AFP, MANILA: The Philippine government and communist rebels waging one of the world's longest insurgencies are aiming to sign a peace pact within 18 months, the two sides said after holding landmark talks.
The parties released a joint statement late on Monday following the end of a week of negotiations in Norway in which they committed to try and sign a "comprehensive agreement" to end hostilities came by June of next year.
"The two panels expressed satisfaction over the achievements of the first round of formal talks," the statement said.
The negotiations in Oslo were the first between the government and the National Democratic Front (NDF) sides since 2004.
The communists have been waging a rebellion since 1969 and still have about 5,000 New People's Army guerrillas based in the mainly poor, rural areas of the Philippines.
Tens of thousands of people have been killed in the conflict, including dozens of rebels, civilians and security forces over the past few months.
Analysts said before the talks began in Norway that there was little chance of a quick end to the rebellion, with the communists determined to overhaul the country's economic model and railing against corruption by the nation's elite.
In his own statement released late on Monday, chief government negotiator Alex Padilla said even he had begun the talks with a "sense of dread" that they would be the "beginning of a dead end".
"But we have taken the first step," Padilla said.
"We have agreed on a timeframe of 18 months to produce the substantive agreements -- on socio-economic reforms, on political and constitutional reforms, and on the end of hostilities and disposition of forces, leading to a final political settlement."
Nevertheless, Padilla expressed deep caution over the many hurdles still facing the peace negotiators.
"It will be hard, harder, perhaps, than anything else we have done in our lives to stay the course. Which, in the first place, asks us to keep faith in the process. Are we up to this?"
The next steps will include a range of lower-level working group meetings over the next few months to cover issues such as as social and economic reforms.
Political and economic reforms will be discussed in another working group.
The government said it would also "work on appropriate measures to effect the expeditious release" of 14 detained communist rebel leaders that the NDF has long demanded be freed.
The government said it would also consider releasing four other communists the NDF had recently added to the list.
However it made no firm commitment on releasing any of them.
In a reciprocal "confidence-building" measure, the communists said it would take steps towards releasing an unspecified number of people it was holding as prisoners.
One of the key reasons the previous round of peace talks broke down six years ago was a demand by the communists that the government have them removed from international terrorist lists.
However there was no mention of the terrorism issue in the joint statement.
Another reason the talks fell apart in 2004 was the communists' distrust of then-president Gloria Arroyo, who vowed to crush the rebellion by the end of her term.
Her time in power ended in June last year with her military quest to extinguish the rebellion unfulfilled.
Her successor, President Benigno Aquino, immediately said he wanted to pursue peace talks with the communists.
He placed former human rights lawyers and other people deemed favourable by the communists on his peace negotiating panel.
US urges release, safety of Pakistan gunman
AFP, WASHINGTON: The United States called for Pakistan to free an American arrested for killing two men and to ensure his safety in custody after revelations he worked for the CIA.
US officials declined public comment on accounts that Raymond Davis worked for the Central Intelligence Agency and insisted he enjoyed diplomatic immunity because Pakistan had accepted his status when he entered.
"We remain concerned about him and our message to Pakistan remains he should be released as soon as possible," State Department spokesman Philip Crowley told reporters on a conference call.
Crowley said Pakistan has told the United States that Davis is staying "in the safest possible location in Lahore," the eastern city where he shot dead two Pakistani men on January 27.
"Clearly, we hold the government of Pakistan fully responsible for his safety," Crowley said.
In Islamabad, an official from Pakistan's Inter-Services Intelligence (ISI) agency told AFP that "beyond any shadow of a doubt" Davis was working on contract for the CIA.
Senator Lindsey Graham, a Republican from South Carolina, last week referred to the arrested gunman as an "agent."
The New York Times on Monday reported that Davis was part of a CIA operation tracking Islamic extremists in eastern Pakistan such as Lashkar-e-Taiba, the virulently anti-Indian group involved in the bloody 2008 siege of Mumbai.
The New York Times said it withheld the information after President Barack Obama's administration said it would endanger Davis' safety, but decided to release the details after other media reported the CIA link.
The United States said that Davis was acting in self-defense when he shot two armed men who approached him. A third Pakistani was killed after being hit by a US diplomatic vehicle that came to Davis' assistance.
The killing has put intense pressure on Pakistan's civilian government, which has partnered with the United States in the campaign against Islamic extremism despite widespread anti-American sentiment at home.
But a senior US official, speaking on condition of anonymity, said of the case: "This is about as clear as it gets under international law."
The official said that the US embassy in Islamabad informed Pakistan on January 20, 2010, that Davis was working for its "administrative and technical staff."
As Pakistan did not reject the designation, Davis therefore enjoyed diplomatic immunity from that point on, the official said.
"Any other form of action, including a judicial proceeding or any other action, is inconsistent with his status as a member of a diplomatic mission. It would only compound the violations of international law," the official said.
"When someone enters our country, if that person is notified as a member of the administrative and technical staff of a diplomatic mission, that's the end of the story," he said.
US officials declined public comment on accounts that Raymond Davis worked for the Central Intelligence Agency and insisted he enjoyed diplomatic immunity because Pakistan had accepted his status when he entered.
"We remain concerned about him and our message to Pakistan remains he should be released as soon as possible," State Department spokesman Philip Crowley told reporters on a conference call.
Crowley said Pakistan has told the United States that Davis is staying "in the safest possible location in Lahore," the eastern city where he shot dead two Pakistani men on January 27.
"Clearly, we hold the government of Pakistan fully responsible for his safety," Crowley said.
In Islamabad, an official from Pakistan's Inter-Services Intelligence (ISI) agency told AFP that "beyond any shadow of a doubt" Davis was working on contract for the CIA.
Senator Lindsey Graham, a Republican from South Carolina, last week referred to the arrested gunman as an "agent."
The New York Times on Monday reported that Davis was part of a CIA operation tracking Islamic extremists in eastern Pakistan such as Lashkar-e-Taiba, the virulently anti-Indian group involved in the bloody 2008 siege of Mumbai.
The New York Times said it withheld the information after President Barack Obama's administration said it would endanger Davis' safety, but decided to release the details after other media reported the CIA link.
The United States said that Davis was acting in self-defense when he shot two armed men who approached him. A third Pakistani was killed after being hit by a US diplomatic vehicle that came to Davis' assistance.
The killing has put intense pressure on Pakistan's civilian government, which has partnered with the United States in the campaign against Islamic extremism despite widespread anti-American sentiment at home.
But a senior US official, speaking on condition of anonymity, said of the case: "This is about as clear as it gets under international law."
The official said that the US embassy in Islamabad informed Pakistan on January 20, 2010, that Davis was working for its "administrative and technical staff."
As Pakistan did not reject the designation, Davis therefore enjoyed diplomatic immunity from that point on, the official said.
"Any other form of action, including a judicial proceeding or any other action, is inconsistent with his status as a member of a diplomatic mission. It would only compound the violations of international law," the official said.
"When someone enters our country, if that person is notified as a member of the administrative and technical staff of a diplomatic mission, that's the end of the story," he said.
Major New Zealand quake causes 'multiple' deaths
AFP, WELLINGTON: Rescuers dug frantically for bodies and people trapped after a major 6.3 earthquake caused "multiple" deaths in New Zealand's second city of Christchurch Tuesday, crushing buildings and vehicles.
Thousands of panicked and tearful residents thronged the city's streets after the quake struck at lunchtime, just six months after a 7.0-magnitude tremor shattered buildings but did not claim any lives.
Police warned the latest earthquake had left people dead. One office building housing 200 workers had collapsed, while Christchurch Cathedral's spire tumbled.
Local station TV3 said dead bodies had been pulled from a hostel, and a tourist had been crushed to death in a van. All flights across the country were briefly suspended after Christchurch control tower was damaged.
Declaring a state of emergency, Christchurch mayor Bob Parker said: "Everybody needs to understand that this is going to be a very black day for this severely shaken city.
"I've had reports of buses that are trapped under fallen buildings, car park buildings that have taken significant damage, collapsed or partially collapsed. In some of the inner-city streets we have people trapped in buildings."
As several strong aftershocks pummelled the stricken city of 340,000, which has endured continuous tremors since September's disaster, bleeding and limping survivors emerged from damaged buildings.
Christchurch airport was closed and The Press building, a centre for newspapers, was badly damaged. Reports said trapped survivors were desperately phoning their families from the wreckage.
"The details that we have are extremely sketchy. But the worry and fear of course is that this earthquake has taken place at a time when (residents) were going about their business," said Prime Minister John Key.
"It is a very populated time with people at work, children at school," he warned. "Sadly I cannot rule out whether there have been fatalities."
The quake struck at 12:51 pm (2351 GMT Monday), five kilometres (three miles) from Christchurch at a depth of just four kilometres.
Emergency services said it was more damaging than September's quake, which struck before dawn with most people safely at home.
"The shake has been a lot worse, maybe not in intensity but as far as damage is concerned, and there are numerous people trapped," a fire service spokesman told Radio New Zealand.
