US Archives unveils Magna Carta after repairs
The National Archives unveiled its 715-year-old copy of Magna Carta on Thursday after a conservation effort removed old patches and repaired weak spots in the English declaration of human rights that inspired the United States founding documents.
A $13.5 million gift from philanthropist David Rubenstein funded conservation and a new case for the only original Magna Carta in the United States. Rubenstein bought the historic document at auction in 2007 for $21.3 million and sent it to the National Archives on a long-term loan.
Rubenstein, who is co-founder of the private equity firm The Carlyle Group, said he bought the document previously owned by Texas billionaire H. Ross Perot because he wanted to keep it from leaving the country. The only other copies are in Britain and at Australia s parliament.
The U.S. copy was one of four reissued in the year 1297. It still carries the wax seal of King Edward I of England, which is attached by a ribbon under the document.
As a history buff, Rubenstein, 62, has become somewhat of an expert on Magna Carta s legacy dating to 1215. That s when noblemen came together to declare their rights to King John, including the right to a trial by jury and the first limits on arbitrary taxation that led to the principle of “no taxation without representation.”
“This became something that set the trend of common law” in Britain and later in the United States as founding fathers such as Thomas Jefferson and James Madison referred back to Magna Carta, Rubenstein said.
Rubenstein said he became interested in the ideas behind the Constitution while working for Congress in his 20s, which led him to study the Magna Carta. The document will likely remain at the National Archives permanently, he said.
“You can t be buried with these documents as far as I know,” Rubenstein said.
Magna Carta will return to public view at the National Archives on Feb. 17. A new interactive display will allow visitors to zoom in on an image of the parchment and see how it was repaired. They can read an English translation of Magna Carta s Latin words and see comparisons to language in the U.S. Constitution and Declaration of Independence.
On Thursday, conservators showed the document in its new protective case developed by the National Institute of Standards and Technology.
Rubenstein s gift also is funding an upcoming exhibit that will open in 2013. There, Magna Carta will be shown as a forerunner to the freedoms imagined in the U.S. Declaration of Independence, Constitution and Bill of Rights and will be paired with other documents declaring human rights for African Americans, women, immigrants and others.
Le Pen snaps at Sarkozy’s heels in economic storm
January 20, 2012 by Trend PK
Filed under World News
PARIS: French far-right leader Marine Le Pen is staging a comeback in opinion polls less than 100 days before the presidential election, riding a wave of economic discontent that has endangered President Nicolas Sarkozy’s re-election chances.
As rising unemployment and the loss of France’s triple-A credit rating tarnish Sarkozy’s presidential record, pollsters say that Le Pen’s brand of anti-European rhetoric is gaining ground with a broad swathe of unhappy voters.
On Thursday, a daily survey of voting intentions by pollster Ifop gave her 21 percent support in the first round of a two-stage election scheduled for April and May, just two percentage points behind the conservative head of state.
Analysts say the poll fits with a broader trend of growing support for Le Pen and her ideas that weakens both Sarkozy and his Socialist rival Francois Hollande, who leads the field.
A first-round exit for an incumbent president would be a first in the history of France’s Fifth Republic, founded in 1958.
“We cannot say today with certainty that either Francois Hollande or Nicolas Sarkozy will be qualified in the first round,” said Jean-Daniel Levy, an analyst with polling agency Harris Interactive.
“What is most surprising to us is that we have never seen such an elevated level of support for a far-right candidate three months before a presidential election,” he added.
Le Pen, who holds a strong third position behind Hollande and Sarkozy, has made a push for mainstream respectability in the year since she took over leadership of the National Front from her father, Jean-Marie.
Shifting away from its narrow focus on immigration, Le Pen has rebranded the National Front as a protector of French sovereignty, ready to abandon the euro and shut French borders to foreign competition.
A spate of industrial shutdowns has bolstered support for her idea of “intelligent protectionism” among disenchanted working class voters. Troubled Swiss refiner Petroplus became the latest to raise the spectre of a closure, announcing on Friday it was looking to sell its refinery in Petit-Couronne, northern France.
“It’s obviously the ultra-liberal policies defended by all presidential candidates, aside from myself, that is behind the closure of all these factories,” Le Pen told RMC radio, referring to both mainstream candidates.
Ifop pollster Jerome Fourquet said Le Pen’s comeback after a poll dip in late 2011 reflected disappointment with Sarkozy’s record on employment, with jobless claims at a 12-year high, and anxiety over the downgrade of French debt to AA+ by Standard & Poor’s last Friday.
“Bad news on the economic front clearly weakens the outgoing president, who had set a target of bringing unemployment down to five percent by the end of his term,” he said. “All of that gives Marine Le Pen new arguments to criticise the president’s mistakes.”
