise up". Wilders was barred in February because British ministers said his presence would threaten community harmony and public safety. He had planned to speak to the media on a green outside the Palace of Westminster but was forced to hold it inside a nearby parliamentary office on advice of police. He is in London at the invitation of UK Independence Party peer Lord Malcolm Pearson to discuss showing his film "Fitna" in pa

Film 'Blue' garners acclaims across India

MUMBAI: Bollywood's most awaited film 'Blue', shot extensively under water and features Australian pop star Kylie Minogue, made a thumping release across India on Friday.The film, directed by Anthony D'Souza, unfolds drama, excitement and promises and thrilled audiences with never-seen-before daredevil stunts by actors deep in the sea in the company of sharks.Film buffs like Priyanka said she got the full money's worth."It was really nice. It was a Diwali Dhamaka (festival bumper), it was a full paisa wasool (money worth)," she said.In India's showbiz capital moviegoers praised action hero Akshay Kumar."The film is good its quiet different Akshay Kumar is very good. Lara Dutta's role is not very long but okay," said Mayank, a film lover.Zayed Khan stars in the film along with Sanjay Dutt, Akshay Kumar, Katrina Kaif, Lara Dutta and Kylie Minogue among others.Produced by Dhillin Mehta, 'Blue' has been mainly shot in Bahamas and has

Google sees record $1.6bn profit

Saturday, October 17, 2009 LOS ANGLES: Google has reported its highest quarterly profit, suggesting that the Internet advertising market is bouncing back from the recession. Google reported net profit of $1.64bn (£1bn) between July and September, up 27% on the same period a year ago. "The worst of the recession is clearly behind us," said Google chief executive Eric Schmidt. US computer giant IBM also reported strong profits of $3.2bn for the period, up 14% on a year earlier. The company also delivered a more optimistic forecast for full year earnings. Management said they too were seeing some stabilisation in the overall economic environment.

Nadal, Djokovic, Davydenko, Lopez reach Shanghai semis

Saturday, October 17, 2009 SHANGHAI: Rafael Nadal, Novak Djokovic, Nikolay Davydenko and Feliciano Lopez moved in to the semi-finals of the Shanghai Masters here on Friday.In the first men’s singles quarter-finals of the tournament being played at the Zhong Central Arena in Shanghai, Nikolay Davydenko moved closer to a spot in next month's season-ending showpiece in London with a 6-1, 4-6, 6-1 defeat of Radek Stepanek.The Russian sixth seed, who missed three months of the season with injuries but has still reached a dozen quarter-finals in 2009, leapfrogged Frenchman Jo-Wilfried Tsonga and Chile's Fernando Gonzalez to currently stand a provisional ninth in the race to the World Tour Finals.Three places remain up for grabs in the eight-man field with a month of the regular ATP season to go.Davydenko, aged 28, next faces Djokovic standing 0-3 in the series.In other quarter-finals, Spain's unseeded Feliciano Lopez continued his winning streak of the season, producing his best