Cars were buried under rubble and roads buckled as the tremor opened ruptures in the ground. Police feared multiple deaths, including in two buses that were crushed by falling debris.
"Multiple fatalities have been reported at several locations in the central city, including two buses crushed by falling buildings. A doctor and emergency services are attending," a police statement said.
"Other reports include multiple building collapses, fires in buildings in the central (city) and persons reported trapped in buildings."
On September 4, Christchurch suffered the most destructive quake to hit New Zealand in 80 years when a 7.0-magnitude tremor damaged 100,000 homes, leaving a clean-up bill estimated at NZ$4.0 billion dollars (US$3.0 billion).
The city remained under a state of emergency for weeks with police cordoning off the centre for fear of collapsing buildings, as thousands of aftershocks hit the region.
At the time, authorities gave a clean bill of health to Christchurch's 36,000-capacity AMI stadium, one of the venues for the rugby World Cup starting in September.
New Zealand sits on the "Pacific Ring of Fire", a vast zone of seismic and volcanic stretching from Chile on one side to Japan and Indonesia on the other.
Thousands of panicked and tearful residents thronged the city's streets after the quake struck at lunchtime, just six months after a 7.0-magnitude tremor shattered buildings but did not claim any lives.
Police warned the latest earthquake had left people dead. One office building housing 200 workers had collapsed, while Christchurch Cathedral's spire tumbled.
Local station TV3 said dead bodies had been pulled from a hostel, and a tourist had been crushed to death in a van. All flights across the country were briefly suspended after Christchurch control tower was damaged.
Declaring a state of emergency, Christchurch mayor Bob Parker said: "Everybody needs to understand that this is going to be a very black day for this severely shaken city.
"I've had reports of buses that are trapped under fallen buildings, car park buildings that have taken significant damage, collapsed or partially collapsed. In some of the inner-city streets we have people trapped in buildings."
As several strong aftershocks pummelled the stricken city of 340,000, which has endured continuous tremors since September's disaster, bleeding and limping survivors emerged from damaged buildings.
Christchurch airport was closed and The Press building, a centre for newspapers, was badly damaged. Reports said trapped survivors were desperately phoning their families from the wreckage.
"The details that we have are extremely sketchy. But the worry and fear of course is that this earthquake has taken place at a time when (residents) were going about their business," said Prime Minister John Key.
"It is a very populated time with people at work, children at school," he warned. "Sadly I cannot rule out whether there have been fatalities."
The quake struck at 12:51 pm (2351 GMT Monday), five kilometres (three miles) from Christchurch at a depth of just four kilometres.
Emergency services said it was more damaging than September's quake, which struck before dawn with most people safely at home.
"The shake has been a lot worse, maybe not in intensity but as far as damage is concerned, and there are numerous people trapped," a fire service spokesman told Radio New Zealand.
Cars were buried under rubble and roads buckled as the tremor opened ruptures in the ground. Police feared multiple deaths, including in two buses that were crushed by falling debris.
"Multiple fatalities have been reported at several locations in the central city, including two buses crushed by falling buildings. A doctor and emergency services are attending," a police statement said.
"Other reports include multiple building collapses, fires in buildings in the central (city) and persons reported trapped in buildings."
On September 4, Christchurch suffered the most destructive quake to hit New Zealand in 80 years when a 7.0-magnitude tremor damaged 100,000 homes, leaving a clean-up bill estimated at NZ$4.0 billion dollars (US$3.0 billion).
The city remained under a state of emergency for weeks with police cordoning off the centre for fear of collapsing buildings, as thousands of aftershocks hit the region.
At the time, authorities gave a clean bill of health to Christchurch's 36,000-capacity AMI stadium, one of the venues for the rugby World Cup starting in September.
New Zealand sits on the "Pacific Ring of Fire", a vast zone of seismic and volcanic stretching from Chile on one side to Japan and Indonesia on the other.
Libya's Kadhafi denies fleeing as 41-year rule teeters
AFP, CAIRO: Libyan leader Moamer Kadhafi denied he had fled the country, as protests spread to the capital, regime loyalists quit, and fighter pilots defected after being ordered to fire on demonstrators.
Khadhafi's comments in a brief television appearance were the first since the protests erupted last Tuesday in the east of the oil-rich north African nation he has ruled for 41 years.
"I am going to meet with the youth in Green Square" in downtown Tripoli, he said, in what state television reported was a live broadcast from outside the 68-year-old strongman's home.
"It's just to prove that I am in Tripoli and not in Venezuela and to deny television reports, those dogs," he said, holding up an umbrella in pouring rain as he headed into a car.
Khadhafi moved to scotch rumours he had fled to Venezuela as the pillars of his regime began to crumble with protesters overrunning several cities, not long after the rulers of neighbouring Egypt and Tunisia were forced out.
The president of Yemen, another ruler who has chalked up more than three decades in power, also defied calls to quit saying he would only exit if defeated at the ballot box.
And a top exiled opposition figure said he planned to return to Bahrain, mounting pressure on the ruling royal family which ordered political prisoners freed in a bid to end the standoff which has forced the Bahrain Formula One Grand Prix to be scrapped.
While there was fresh violence in several Arab cities, the most dramatic events were in Tripoli where heavy gunfire broke out in downtown areas for the first time since the uprising began a week ago.
Residents of two districts in Tripoli told AFP in Cairo by telephone there had been "a massacre," with gunmen "firing indiscriminately" in Tajura district.
Another witness in Fashlum told AFP that helicopters had landed what he called armed African mercenaries in the neighbourhood, who opened fire on anyone in the street, causing a large number of deaths.
Despite signs Kadhafi's power is loosening, the Middle East's longest-ruling leader sent out a warning through his son that he was ready for a fight to the death.
In a rambling televised address, Kadhafi's son Saif al-Islam on Monday warned of a "fight to the last bullet" and said "rivers of blood will run through Libya" if protesters did not accept offers of reform.
But in a sign of deep cracks developing in the regime, Libya's deputy ambassador to the United Nations called for Kadhafi to quit, accusing him of "genocide" and saying he should stand trial for war crimes.
"He has to leave as soon as possible. He has to stop killing the Libyan people," Ibrahim Dabbashi told media at the United Nations in New York.
The UN Security Council will meet Tuesday to discuss the Libya crisis, UN Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon said, noting he had spoken to Kadhafi and urged restraint.
Earlier via his spokesman, Ban said he was "outraged" by reports that Libyan security forces have fired on demonstrators from war planes and helicopters.
US Secretary of State Hillary Clinton also urged Libya to end the "unacceptable bloodshed" and said "the world is watching the situation in Libya with alarm."
Although government restrictions have complicated the task of compiling a tally, Human Rights Watch said 233 had been killed in the uprising while the International Federation for Human Rights (IFHR) put the toll at 300-400.
IFHR head Souhayr Belhassen said several eastern cities, including the second city of Benghazi and Sirte, had fallen to demonstrators after army units formerly loyal to Kadhafi defected.
Media reports said Libya's justice minister, Mustapha Abdeljalil, had also resigned along with Libya's Arab League envoy and Tripoli's ambassador to Delhi as well as a diplomat in Beijing.
Two Libyan fighter pilots -- both colonels -- flew their single-seater Mirage F1 jets to Malta and said they had defected after being ordered to attack protesters in Benghazi, Maltese military told AFP.
The turmoil sent London oil prices soaring close to $107 per barrel, and the Fitch agency downgraded Libya's debt rating.
British energy giant BP said it was preparing to evacuate some staff from Libya, which holds Africa's biggest oil reserves, and French oil giant Total said it was repatriating most of its foreign employees and their families.
The United States also ordered all non-essential personnel to leave Libya.
Yemen's Ali Abdullah Saleh, the region's second longest-ruling leader, is also clinging to power despite a growing clamour for his departure.
"If they want me to quit, I will only leave through the ballot box," Saleh told reporters.
Tens of thousands of protesters took to Yemen streets Monday, including in the capital Sanaa, the southern city of Aden, the northern city of Saada, the western port of Al-Hudaydah and Taez in the south.
According to an AFP tally based on reports by medics, 12 people have been killed and dozens more wounded since February 16 when protests first erupted in Yemen against Saleh, who has been in power since 1978.
While Yemen is the poorest Arab country, wealthy states have also been caught up in the wave of unrest.
In Bahrain, King Hamad ordered Shiite political prisoners freed in response to calls at a large pro-government Sunni rally that pledged allegiance to the al-Khalifa dynasty but also urged him to release prisoners.
Thousands of mainly Shiite anti-government protesters camped out in the central Pearl Square, after calling for a huge demonstration on Tuesday to oust the Sunni Al-Khalifa dynasty which has ruled the Gulf kingdom for centuries.
"No mother can keep her children from coming here," Um Alawi, clad in a full niqab and flanked by her daughters, told AFP. "Sacrifice is today the duty of all Bahrainis."
Hassan Mashaima, leader of Bahrain's opposition Haq movement, told AFP he would return to Manama on Tuesday, despite the threat of terrorism charges.
The kingdom issued a statement saying it would no longer host the Grand Prix on March 13.