Sarkozy, who has yet to announce his candidacy officially, used a speech in Lyon on Thursday to launch an indirect attack on Le Pen’s ideas, saying a withdrawal from the euro would kill jobs and sink the French economy.
Boosting French competitiveness, notably by lowering labour costs, was “the only way”, he said. AGENCIES
Last gasp goal grabs New Zealand first World Cup point
RUSTENBURG: A stoppage time equaliser by defender Winston Reid saw New Zealand claim the first World Cup point in their history with a 1-1 draw with Slovakia on Tuesday.
The All Whites, who lost all three matches in their only other finals appearance in 1982, looked destined for defeat after Robert Vittek had headed Slovakia into a 50th-minute lead in the Group F match.
But three minutes into injury time, Reid popped up at the back post to head Shane Smeltz”s cross in off the post to deny Slovakia victory in their first World Cup match as an independent nation.
It was no more than New Zealand deserved from a scrappy encounter in which Slovakia did little that will worry group rivals Italy or Paraguay, who also drew 1-1 when they met on Monday.
With Slovakia struggling to get their passing game going in cold, windy conditions, it was the All Whites who had the better of the chances with both Chris Killen and Smeltz (twice) failing to take good chances before Reid found the net.
Middlesbrough”s Killen needed only five minutes to underline the threat he poses in the air, outjumping both centrebacks to meet Simon Elliott”s inswinging free-kick with a header that was directed straight at Slovakia”s goalkeeper Jan Mucha.
Twenty minutes had elapsed before Slovakia produced a moment of menace, captain Marek Hamsik curling a shot beyond the far post.
Gradually they began to assert themselves and, after being played into the box by the lively Vladimir Weiss, Stanislav Sestak toe-poked a shot inches wide of Mark Paston”s left-hand upright.
Paston, who had already flapped hesitantly at one cross, was fortunate to escape unpunished after completely missing the ball as he attempted to punt the ball clear from the left edge of his box.
Vittek then sent a long range effort wide before New Zealand”s best chance of the opening period fell to Smeltz. The forward”s strike from a tight angle was cleanly struck but Mucha”s touch was enough to deflect it into the side netting.
Hamsik”s dipping shot had to palmed over by Paston just before half-time and, five minutes after the restart, the Slovakians broke the deadlock.
Allowed time on the right, Sestak whipped in a cross and Vittek, who may have been fractionally offside, got away from Reid to send a header beyond Paston and into the bottom corner.
Vittek should have made it two at the end of a sweeping counterattack with 20 minutes left, only to be frustrated by Reid”s full-stretch block.
With three minutes left, Smeltz got above Liverpool defender Martin Skrtel only to steer his header wide. New Zealand”s last chance looked to have gone but Reid had other ideas.
Afghan mission relates to Britain’s security
June 11, 2010 by Trend PK
Filed under World News
HILMAND: British Prime Minister David Cameron told troops on Friday they were not in Afghanistan for a “dreamy idea” or to build a model society, and pledged they would leave once Afghans could defend themselves.
On his first trip as prime minister to meet British troops in southern Afghanistan, Cameron said the new coalition he heads had a clear mission defending Britain”s national security from the threat of attack by al Qaeda.
He pledged to give the 9,500 British troops serving in Afghanistan, who have taken part in some of the fiercest fighting against Taliban insurgents, the equipment they needed.
Cameron, who formed a coalition of centre-rightConservatives and centre-left Liberals after the May 6election, said the operational allowance soldiers receive while on active service in Afghanistan would be doubled.
“We are not here to build the perfect democracy. We are no there to build some perfect model society. We are here to help the Afghans take control of their security so we can go home,” Cameron told about 400 British troops gathered on a dusty, sandstorm-swept parade ground at the Camp Bastion base in southern Afghanistan.
“I can sum up this mission in two words: It is about national security, our national security in the UK. We don”t have some dreamy ideas about what this mission is about,” Cameron said. “Just as soon as we have trained up that Afghan security we can go home with our heads held high.”
Sudhir Mishra to sue writer for defamation & campaign for his ban in industry
A legal notice sent by a writer named Aditya Kripalani accusing Sudhir Mishra of stealing his script has the prolific and distinguished filmmaker very very angry. He intends to take legal action and to fight against false copyright claims that are made for publicity.
Says Sudhir, “Before making such claims or substantiating them by writing about them, people should read my script for Driver which I’ve apparently stolen from this Kripalani chap. First of all I am not scriptwriter for Driver. Althia Dalmaj Kaushal is. She was suggested to me by my producer Ekta Kapoor. Driver is about forbidden love, that’s what attracted Ekta Kapoor to my cinema. Kripalani is basing his assumption on what he has read about my film in the media. Even Arvind Adiga’s White Tiger is about a chauffeur and a rich man.”
Sudhir claims that the story which Kripalani claims as his own was given to him by producer Manu Kumaran and journalist-writer Pankaj Kapoor 7 years ago. “Manu hired Aditya to write a story for a film that I was to direct. But Manu didn’t like Aditya’s story. So Manu decided to write it himself. That matter was between Manu and Aditya, not me. I was supposed to direct that film for Zee Telefilms. There’s proof of the registration of that story. So now Kriplani is in trouble. Because Kriplani apparently stole Manu Kumaran’s idea to write his novel Back Seat. What is he talking about? I think he got excited when he read your article about Ranbir Kapoor being in the project. This man has fallen into his own trap.”
Sudhir’s lawyer is now preparing a counter-notice. “My lawyers are on the job. But what are Kripalani’s allegations? He hasn’t read my script. So how does he know my script is taken from him? During my entire career, I’ve always done original work. If I’ve to plagiarize at this stage of my career it’d have to from much better sources than this. The pleasure of scripting my films comes from writing about my own impressions and experiences. That’s why I’m a filmmaker. Why would I copy this kid? If I owe any inspirational debt to anyone its Guru Dutt, no one else.”
Sudhir says the idea of making a film on the neo-affluent class of Delhi is inspired by his cousin. “This cousin had run away from home looking for me. He became a servant in someone’s house in Delhi. So it’s story based on incidents from my own family. Just a chauffeur’s presence in my film doesn’t make it anyone else’s property. Fortunately my script has evolved in front of my producer Ekta. So she knows where it’s coming from. If I wanted to remake Kripalani’s book I’d have asked Ekta to buy it, no? In fact she offered to buy Sagarika Ghosh’s book for me.”
Sudhir now intends to take serious action against Kripalani. “Besides legal action, once I finish my script I will take it to every writer’s guild in Mumbai and ask for it to be compared with Kripalani’s book. I think people who defame without basis should be barred from our industry. Kripalani has harmed the prospects of any aspiring writer who comes to us. We’ll think twice before allowing them access into our office. As for Kripalani, no one will hire him in future either. It’s really sad. Why didn’t he contact me if he thought he had a grievance? There’s proof that he’s lying in every line of his. My friends know about Driver for months because I share my ideas openly. I’m not a sneaky plagiarist.”
vedam movie review
June 4, 2010 by Trend PK
Filed under World News
Vedam is an action packed drama and its music was released to critical applause on May 3, this year. The music of Vedam has been composed by M M Keeravani and penned by Sirivennela Seetarama Sastry, Sahiti, E S Murthy and Keeravani.
DIRECTED BY Radhakrishna Jagarlamudi alias Krish, Vedam is a movie with five different sub-stories belonging to five main characters in the film and all are weaved through a single thread. Vedam movie is produced by Yarlagadda Shobhu and Devineni Prasad for Arka Entertainment.
Vedam also casts Bollywood hero Manoj Bajpayee, who is assaying an important role in the movie but the director has kept it as a secret. Allu Arjun plays the role of ‘Cable Raja’ in Vedam and he is shown as a cable operator. The role of a prostitute ‘Saroja’ is donned by Anushka Shetty whereas Manoj Manchu plays the role of Vija Chakravarthy, an upcoming rock star.
Vedam is a cocktail of five interwoven stories. The story of the movie revolves around five people and how their life changes with changing circumstances.
In Vedam, Allu Arjun appears in a de-glamorized character. He is a cable operator belonging to the lower class of the society. Manchu Manoj plays the character of a upcoming rock star. Anushka will be portraying all together a different role than her earlier movies. Here she is Saroja, a prostitute. The most important role is played by Manoj Bajpai who adds twist to the story of the film. We are not divulging his character, lets keep it secret. Watch the movie in your favorite theater and dont forget to share your thoughts in the comment section. we love to hear your ideas!
The release of the film was first intended in May 2010 due to delays. The producers are Prasadd Devineni and Shobhu Yarlagadda. The music of the film was released in presence of most telugu film industry, music by MM Keeravani, while the lyrics are by Sirivennela Seetarama Sastry, Sahithi, ES Murthy and MM Keeravani. The release date of the music was May 3, 2010.
The plot revolves around five people and a story on how their lives had changed. The movie is described as “five interwoven stories that belong to one of the five main characters”.