Khadhafi's comments in a brief television appearance were the first since the protests erupted last Tuesday in the east of the oil-rich north African nation he has ruled for 41 years.
"I am going to meet with the youth in Green Square" in downtown Tripoli, he said, in what state television reported was a live broadcast from outside the 68-year-old strongman's home.
"It's just to prove that I am in Tripoli and not in Venezuela and to deny television reports, those dogs," he said, holding up an umbrella in pouring rain as he headed into a car.
Khadhafi moved to scotch rumours he had fled to Venezuela as the pillars of his regime began to crumble with protesters overrunning several cities, not long after the rulers of neighbouring Egypt and Tunisia were forced out.
The president of Yemen, another ruler who has chalked up more than three decades in power, also defied calls to quit saying he would only exit if defeated at the ballot box.
And a top exiled opposition figure said he planned to return to Bahrain, mounting pressure on the ruling royal family which ordered political prisoners freed in a bid to end the standoff which has forced the Bahrain Formula One Grand Prix to be scrapped.
While there was fresh violence in several Arab cities, the most dramatic events were in Tripoli where heavy gunfire broke out in downtown areas for the first time since the uprising began a week ago.
Residents of two districts in Tripoli told AFP in Cairo by telephone there had been "a massacre," with gunmen "firing indiscriminately" in Tajura district.
Another witness in Fashlum told AFP that helicopters had landed what he called armed African mercenaries in the neighbourhood, who opened fire on anyone in the street, causing a large number of deaths.
Despite signs Kadhafi's power is loosening, the Middle East's longest-ruling leader sent out a warning through his son that he was ready for a fight to the death.
In a rambling televised address, Kadhafi's son Saif al-Islam on Monday warned of a "fight to the last bullet" and said "rivers of blood will run through Libya" if protesters did not accept offers of reform.
But in a sign of deep cracks developing in the regime, Libya's deputy ambassador to the United Nations called for Kadhafi to quit, accusing him of "genocide" and saying he should stand trial for war crimes.
"He has to leave as soon as possible. He has to stop killing the Libyan people," Ibrahim Dabbashi told media at the United Nations in New York.
The UN Security Council will meet Tuesday to discuss the Libya crisis, UN Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon said, noting he had spoken to Kadhafi and urged restraint.
Earlier via his spokesman, Ban said he was "outraged" by reports that Libyan security forces have fired on demonstrators from war planes and helicopters.
US Secretary of State Hillary Clinton also urged Libya to end the "unacceptable bloodshed" and said "the world is watching the situation in Libya with alarm."
Although government restrictions have complicated the task of compiling a tally, Human Rights Watch said 233 had been killed in the uprising while the International Federation for Human Rights (IFHR) put the toll at 300-400.
IFHR head Souhayr Belhassen said several eastern cities, including the second city of Benghazi and Sirte, had fallen to demonstrators after army units formerly loyal to Kadhafi defected.
Media reports said Libya's justice minister, Mustapha Abdeljalil, had also resigned along with Libya's Arab League envoy and Tripoli's ambassador to Delhi as well as a diplomat in Beijing.
Two Libyan fighter pilots -- both colonels -- flew their single-seater Mirage F1 jets to Malta and said they had defected after being ordered to attack protesters in Benghazi, Maltese military told AFP.
The turmoil sent London oil prices soaring close to $107 per barrel, and the Fitch agency downgraded Libya's debt rating.
British energy giant BP said it was preparing to evacuate some staff from Libya, which holds Africa's biggest oil reserves, and French oil giant Total said it was repatriating most of its foreign employees and their families.
The United States also ordered all non-essential personnel to leave Libya.
Yemen's Ali Abdullah Saleh, the region's second longest-ruling leader, is also clinging to power despite a growing clamour for his departure.
"If they want me to quit, I will only leave through the ballot box," Saleh told reporters.
Tens of thousands of protesters took to Yemen streets Monday, including in the capital Sanaa, the southern city of Aden, the northern city of Saada, the western port of Al-Hudaydah and Taez in the south.
According to an AFP tally based on reports by medics, 12 people have been killed and dozens more wounded since February 16 when protests first erupted in Yemen against Saleh, who has been in power since 1978.
While Yemen is the poorest Arab country, wealthy states have also been caught up in the wave of unrest.
In Bahrain, King Hamad ordered Shiite political prisoners freed in response to calls at a large pro-government Sunni rally that pledged allegiance to the al-Khalifa dynasty but also urged him to release prisoners.
Thousands of mainly Shiite anti-government protesters camped out in the central Pearl Square, after calling for a huge demonstration on Tuesday to oust the Sunni Al-Khalifa dynasty which has ruled the Gulf kingdom for centuries.
"No mother can keep her children from coming here," Um Alawi, clad in a full niqab and flanked by her daughters, told AFP. "Sacrifice is today the duty of all Bahrainis."
Hassan Mashaima, leader of Bahrain's opposition Haq movement, told AFP he would return to Manama on Tuesday, despite the threat of terrorism charges.
The kingdom issued a statement saying it would no longer host the Grand Prix on March 13.
New version of Justin Bieber film to hit theaters
Reuters, LOS ANGELES: In an unprecedented move, Paramount's Insurge Pictures will release an updated director's fan cut of "Justin Bieber: Never Say Never" in a one-week exclusive run, beginning February 25.
Director Jon M. Chu's updated "Justin Bieber: Never Say Never Director's Fan Cut" will play only in 3D runs in the U.S. and Canada, replacing the original version. There will be 40 minutes of new footage.
Chu has trimmed 30 minutes of footage from the original "Never Say Never" to accommodate the additional scenes. Updated version runs 115 minutes, instead of the original running time of 105 minutes.
Move is designed to whip up renewed interest among Bieber's diehard fans, and spark repeat viewing in the film's third weekend in release. "Never Say Never" is already a financial success, having grossed $51.4 million in its first 11 days in release.
The original "Never Say Never" will continue playing in 2D runs. The cost of a 35mm print makes sending the director's cut to those theaters financially unworkable. Digital prints, however, are a fraction of the cost.
Paramount vice chairman Rob Moore said the studio is "trying to take advantage of options from digital technology that didn't exist before and give fans even more of what they loved from the first version."
As he began the editing process, Chu realized he had a significant amount of footage that he couldn't use in the initial theatrical release. He then spent dozens of hours on Twitter and Facebook engaging with fans to see what they would like to see.
Some of the new footage includes more of Bieber's friends and hometown life, as well as new songs and special footage shot of the film's premiere at theaters across the country.
"I realized I had an embarrassment of riches when I was I in the cutting room," said Chu. "This cut allows me to retain some of the best scenes from the original movie, while incorporating previously unseen footage and new material I shot during our extensive promotional tour on behalf of the movie. Justin's dedication to his fan base is unwavering and I was inspired as a filmmaker to attempt to provide them a unique experience that showed even more of his world."
Paramount has submitted the "Director's Cut" to the ratings board. Because the studio isn't asking for a new rating, it doesn't need to pull "Never Say Never" from theaters pending review by the Classification and Ratings Administration.
Director Jon M. Chu's updated "Justin Bieber: Never Say Never Director's Fan Cut" will play only in 3D runs in the U.S. and Canada, replacing the original version. There will be 40 minutes of new footage.
Chu has trimmed 30 minutes of footage from the original "Never Say Never" to accommodate the additional scenes. Updated version runs 115 minutes, instead of the original running time of 105 minutes.
Move is designed to whip up renewed interest among Bieber's diehard fans, and spark repeat viewing in the film's third weekend in release. "Never Say Never" is already a financial success, having grossed $51.4 million in its first 11 days in release.
The original "Never Say Never" will continue playing in 2D runs. The cost of a 35mm print makes sending the director's cut to those theaters financially unworkable. Digital prints, however, are a fraction of the cost.
Paramount vice chairman Rob Moore said the studio is "trying to take advantage of options from digital technology that didn't exist before and give fans even more of what they loved from the first version."
As he began the editing process, Chu realized he had a significant amount of footage that he couldn't use in the initial theatrical release. He then spent dozens of hours on Twitter and Facebook engaging with fans to see what they would like to see.
Some of the new footage includes more of Bieber's friends and hometown life, as well as new songs and special footage shot of the film's premiere at theaters across the country.
"I realized I had an embarrassment of riches when I was I in the cutting room," said Chu. "This cut allows me to retain some of the best scenes from the original movie, while incorporating previously unseen footage and new material I shot during our extensive promotional tour on behalf of the movie. Justin's dedication to his fan base is unwavering and I was inspired as a filmmaker to attempt to provide them a unique experience that showed even more of his world."
Paramount has submitted the "Director's Cut" to the ratings board. Because the studio isn't asking for a new rating, it doesn't need to pull "Never Say Never" from theaters pending review by the Classification and Ratings Administration.
Music exec slams Grammys in full-page NY Times ad
Reuters, NEW YORK: A veteran music executive has lambasted the Grammy Awards as "a series of hypocrisies and contradictions," in a full-page New York Times advertisement that ran a week after last Sunday's annual ceremony.
Steve Stoute's open letter to Grammy organizers ripped the organization and its 12,000-odd voters for snubbing Eminem and Justin Bieber at this year's ceremony, as well as Eminem and Kanye West at past events.
"Over the course of my 20-year history as an executive in the music business and as the owner of a firm that specializes in in-culture advertising, I have come to the conclusion that the Grammy Awards have clearly lost touch with contemporary popular culture," wrote Stoute, who is currently CEO of the marketing company Translation.
"Unfortunately, the awards show has become a series of hypocrisies and contradictions, leaving me to question why any contemporary popular artist would even participate."
Eminem, this year's leading contender, lost in most of the major categories for which he was nominated. Two-time nominee Bieber went home empty-handed and disappointed. Both West and Eminem have lost the coveted album of the year race multiple times.
"We must acknowledge the massive cultural impact of Eminem and Kanye West and how their music is shaping, influencing and defining the voice of a generation," Stoute wrote.
As for Bieber, he wrote, "How is it that Justin Bieber, an artist that defines what it means to be a modern artist, did not win Best New Artist?" (That award went to singer/bassist Esperanza Spalding.)
Stoute noted a connection between performers and winners, citing Arcade Fire's surprise album of the year win just after they had finished their performance.
"Does the Grammys intentionally use artists for their celebrity, popularity and cultural appeal when they already know the winners and then program a show against this expectation?"
There was no immediate reaction from the Recording Academy. Last Sunday's show, despite or because of the shocks, was the highest rated in a decade.
Steve Stoute's open letter to Grammy organizers ripped the organization and its 12,000-odd voters for snubbing Eminem and Justin Bieber at this year's ceremony, as well as Eminem and Kanye West at past events.
"Over the course of my 20-year history as an executive in the music business and as the owner of a firm that specializes in in-culture advertising, I have come to the conclusion that the Grammy Awards have clearly lost touch with contemporary popular culture," wrote Stoute, who is currently CEO of the marketing company Translation.
"Unfortunately, the awards show has become a series of hypocrisies and contradictions, leaving me to question why any contemporary popular artist would even participate."
Eminem, this year's leading contender, lost in most of the major categories for which he was nominated. Two-time nominee Bieber went home empty-handed and disappointed. Both West and Eminem have lost the coveted album of the year race multiple times.
"We must acknowledge the massive cultural impact of Eminem and Kanye West and how their music is shaping, influencing and defining the voice of a generation," Stoute wrote.
As for Bieber, he wrote, "How is it that Justin Bieber, an artist that defines what it means to be a modern artist, did not win Best New Artist?" (That award went to singer/bassist Esperanza Spalding.)
Stoute noted a connection between performers and winners, citing Arcade Fire's surprise album of the year win just after they had finished their performance.
"Does the Grammys intentionally use artists for their celebrity, popularity and cultural appeal when they already know the winners and then program a show against this expectation?"
There was no immediate reaction from the Recording Academy. Last Sunday's show, despite or because of the shocks, was the highest rated in a decade.
Oliver Stone wins Boulder Film Festival award
AP, BOULDER, Colo: Director Oliver Stone has been awarded a "Master of Cinema" award by the Boulder International Film Festival.
The Boulder Daily Camera reports the award was presented on Sunday, the last night of the festival.
Stone's films have been nominated for 31 Academy Awards, and he has won three Oscars: best adapted screenplay for "Midnight Express" and best director for "Platoon" and "Born on the Fourth of July."
The Boulder Daily Camera reports the award was presented on Sunday, the last night of the festival.
Stone's films have been nominated for 31 Academy Awards, and he has won three Oscars: best adapted screenplay for "Midnight Express" and best director for "Platoon" and "Born on the Fourth of July."
Hollywood rarely crowns British monarchy at Oscars
AP, LOS ANGELES: It may seem as though Academy Awards voters would be a bunch of fawning monarchists, considering how often the ceremony has been a love fest for all things English. But British kings and queens generally wind up losers at the Oscars.
If "The King's Speech," a saga about Queen Elizabeth II's dad, makes good on its status as best-picture favorite on Sunday, it would become the first film with a British monarch as its central figure to win the top prize in the 83-year history of the Oscars.
Two films with a British king or queen as a supporting player — 1966's "A Man for All Seasons" and 1998's "Shakespeare in Love" — did win best picture. Yet past contenders with a monarch in a lead role have always lost: 1933's "The Private Life of Henry VIII," 1946's "Henry V," 1964's "Becket," 1968's "The Lion in Winter," 1969's "Anne of the Thousand Days," 1998's "Elizabeth" (which lost to "Shakespeare in Love") and 2006's "The Queen."
Actors as British monarchs have fared a bit better, with lead-acting wins by Charles Laughton in the title role of "The Private Life of Henry VIII"; Katharine Hepburn as Henry II's captive queen, Eleanor of Aquitaine, in "The Lion in Winter"; and Helen Mirren as Elizabeth II in "The Queen." Judi Dench won a supporting Oscar as Elizabeth I in "Shakespeare in Love."
Best-actor front-runner Colin Firth as the current queen's father, George VI, is expected to join the winner's list Sunday, though Helena Bonham Carter as his wife, the future Queen Mother Elizabeth, is a longshot for supporting actress.
Losers far outnumber winners: 13 of the 17 actors nominated for playing a British king or queen have lost (there would be one more loser if we throw in Vanessa Redgrave as best actress in 1971's "Mary, Queen of Scots," whose title character schemed but failed to take the English crown from Elizabeth I).
Two actors lost twice for playing the same monarch — Peter O'Toole as Henry II in "Becket" and "The Lion in Winter" and Cate Blanchett as Elizabeth I in "Elizabeth" and its 2007 sequel, "Elizabeth: The Golden Age."
Laurence Olivier lost twice for playing two different kings in Shakespeare adaptations, 1946's "Henry V" and 1956's "Richard III." Kenneth Branagh also lost for his 1989 version of "Henry V."
Henry VIII has gone one-for-three at the Oscars. After Laughton's win, two other actors lost for playing the same role — Robert Shaw as supporting actor in "A Man for All Seasons" and Richard Burton as best actor for "Anne of the Thousand Days" (the latter film also was a best-actress loser for Genevieve Bujold in the title role, as one of Henry VIII's queens, Anne Boleyn).
Before their wins, both Dench and Mirren lost at the Oscars for other roles as British queens. Mirren lost the supporting-actress race as Queen Charlotte in 1994's "The Madness of King George," for which Nigel Hawthorne also lost for best actor in the title role. Dench lost for best actress as Queen Victoria in 1997's "Mrs. Brown."
If "The King's Speech," a saga about Queen Elizabeth II's dad, makes good on its status as best-picture favorite on Sunday, it would become the first film with a British monarch as its central figure to win the top prize in the 83-year history of the Oscars.
Two films with a British king or queen as a supporting player — 1966's "A Man for All Seasons" and 1998's "Shakespeare in Love" — did win best picture. Yet past contenders with a monarch in a lead role have always lost: 1933's "The Private Life of Henry VIII," 1946's "Henry V," 1964's "Becket," 1968's "The Lion in Winter," 1969's "Anne of the Thousand Days," 1998's "Elizabeth" (which lost to "Shakespeare in Love") and 2006's "The Queen."
Actors as British monarchs have fared a bit better, with lead-acting wins by Charles Laughton in the title role of "The Private Life of Henry VIII"; Katharine Hepburn as Henry II's captive queen, Eleanor of Aquitaine, in "The Lion in Winter"; and Helen Mirren as Elizabeth II in "The Queen." Judi Dench won a supporting Oscar as Elizabeth I in "Shakespeare in Love."
Best-actor front-runner Colin Firth as the current queen's father, George VI, is expected to join the winner's list Sunday, though Helena Bonham Carter as his wife, the future Queen Mother Elizabeth, is a longshot for supporting actress.
Losers far outnumber winners: 13 of the 17 actors nominated for playing a British king or queen have lost (there would be one more loser if we throw in Vanessa Redgrave as best actress in 1971's "Mary, Queen of Scots," whose title character schemed but failed to take the English crown from Elizabeth I).
Two actors lost twice for playing the same monarch — Peter O'Toole as Henry II in "Becket" and "The Lion in Winter" and Cate Blanchett as Elizabeth I in "Elizabeth" and its 2007 sequel, "Elizabeth: The Golden Age."
Laurence Olivier lost twice for playing two different kings in Shakespeare adaptations, 1946's "Henry V" and 1956's "Richard III." Kenneth Branagh also lost for his 1989 version of "Henry V."
Henry VIII has gone one-for-three at the Oscars. After Laughton's win, two other actors lost for playing the same role — Robert Shaw as supporting actor in "A Man for All Seasons" and Richard Burton as best actor for "Anne of the Thousand Days" (the latter film also was a best-actress loser for Genevieve Bujold in the title role, as one of Henry VIII's queens, Anne Boleyn).