Cast of Vedam:
* Allu Arjun as Cable Raja
* Manoj Manchu as Vivek Chakravarthy
* Anushka Shetty as Amalapuram Saroja
* Manoj Bajpai as Raheemuddin
* Raghu Babu
* Ravi Prakash
* Satyam Rajesh
* Lekha Washington
* Siya Gautham
* Deeksha Seth
* Saranya
* Brahmanandam
* Posani Krishna MuraliIn
the movie Allu Arjun walks in the slums of Hyderabad with a cable worn around his shoulder. He comes from lower strata of the society. He even climbs poll and goes into the house of people to see if their cable was alright. During this interaction, he delivers some dialogues of the movie.
jirga
June 2, 2010 by Trend PK
Filed under World News
The multi-pronged attack started within minutes of Karzai beginning his opening address to some 1,600 dignitaries gathered for the conference, known as a peace jirga, in a huge tent pitched on a university compound in the city.
The Taliban, which had earlier threatened to kill anyone who took part, claimed responsibility for the attack in a phone call to The Associated Press.
Karzai was hoping that the jirga would bolster him politically by supporting his strategy of offering incentives to individual Taliban fighters and reaching out to the insurgent leadership, despite skepticism in Washington on whether the time is right for an overture to militant leaders.
About 10 minutes into his speech, Karzai was briefly interrupted by an explosion outside, which police said was a rocket fired from the west of the Afghan capital. Karzai heard the thud, but dismissed it, telling delegates, “Don’t worry. We’ve heard this kind of thing before.”
Soon afterward, an AP reporter nearby heard a loud explosion and saw smoke rising from a second apparent rocket attack that struck about 100 meters (yards) from the venue.
AP reporters gathered at a hotel near the venue to cover the conference via video link heard bursts of gunfire to the south of the venue.
Police officer Kamaluddin said a suicide bomber detonated explosives a few hundred yards (meters) from the tent, and that shooting between insurgents and Afghan forces was being reported. The only reported casualty was the bomber.
Security forces were rushing through the area and helicopters were flying overhead.
Some insurgents were shot, but reports were unclear as to how many, said a spokesman for international forces in Afghanistan, Lt. Col. Joseph T. Breasseale.US President Barack Obama has said he wants to start drawing down troops from mid-2011.
After the election of a chairman and two deputies, delegates will be divided into 28 groups, each with a spokesman to present their ideas to the general forum.
The jirga is expected to end on Friday with a declaration on what steps should be taken to end the insurgency, what groups should be included in the process and how they should be approached.
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Ahmadinejad says U.N. veto power "satanic"
April 27, 2010 by Trend PK
Filed under World News
TEHRAN: Iranian President Mahmoud Ahmadinejad on Monday labeled as “satanic” the U.N. Security Council and the right of veto held by its five permanent members, Iran”s news agency reported.
Ahmadinejad, who often rails against the West, said the power of veto held by the United States, China, Britain, France and Russia was aimed at “oppressing and destroying the true nature of mankind and are satanic tools,” agency said.
His comments came amid escalating tension in the Islamic Republic”s long-running dispute with the West over Tehran”s nuclear program, with the United States pushing for new U.N. sanctions against the major oil producer.
Washington and its allies suspect Iran is seeking to develop nuclear bombs. Tehran denies the charge and says its nuclear work is aimed at generating electricity.
A U.S. draft for a fourth round of U.N. sanctions proposes more curbs on Iranian banking, an arms embargo, tougher measures against Iranian shipping, moves against Revolutionary Guards members and a ban on new investments in Iran”s energy sector.
Tehran has remained defiant, saying it is prepared to swap its low-level enriched uranium for higher-grade fuel enriched abroad, a move which would help address fears about Iran”s enrichment activities, but insists this happen on Iranian soil.
In October Iran agreed in principle to send low-enriched uranium abroad for more processing, but then said the swap should “take place inside its territory and simultaneously.”
Obama to Muslim world: A ”new beginning” has started
April 27, 2010 by Trend PK
Filed under World News
WASHINGTON: President Obama said tonight that the U.S. will set up exchange programs with business people throughout the Muslim world as part of the overall outreach program he outlined last year.
“The new beginning we seek is not only possible, it has already begun,” Obama told the Presidential Summit on Entrepreneurship in Washington, D.C.
The exchange programs will include business opportunities in Silicon Valley, technology, telecommunications, health care, education and infrastructure, Obama told the summit that included delegates from the U.S. and Muslim countries.
The summit was one of the ideas Obama pitched during his June speech in Cairo outlining “a new beginning between the United States and Muslim communities.”
“Over the past year the United States has been reaching out and listening,” he said.
That includes winding down the war in Iraq, working with Afghanistan and Pakistan to “isolate violent extremists,” and seeking a peaceful two-state solution between Israel and the Palestinians, Obama said.
There has also been cultural outreach, Obama said — including a comic book series in which Superman and Batman work with their Muslim counterparts.
“And I hear they”re making progress,” Obama said.