Before their wins, both Dench and Mirren lost at the Oscars for other roles as British queens. Mirren lost the supporting-actress race as Queen Charlotte in 1994's "The Madness of King George," for which Nigel Hawthorne also lost for best actor in the title role. Dench lost for best actress as Queen Victoria in 1997's "Mrs. Brown."
Royal Wedding: Beckham's coming but no Obama
Reuters, LONDON: News that Britain's royal wedding invites are in the post has touched off lively press speculation, with former England soccer captain David Beckham and the King of Bahrain tipped to be attending but not Barack Obama or Sarah Ferguson.
Royal watchers say Beckham, who worked with William on England's failed bid to host the World Cup in 2018, and his ex-Spice Girl wife Victoria will be among the 1,900 guests at London's Westminster Abbey on April 29.
Other lucky recipients of invites include William's ex-girlfriends Jecca Craig and Olivia Hunt and Middleton's ex-boyfriend Rupert Finch, newspapers said.
Pop star Elton John, who was close to the prince's late mother Princess Diana and sang at her funeral, is also expected to be going, papers said. He told Reuters last month he did not think he would get an invite.
Among the members of 40 foreign invited royals is the King of Bahrain, a decision criticized by British media as the island kingdom witnesses protests and bloodshed during its worst unrest for years.
However, President Obama and French President Nicolas Sarkozy miss out as the wedding is not classed as a full state occasion.
Ferguson, ex-wife of William's uncle Prince Andrew who was herself married at Westminster Abbey in 1986, has also been left off the guest list, media said.
William's office refused to confirm who had been invited but newspapers reported that Queen Elizabeth and William's father Prince Charles had approved the guest list.
"The couple have made their own decisions about who to invite," an unnamed royal aide told the Sun tabloid.
"Prince William has led a fairly ordinary life in the military and the couple's guests reflect this."
Royal officials have confirmed that 1,000 guests are friends and family, 50 will be members of Britain's royal family, and 40 will be foreign royalty.
There will be 200 guests from the British government, parliament and diplomatic service, 80 guests from charities William is involved in, 30 people from the armed forces, and 60 senior government figures from Commonwealth countries.
About 600 people have been invited to a lunchtime reception after the wedding service at Buckingham Palace and 300 to an evening event hosted by Prince Charles.
Royal watchers say Beckham, who worked with William on England's failed bid to host the World Cup in 2018, and his ex-Spice Girl wife Victoria will be among the 1,900 guests at London's Westminster Abbey on April 29.
Other lucky recipients of invites include William's ex-girlfriends Jecca Craig and Olivia Hunt and Middleton's ex-boyfriend Rupert Finch, newspapers said.
Pop star Elton John, who was close to the prince's late mother Princess Diana and sang at her funeral, is also expected to be going, papers said. He told Reuters last month he did not think he would get an invite.
Among the members of 40 foreign invited royals is the King of Bahrain, a decision criticized by British media as the island kingdom witnesses protests and bloodshed during its worst unrest for years.
However, President Obama and French President Nicolas Sarkozy miss out as the wedding is not classed as a full state occasion.
Ferguson, ex-wife of William's uncle Prince Andrew who was herself married at Westminster Abbey in 1986, has also been left off the guest list, media said.
William's office refused to confirm who had been invited but newspapers reported that Queen Elizabeth and William's father Prince Charles had approved the guest list.
"The couple have made their own decisions about who to invite," an unnamed royal aide told the Sun tabloid.
"Prince William has led a fairly ordinary life in the military and the couple's guests reflect this."
Royal officials have confirmed that 1,000 guests are friends and family, 50 will be members of Britain's royal family, and 40 will be foreign royalty.
There will be 200 guests from the British government, parliament and diplomatic service, 80 guests from charities William is involved in, 30 people from the armed forces, and 60 senior government figures from Commonwealth countries.
About 600 people have been invited to a lunchtime reception after the wedding service at Buckingham Palace and 300 to an evening event hosted by Prince Charles.
Palaces, posh accents boost "King's Speech" shot at Oscars
Reuters, LOS ANGELES: Oscar looks set to bow before "The King's Speech" this coming Sunday, proving there's nothing quite like a British accent, some historic buildings, and, best of all, a few royals to get Hollywood all a twitter.
Few Americans had ever heard of King George VI -- the royal who led Britain into World War II and the father of current monarch Queen Elizabeth -- before Colin Firth brought him to life in "King's Speech" as a shy man with a crippling stutter.
Now, many Americans know his story, and if "King's Speech" wins Oscars on February 27, many more will want to learn about him. And it's very likely the movie will take home at least a few Academy Awards because it has a leading 12 nominations for the honors given by the Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences. In fact, it is the front-runner for best film.
Throughout U.S. history, Americans have been fascinated by royal pomp -- even on a movie screen. In 1860, a New York ballroom floor collapsed under the weight of thousands gathered to see a teenage Prince Albert Edward. Currently, Americans have royal wedding fever over the April marriage of Britain's Prince William and Kate Middleton.
"Even though we won the American Revolution, we still bow to British royalty. We are suckers for a British accent -- it sounds so much smarter -- and there is a clear bias throughout Oscar history for British films," said Tom O'Neil of awards websites goldderby.com and theenvelope.com.
U.S. critics, moviegoers and Hollywood's professional guilds have responded warmly to the movie's human story of friendship, courage and triumph over adversity, performed by a strong ensemble cast that includes Oscar nominees Helena Bonham Carter and Geoffrey Rush, alongside Firth.
A "recommendation" for the movie by Queen Elizabeth, whose aides let it be known that she found the film "moving and enjoyable" after a private screening in January, proved the ultimate endorsement.
"HER MAJESTY'S APPRECIATION"
Her comments were seized upon by veteran Oscar campaigner and "King's Speech" distributor Harvey Weinstein, who said those associated with the film were "deeply honored and humbled by Her Majesty's appreciation."
British period movies have often done well at the Academy Awards. Helen Mirren won her Oscar for portraying Queen Elizabeth in "The Queen" in 2006; the 2001 upstairs-downstairs film "Gosford Park" won a screenwriting Oscar for Julian Fellowes; and 1998 movie "Shakespeare in Love" won seven Oscars, including a trophy for Judi Dench's brief turn as 16th century monarch Queen Elizabeth I.
British stage actors are held in high esteem by their U.S. peers, especially when it comes to Shakespeare.
"Hundreds of years after the American Revolution, there is still the sense that the stuff we see that is British, tends to be smarter," said Robert Thompson, professor of popular culture at Syracuse University.
Indeed, one of the more astounding series of events to watch this awards season in Hollywood has been the manner in which "The King's Speech" quashed early Oscar front-runner, Facebook movie "The Social Network".
"Social Network" swept through early awards from American critics' groups, but "The King's Speech" turned the race on its ear when it began claiming top honors from film and TV professional guilds such as the Producers Guild of America, Directors Guild of America and Screen Actors Guild.
"'The Social Network' is the quintessential American movie. It is the ultimate tale of America today, (but) it faced off against a classic British historical drama about royals," said O'Neil. "If a British commoner had this stammer, we would cruelly not care, royal worshipers that we are."
Few Americans had ever heard of King George VI -- the royal who led Britain into World War II and the father of current monarch Queen Elizabeth -- before Colin Firth brought him to life in "King's Speech" as a shy man with a crippling stutter.
Now, many Americans know his story, and if "King's Speech" wins Oscars on February 27, many more will want to learn about him. And it's very likely the movie will take home at least a few Academy Awards because it has a leading 12 nominations for the honors given by the Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences. In fact, it is the front-runner for best film.
Throughout U.S. history, Americans have been fascinated by royal pomp -- even on a movie screen. In 1860, a New York ballroom floor collapsed under the weight of thousands gathered to see a teenage Prince Albert Edward. Currently, Americans have royal wedding fever over the April marriage of Britain's Prince William and Kate Middleton.
"Even though we won the American Revolution, we still bow to British royalty. We are suckers for a British accent -- it sounds so much smarter -- and there is a clear bias throughout Oscar history for British films," said Tom O'Neil of awards websites goldderby.com and theenvelope.com.
U.S. critics, moviegoers and Hollywood's professional guilds have responded warmly to the movie's human story of friendship, courage and triumph over adversity, performed by a strong ensemble cast that includes Oscar nominees Helena Bonham Carter and Geoffrey Rush, alongside Firth.
A "recommendation" for the movie by Queen Elizabeth, whose aides let it be known that she found the film "moving and enjoyable" after a private screening in January, proved the ultimate endorsement.
"HER MAJESTY'S APPRECIATION"
Her comments were seized upon by veteran Oscar campaigner and "King's Speech" distributor Harvey Weinstein, who said those associated with the film were "deeply honored and humbled by Her Majesty's appreciation."
British period movies have often done well at the Academy Awards. Helen Mirren won her Oscar for portraying Queen Elizabeth in "The Queen" in 2006; the 2001 upstairs-downstairs film "Gosford Park" won a screenwriting Oscar for Julian Fellowes; and 1998 movie "Shakespeare in Love" won seven Oscars, including a trophy for Judi Dench's brief turn as 16th century monarch Queen Elizabeth I.
British stage actors are held in high esteem by their U.S. peers, especially when it comes to Shakespeare.
"Hundreds of years after the American Revolution, there is still the sense that the stuff we see that is British, tends to be smarter," said Robert Thompson, professor of popular culture at Syracuse University.
Indeed, one of the more astounding series of events to watch this awards season in Hollywood has been the manner in which "The King's Speech" quashed early Oscar front-runner, Facebook movie "The Social Network".
"Social Network" swept through early awards from American critics' groups, but "The King's Speech" turned the race on its ear when it began claiming top honors from film and TV professional guilds such as the Producers Guild of America, Directors Guild of America and Screen Actors Guild.
"'The Social Network' is the quintessential American movie. It is the ultimate tale of America today, (but) it faced off against a classic British historical drama about royals," said O'Neil. "If a British commoner had this stammer, we would cruelly not care, royal worshipers that we are."
Ride the royal bus tour of Kate Middleton's life
Reuters, LONDON: The seats were mostly taken by the press and the only "tourists" were a few interested locals, but the bus tour around the hometown of British Prince William's fiancee Kate Middleton kicked off over the weekend.
The ride organized by bus tour operator Morton Travel around the sights of Royal Berkshire provides a glimpse of Middleton's not-so-ordinary upbringing.
The journey takes in Middleton's childhood homes, former schools, the church where she was baptized, and even the "The Old Boot Inn" where she has taken Prince William for a tipple.
The Middletons are regulars at "The Old Boot Inn" pub and landlord John Hayley is one of the lucky few to have been invited to the royal couple's April 29th wedding and happily showed his invitation to those on the Sunday tour when the bus made the first of many planned stops along the route.
Bus tour company owner Adrian Morton told Reuters outside the pub that the original plan was to create a local tour for regular customers, but discovered there was interest in it from around the globe.
"We wanted to do something for our local clientele, just as something to do in the early part of our year as an excursion," Morton said. "It was then picked up by people in the press and it sort of snowballed from there really."
He said he has had a number of enquiries from the United States, Canada, Japan, as well as Sweden and Germany.
As the tourists and the press pack settled back on the bus following a refreshment stop, Hilda Hewletts, from Basingstoke, who was on the sightseeing trip with husband Terence, was one of the few passengers willing to speak freely to the press and explained why they had turned out for the tour.
"To find out more about Kate Middleton, where she lived and what she did." Hilda Hewletts said.
Kate Middleton will marry William on April 29th in London's Westminster Abbey, in a ceremony that will be watched live on television by millions around the world.
Public interest in a royal couple has not been seen on such a scale since William's parents Prince Charles and the late Princess Diana wed in 1981. News that Britain's royal wedding invites are in the post has touched off lively press speculation, with former England soccer captain David Beckham and the King of Bahrain tipped to be attending but not U.S. President Barack Obama or William's aunt, Sarah Ferguson.
The 29-year-old Middleton is the eldest child of Michael and Carole Middleton, who became millionaires running Party Pieces, a mail order firm supplying party accessories.
The epitome of Middle England, they live in a five-bedroom house in the heart of the countryside in the county of Berkshire, west of London.
Kate was educated at private schools, ending at Marlborough College, western England, where she was said to be a popular girl who excelled at sports like field hockey.
Newspapers speculated that her mother, a former air hostess, purposefully steered Kate into the same university as William, on whom her daughter had a teenage crush.
The ride organized by bus tour operator Morton Travel around the sights of Royal Berkshire provides a glimpse of Middleton's not-so-ordinary upbringing.
The journey takes in Middleton's childhood homes, former schools, the church where she was baptized, and even the "The Old Boot Inn" where she has taken Prince William for a tipple.
The Middletons are regulars at "The Old Boot Inn" pub and landlord John Hayley is one of the lucky few to have been invited to the royal couple's April 29th wedding and happily showed his invitation to those on the Sunday tour when the bus made the first of many planned stops along the route.
Bus tour company owner Adrian Morton told Reuters outside the pub that the original plan was to create a local tour for regular customers, but discovered there was interest in it from around the globe.
"We wanted to do something for our local clientele, just as something to do in the early part of our year as an excursion," Morton said. "It was then picked up by people in the press and it sort of snowballed from there really."
He said he has had a number of enquiries from the United States, Canada, Japan, as well as Sweden and Germany.
As the tourists and the press pack settled back on the bus following a refreshment stop, Hilda Hewletts, from Basingstoke, who was on the sightseeing trip with husband Terence, was one of the few passengers willing to speak freely to the press and explained why they had turned out for the tour.
"To find out more about Kate Middleton, where she lived and what she did." Hilda Hewletts said.
Kate Middleton will marry William on April 29th in London's Westminster Abbey, in a ceremony that will be watched live on television by millions around the world.
Public interest in a royal couple has not been seen on such a scale since William's parents Prince Charles and the late Princess Diana wed in 1981. News that Britain's royal wedding invites are in the post has touched off lively press speculation, with former England soccer captain David Beckham and the King of Bahrain tipped to be attending but not U.S. President Barack Obama or William's aunt, Sarah Ferguson.
The 29-year-old Middleton is the eldest child of Michael and Carole Middleton, who became millionaires running Party Pieces, a mail order firm supplying party accessories.
The epitome of Middle England, they live in a five-bedroom house in the heart of the countryside in the county of Berkshire, west of London.
Kate was educated at private schools, ending at Marlborough College, western England, where she was said to be a popular girl who excelled at sports like field hockey.
Newspapers speculated that her mother, a former air hostess, purposefully steered Kate into the same university as William, on whom her daughter had a teenage crush.
Kansas point guard Taylor suspended indefinitely
AP, LAWRENCE, Kan: No. 3 Kansas has suspended point guard Tyshawn Taylor indefinitely for violating team rules.
The school did not specify the violation.
Taylor has started 26 of 27 games for the Jayhawks, who were 25-2 overall and 10-2 in the Big 12 going into their game Monday night against Oklahoma State.
Coach Bill Self said Taylor would continue practicing with the team until he was reinstated.
Freshman Josh Selby and sophomore Elijah Johnson are the other point guards who are available.
Taylor has struggled replacing Sherron Collins at point guard. He is averaging 8.8 points and ranks third in the Big 12 with 4.7 assists per game.
Earlier this season, senior forward Mario Little was suspended for six games in connection with his arrest in a domestic disturbance. He was reinstated after receiving a diversion agreement on two misdemeanor battery charges.
The school did not specify the violation.
Taylor has started 26 of 27 games for the Jayhawks, who were 25-2 overall and 10-2 in the Big 12 going into their game Monday night against Oklahoma State.
Coach Bill Self said Taylor would continue practicing with the team until he was reinstated.
Freshman Josh Selby and sophomore Elijah Johnson are the other point guards who are available.
Taylor has struggled replacing Sherron Collins at point guard. He is averaging 8.8 points and ranks third in the Big 12 with 4.7 assists per game.
Earlier this season, senior forward Mario Little was suspended for six games in connection with his arrest in a domestic disturbance. He was reinstated after receiving a diversion agreement on two misdemeanor battery charges.
Quick turnaround for No. 2 Ohio State vs. Illinois
AP, COLUMBUS, Ohio: Thad Matta was hit with so many "what went wrong?" questions on Monday that it was as if his Ohio State team's record was 2-25 instead of 25-2.
A day after the second-ranked Buckeyes fell 76-63 at No. 8 Purdue, the seventh-year coach tried to put things in perspective.
"From the tone of this, I thought we lost a bowl game today," he said with a laugh, poking fun at the dark cloud that settles over the city when the football team infrequently falters.
The Buckeyes aren't faced with a long winter of grieving over a cataclysmic loss. They get little more than 48 hours before hosting Illinois (17-10, 7-7 Big Ten) on Tuesday night.
So, coach, how will you get your team ready for the Illini?
"We've got to sift through all the adversity and find a way ..." he said, his voice trailing off.
Then he laughed.
In Matta's way of thinking, the Buckeyes have played well enough to still be unbeaten except for a few mistakes — and two hot hands. Wisconsin's Jordan Taylor scored 21 of his 27 points in the second half to lead then-No. 13 Wisconsin back from a 15-point deficit on Feb. 12 to hand the Buckeyes their first loss, 71-67. Taylor hit shots with hands in his face, from several feet behind the arc and while off balance.
After the Buckeyes beat Michigan State — a top-10 team at the outset of the season — on Tuesday, the Buckeyes were beaten again by a guard who couldn't miss. On Sunday, Purdue's E'Twaun Moore scored a career-high 38 points in leading No. 8 Purdue to a 76-63 upset.
Moore hit one layup by avoiding defender David Lighty with a gymnastic move that would be worth a gold medal — hanging in the air while flipping the ball high off the backboard and over Lighty's outstretched arms. Another time, late in the game with Ohio State trailing by just four, Moore bobbled the ball but still collected it, set himself, and swished a 3 to end any Ohio State hopes.
"Maybe two of the best performances in college basketball this year," Matta said of Taylor and Moore. "And as my luck always has it, I had a first-row seat to watch it."
Despite the-sky-is-falling talk on sports call-in shows, it wasn't as if the Buckeyes just folded up like an old card table. They have lost to two elite teams that are each unbeaten at home. In both games, the crowds were rabid and right on top of the Buckeyes.
"Have you ever been in two crazier environments?" Matta said. "As loud as those two places have been, for a guy who hears nothing, my ears hurt yesterday during the game."
The Buckeyes won at Illinois 73-68 on Jan. 22 in their first big test of the season in the Big Ten, running their record to 20-0.
Illini coach Bruce Weber knows something about how the pressure can build on a top team. His 2004-05 team won its first 29 games before losing the regular-season finale on a late 3-point shot at Ohio State.
"When you have an undefeated team, the pressure does mount. Every possession it just seems to get bigger and bigger," he said Monday. "I've said many times, (the Buckeyes') poise has been so good. If anything, maybe with the pressure, their poise wasn't quite as good. They turned it over yesterday. They seemed a little more erratic. It was Purdue's defense, the intensity, the crowd — it got to them a little bit. Which it hadn't gotten to them (before)."
But Matta believes the losses are merely a result of an opponent playing inspired and flawless basketball — and a lack of poise or toughness by his team.
"I'm not, like, panicked," he said. "We're 25-2."
Now 12-2 in the Big Ten and ahead of Purdue by a game, Ohio State plays three of its last four at home. The only road trip is to Penn State (14-12, 7-8).
Even though the Buckeyes have not been perfect in their losses, Weber said even if they had been they still might not have escaped unbeaten.
"In the long haul, to me," he said, "they just played good teams that were able to out-tough 'em, outplay them for a day."
Now he and his Illini will try to become the third team in 28 games to do that.
A day after the second-ranked Buckeyes fell 76-63 at No. 8 Purdue, the seventh-year coach tried to put things in perspective.
"From the tone of this, I thought we lost a bowl game today," he said with a laugh, poking fun at the dark cloud that settles over the city when the football team infrequently falters.
The Buckeyes aren't faced with a long winter of grieving over a cataclysmic loss. They get little more than 48 hours before hosting Illinois (17-10, 7-7 Big Ten) on Tuesday night.
So, coach, how will you get your team ready for the Illini?
"We've got to sift through all the adversity and find a way ..." he said, his voice trailing off.
Then he laughed.
In Matta's way of thinking, the Buckeyes have played well enough to still be unbeaten except for a few mistakes — and two hot hands. Wisconsin's Jordan Taylor scored 21 of his 27 points in the second half to lead then-No. 13 Wisconsin back from a 15-point deficit on Feb. 12 to hand the Buckeyes their first loss, 71-67. Taylor hit shots with hands in his face, from several feet behind the arc and while off balance.
After the Buckeyes beat Michigan State — a top-10 team at the outset of the season — on Tuesday, the Buckeyes were beaten again by a guard who couldn't miss. On Sunday, Purdue's E'Twaun Moore scored a career-high 38 points in leading No. 8 Purdue to a 76-63 upset.
Moore hit one layup by avoiding defender David Lighty with a gymnastic move that would be worth a gold medal — hanging in the air while flipping the ball high off the backboard and over Lighty's outstretched arms. Another time, late in the game with Ohio State trailing by just four, Moore bobbled the ball but still collected it, set himself, and swished a 3 to end any Ohio State hopes.
"Maybe two of the best performances in college basketball this year," Matta said of Taylor and Moore. "And as my luck always has it, I had a first-row seat to watch it."
Despite the-sky-is-falling talk on sports call-in shows, it wasn't as if the Buckeyes just folded up like an old card table. They have lost to two elite teams that are each unbeaten at home. In both games, the crowds were rabid and right on top of the Buckeyes.
"Have you ever been in two crazier environments?" Matta said. "As loud as those two places have been, for a guy who hears nothing, my ears hurt yesterday during the game."
The Buckeyes won at Illinois 73-68 on Jan. 22 in their first big test of the season in the Big Ten, running their record to 20-0.
Illini coach Bruce Weber knows something about how the pressure can build on a top team. His 2004-05 team won its first 29 games before losing the regular-season finale on a late 3-point shot at Ohio State.
"When you have an undefeated team, the pressure does mount. Every possession it just seems to get bigger and bigger," he said Monday. "I've said many times, (the Buckeyes') poise has been so good. If anything, maybe with the pressure, their poise wasn't quite as good. They turned it over yesterday. They seemed a little more erratic. It was Purdue's defense, the intensity, the crowd — it got to them a little bit. Which it hadn't gotten to them (before)."
But Matta believes the losses are merely a result of an opponent playing inspired and flawless basketball — and a lack of poise or toughness by his team.
"I'm not, like, panicked," he said. "We're 25-2."
Now 12-2 in the Big Ten and ahead of Purdue by a game, Ohio State plays three of its last four at home. The only road trip is to Penn State (14-12, 7-8).
Even though the Buckeyes have not been perfect in their losses, Weber said even if they had been they still might not have escaped unbeaten.
"In the long haul, to me," he said, "they just played good teams that were able to out-tough 'em, outplay them for a day."
Now he and his Illini will try to become the third team in 28 games to do that.
Paralyzed Rutgers player makes public appearance
AP, PISCATAWAY, N.J: Rutgers football player Eric LeGrand made his first public appearance since being paralyzed in a game against Army more than four months ago.
LeGrand attended a "Laugh to Heal Comedy Fest Fundraiser" for him at the Rutgers Athletic Center on Saturday.
"I just want to thank everybody for coming out here today and I'm just going to keep on chopping during my rehab," LeGrand told the crowd of approximately 3,000 who attended the comedy show featuring Rutgers alumnus Bill Bellamy.
The event was for the "Eric LeGrand Believe Fund."
Rutgers spokesman Jason Baum did not know on Monday how much money was raised over the weekend.
It was LeGrand's second trip to Rutgers since the injury. He also joined his teammates for the first team meeting of the semester in January.
The junior defensive tackle has resumed his coursework at Rutgers, joining via videoconference last month for a class on "Blacks and Economic Structures."
LeGrand remains paralyzed below the neck. The Avenel, N.J., resident fractured his C3 and C4 vertebrae while making a head-first tackle on a kickoff in the win over Army at New Meadowlands Stadium.
LeGrand has regained movement in his shoulders and is experiencing sensation throughout his body. He is undergoing rehabilitation at Kessler Institute for Rehabilitation in West Orange, N.J.
LeGrand attended a "Laugh to Heal Comedy Fest Fundraiser" for him at the Rutgers Athletic Center on Saturday.
"I just want to thank everybody for coming out here today and I'm just going to keep on chopping during my rehab," LeGrand told the crowd of approximately 3,000 who attended the comedy show featuring Rutgers alumnus Bill Bellamy.
The event was for the "Eric LeGrand Believe Fund."
Rutgers spokesman Jason Baum did not know on Monday how much money was raised over the weekend.
It was LeGrand's second trip to Rutgers since the injury. He also joined his teammates for the first team meeting of the semester in January.
The junior defensive tackle has resumed his coursework at Rutgers, joining via videoconference last month for a class on "Blacks and Economic Structures."
LeGrand remains paralyzed below the neck. The Avenel, N.J., resident fractured his C3 and C4 vertebrae while making a head-first tackle on a kickoff in the win over Army at New Meadowlands Stadium.
LeGrand has regained movement in his shoulders and is experiencing sensation throughout his body. He is undergoing rehabilitation at Kessler Institute for Rehabilitation in West Orange, N.J.
Rihanna rocks celeb-studded NBA All-Star game
AP, LOS ANGELES: With a celebrity-studded crowd looking on, Rihanna rocked the halftime show at the NBA All-Star game on her 23rd birthday.
She had other big names helping her sing her hits Sunday, with Drake joining in on "What's My Name?" and working "happy birthday" into the lyrics. Dripping in gold chains, a red-clad Kanye West came out for "All of the Lights," which is off his latest album but features Rihanna.
At halftime, the lights inside Staples Center went out and the video screens filled with water droplets, setting the stage for Rihanna to emerge from behind a wall singing "Umbrella."
The red-haired singer soon shed her short black suit jacket and white scarf to reveal a short black skirt and a rhinestone halter. She shimmied her way through "Only Girl (In the World)" and didn't flinch when her huge hoop earring fell off her left ear in mid-song.
While it was a working day for Rihanna, her fellow music stars relaxed in their seats while watching the 60th annual All-Star game. The West team, led by Kobe Bryant's 37 points, defeated the East 148-143.
Beyonce and hubby Jay-Z sat courtside, with Justin Bieber (MVP of Friday's All-Star celebrity game) two seats away. Sean "Diddy" Combs, Stevie Wonder (wearing headphones), Grammy winner Bruno Mars, Keri Hilson, Ne-Yo, Gene Simmons, and "American Idol" judge Steven Tyler were scattered around the arena. Rapper Nicki Minaj snacked on pink cotton candy.
Later, Rihanna sat courtside next to 16-year-old Bieber, making for a striking contrast between her flaming long hair and his famous shaggy 'do.
Benny, the Chicago Bulls mascot, jumped into the seat next to singer John Legend and his girlfriend-model Chrissy Teigen to joke around.
Canadian singer Melanie Fiona sang her country's national anthem, and Los Angeles native Josh Groban did the U.S. anthem. With plenty of fog swirling, Lenny Kravitz played during the pregame introductions.
Among the movie and TV stars in attendance were Dustin Hoffman, Spike Lee, Warren Beatty, Rick Fox and girlfriend-actress Eliza Dushku, and Nick Cannon (without wife Mariah Carey). CNN talk show host Piers Morgan furiously worked his cell phone during most of the action.
Snoop Dogg, Terrell Owens, Chris Tucker, tennis star Venus Williams, and actors Forest Whitaker, Noah Wyle and Ellen Pompeo took in the show, too. Los Angeles Lakers fan Jack Nicholson was bumped out of his usual courtside seat.
Actress Gabrielle Union walked the magenta carpet outside the arena before the game, dishing on her boyfriend, Miami Heat guard Dwyane Wade.
"His closet is way bigger than mine. He's way, way, way into clothes that his closet is like five times the size of mine," Union said.
Wade loves different scents, too.
"He is a little bit obsessed with the smell of cocoa butter. He loves it for himself," she said. "He's got, I think, over 30 different colognes."
If the fashion police had been on patrol, they might have cited former NBA great Darryl Dawkins.
Standing 6-foot-11, the man nicknamed "Chocolate Thunder" for his ferocious dunking ability made an even louder statement by wearing a lime-colored pinstriped suit.
As soon as Orlando Magic forward Dwight Howard spotted Dawkins, he couldn't help but offer a critique.
"He looks like a big lizard. Aw-w-w, man," Howard said. "I thought last night's suit was terrible, but then he came out today looking like a highlighter? That's probably one of the worst suits I've ever seen in my life."
While Howard and many of the other arriving NBA players dressed up in suits and ties, Lakers star Bryant dressed down in jeans and a black leather jacket.
She had other big names helping her sing her hits Sunday, with Drake joining in on "What's My Name?" and working "happy birthday" into the lyrics. Dripping in gold chains, a red-clad Kanye West came out for "All of the Lights," which is off his latest album but features Rihanna.
At halftime, the lights inside Staples Center went out and the video screens filled with water droplets, setting the stage for Rihanna to emerge from behind a wall singing "Umbrella."
The red-haired singer soon shed her short black suit jacket and white scarf to reveal a short black skirt and a rhinestone halter. She shimmied her way through "Only Girl (In the World)" and didn't flinch when her huge hoop earring fell off her left ear in mid-song.
While it was a working day for Rihanna, her fellow music stars relaxed in their seats while watching the 60th annual All-Star game. The West team, led by Kobe Bryant's 37 points, defeated the East 148-143.
Beyonce and hubby Jay-Z sat courtside, with Justin Bieber (MVP of Friday's All-Star celebrity game) two seats away. Sean "Diddy" Combs, Stevie Wonder (wearing headphones), Grammy winner Bruno Mars, Keri Hilson, Ne-Yo, Gene Simmons, and "American Idol" judge Steven Tyler were scattered around the arena. Rapper Nicki Minaj snacked on pink cotton candy.
Later, Rihanna sat courtside next to 16-year-old Bieber, making for a striking contrast between her flaming long hair and his famous shaggy 'do.
Benny, the Chicago Bulls mascot, jumped into the seat next to singer John Legend and his girlfriend-model Chrissy Teigen to joke around.
Canadian singer Melanie Fiona sang her country's national anthem, and Los Angeles native Josh Groban did the U.S. anthem. With plenty of fog swirling, Lenny Kravitz played during the pregame introductions.
Among the movie and TV stars in attendance were Dustin Hoffman, Spike Lee, Warren Beatty, Rick Fox and girlfriend-actress Eliza Dushku, and Nick Cannon (without wife Mariah Carey). CNN talk show host Piers Morgan furiously worked his cell phone during most of the action.
Snoop Dogg, Terrell Owens, Chris Tucker, tennis star Venus Williams, and actors Forest Whitaker, Noah Wyle and Ellen Pompeo took in the show, too. Los Angeles Lakers fan Jack Nicholson was bumped out of his usual courtside seat.
Actress Gabrielle Union walked the magenta carpet outside the arena before the game, dishing on her boyfriend, Miami Heat guard Dwyane Wade.
"His closet is way bigger than mine. He's way, way, way into clothes that his closet is like five times the size of mine," Union said.
Wade loves different scents, too.
"He is a little bit obsessed with the smell of cocoa butter. He loves it for himself," she said. "He's got, I think, over 30 different colognes."
If the fashion police had been on patrol, they might have cited former NBA great Darryl Dawkins.
Standing 6-foot-11, the man nicknamed "Chocolate Thunder" for his ferocious dunking ability made an even louder statement by wearing a lime-colored pinstriped suit.
As soon as Orlando Magic forward Dwight Howard spotted Dawkins, he couldn't help but offer a critique.
"He looks like a big lizard. Aw-w-w, man," Howard said. "I thought last night's suit was terrible, but then he came out today looking like a highlighter? That's probably one of the worst suits I've ever seen in my life."
While Howard and many of the other arriving NBA players dressed up in suits and ties, Lakers star Bryant dressed down in jeans and a black leather jacket.
Kobe shines brightest of All Stars in West victory
Reuters, LOS ANGELES: The Los Angeles Lakers' Kobe Bryant won a record-tying fourth All-Star Game most valuable player award as he led the Western Conference to a 148-143 victory in front of his home fans on Sunday.
Bryant electrified a celebrity-filled Staples Center crowd with an array of slam dunks and led all players with 37 points and 14 rebounds.
"I wanted to come out and play hard and put on a good show," said Bryant, who joins Bob Pettit as the only player to win four All-Star MVP trophies. "It feels great being at home here and playing in front of the home crowd."
LeBron James recorded a triple-double with 29 points, 12 rebounds and 10 assists to lead the East, which pulled to within two points with 72 seconds left to set up an intense finish after a game filled with highlight-reel dunks and trickery.
Laker Pau Gasol scored 17 points and delighted his home fans with a putback that gave the West a four-point lead with under a minute left.
NBA leading scorer Kevin Durant of the Oklahoma City Thunder poured in 34 points and sealed the victory for the West with a pair of free throw with five seconds to play.
Amare Stoudemire tied a team-high with 29 points for the East, which trailed for virtually the whole game, but every player ended the night looking up at Kobe.
During one dominant sequence in the third, Bryant threw down a two-handed dunk over James then swished a quick three-pointer that drew a roar from the crowd, which included Jay-Z and Beyonce, Hall of Fame players Clyde Drexler and David Robinson as well as Aerosmith's Steven Tyler.
"He wanted to win the MVP, he wasn't going to pass the ball. But that's Kobe," Stoudemire said.
The only player drawing cheers equal to Bryant's was Los Angeles Clippers rookie Blake Griffin, who captured the Slam Dunk Contest a day earlier and finished with eight points.
Boston, the only team to feature four players in the game, put its quartet of Kevin Garnett, Paul Pierce, Ray Allen and Rajon Rondo on the floor together in the first quarter and drew loud boos from the rival Los Angeles crowd.
Bryant electrified a celebrity-filled Staples Center crowd with an array of slam dunks and led all players with 37 points and 14 rebounds.
"I wanted to come out and play hard and put on a good show," said Bryant, who joins Bob Pettit as the only player to win four All-Star MVP trophies. "It feels great being at home here and playing in front of the home crowd."
LeBron James recorded a triple-double with 29 points, 12 rebounds and 10 assists to lead the East, which pulled to within two points with 72 seconds left to set up an intense finish after a game filled with highlight-reel dunks and trickery.
Laker Pau Gasol scored 17 points and delighted his home fans with a putback that gave the West a four-point lead with under a minute left.
NBA leading scorer Kevin Durant of the Oklahoma City Thunder poured in 34 points and sealed the victory for the West with a pair of free throw with five seconds to play.
Amare Stoudemire tied a team-high with 29 points for the East, which trailed for virtually the whole game, but every player ended the night looking up at Kobe.
During one dominant sequence in the third, Bryant threw down a two-handed dunk over James then swished a quick three-pointer that drew a roar from the crowd, which included Jay-Z and Beyonce, Hall of Fame players Clyde Drexler and David Robinson as well as Aerosmith's Steven Tyler.
"He wanted to win the MVP, he wasn't going to pass the ball. But that's Kobe," Stoudemire said.
The only player drawing cheers equal to Bryant's was Los Angeles Clippers rookie Blake Griffin, who captured the Slam Dunk Contest a day earlier and finished with eight points.
Boston, the only team to feature four players in the game, put its quartet of Kevin Garnett, Paul Pierce, Ray Allen and Rajon Rondo on the floor together in the first quarter and drew loud boos from the rival Los Angeles crowd.
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