The producers of 1978's "Superman: The Movie" famously hired a Marlon Brando -- an Oscar-winning actor as famous for his offscreen shenanigans as for his indelible onscreen performances -- to play Superman's father Jor-El. Though Brando got top billing, his role in the film is really little more than a flashy cameo.
Still, he's a pivotal part of the movie -- leftover footage of Brando was resurrected in Bryan Singer's seriously-watch-it-again gem "Superman Returns" -- and Brando's participation in the original Superman gives some added resonance to the news, reported by Variety, that Oscar-winning Russell Crowe is currently in talks to play Jor-El in "Man of Steel," next year's Supes reboot.
Warner Bros., producer Christopher Nolan, and director Zack Snyder had no comment on the casting news, but it's worth exploring what the news might mean for the movie.
It certainly seems possible: Nolan is a particular fan of getting great actors to play supporting roles -- think of Gary Oldman's Commissioner Gordon -- and the small-but-pivotal role of Superman's father might appeal to Crowe, who hasn't taken a supporting role in anything in over a decade.
Given that Jor-El classically appears only in Krypton-set prologues and then as a zombie hologram, it's a role that could be shot entirely on a greenscreen, several continents away from the production.
As for the larger implications of this news: The mere fact that Jor-El will be in the movie indicates that "Man of Steel" will probably feature a Superman origin story. And it's hard to imagine the producers hiring Russell Crowe just to imitate Brando's voice-from-beyond stylings.
Commentary : I think that this actor I the new mvie of superman will be very nice because he could be the villain inthe movie he will be greatfull to make this movie.
Thursday, June 16, 2011
Barcelona threaten to sever ties with Spanish rivals Real Madrid
June 16, 2011 -- Updated 1852 GMT (0252 HKT)
Barcelona and Real Madrid met five times last season with tempers flaring on several occasions.
STORY HIGHLIGHTS
- Barcelona threaten to sever ties with their great rivals Real Madrid
- European champions claim Real pushed the bounds of sportsmanship
- The two met five times last season with the Champions League ties fractious
- Barca say they are willing to spend big on players ahead of next season
(CNN) -- European champions Barcelona claim they will sever ties with Real Madrid if their fierce Spanish rivals continue to push the "bounds of sportsmanship."
The two clubs faced-off five times over the course of last season, culminating in two tempestuous Champions League semifinals in which players from both sides clashed on numerous occasions.
Real coach Jose Mourinho was handed a five-match ban by UEFA after comments he made after the first leg of the tie, in which he claimed match officials favored Barcelona.
He was also sent to the stands during the game at Real's Bernabeu stadium after criticizing the referee.
Real then claimed Barcelona's players had play-acted to con the referee, and that Sergio Busquets made racist comments to their Brazilian defender Marcelo -- a charge UEFA later dismissed.
In a press conference on Thursday Barca president Sandro Rosell warned that his club would break ties with Real if next season was again punctuated by poor relations.
"Real Madrid and FC Barcelona are ancient institutions with many supporters and aficionados," Rosell said in a statement on the club's official web site.
Real Madrid crossed the line of acceptable sporting rivalry by making accusations against our club without any foundation
--Sandro Rosell, Barcelona president
--Sandro Rosell, Barcelona president
RELATED TOPICS
"Real Madrid crossed the line of acceptable sporting rivalry by making accusations against our club without any foundation.
"If the limits of fair play are passed once again, we shall be obliged to end our institutional relations, something we have absolutely no desire to do.
"The rivalry will continue next season but we will not allow them to go beyond the bounds of sportsmanship."
Rosell also made reference to the "numerous provocations" made by Mourinho, pointing to the post-match press conference that landed him in hot water. The Portuguese this week appealed against his ban.
He said: "Comments by the protagonists have always served to enrich footballing debate. But this season a Real Madrid employee, its coach, also went beyond all the limits of necessary sporting rivalry.
"He even went as far as to say that our coach should feel ashamed of some of our victories. The press conference given by the Real Madrid coach after the first leg of the Champions League semi finals at the Bernabeu would certainly have made any sportsperson feel ashamed.
"He accused our club of having won titles thanks to some kind of national and international conspiracy, implicating in this conspiracy the good name of Unicef and the football authorities."
Barca's president went on to claim the club's season was the best in its history, after coach Pep Guardiola secured the Spanish league title to go with the club's fourth Champions League triumph.
Rosell also hinted that Barcelona would be willing to spend big if the right players became available, as speculation over Arsenal captain Cesc Fabregas' future continues to grow.
"We'll see what happens in the transfer market. Initially, we have $63 million but we might use part of next year's money too," he said. "Guardiola has his preferences, but he doesn't talk about names, he talks about positions that should be strengthened.
"Cesc? I guess he'd like to join us, like a lot of players would, but we won't go mad and offer silly fees. Last year we offered $56 million for Cesc, this season his value is less. What we can offer will also depend on his salary."
Comment: well i think that it was a really dumb thing to say something like that and worst make it public. I mean what does he win by doing a thing like that. he should have thought what he was saying first.
Beckham: 2012 will be best Olympics
As one of the world's most famous sportsmen, David Beckham is used to being center stage. But next year the English soccer star is looking forward to being "a fan" in what he tells CNN will be "one of the best, if not the best Olympics of all time."
Beckham has been a key backer of the event and was present as an official ambassador in Singapore in 2005 when London was handed the Olympics for the third time -- becoming the first city to do so in the modern era.
The former Manchester United and Real Madrid player remained coy about his possible involvement with Team GB, preferring to focus on his nomination of 18-year-old Gabriella Roseje as one of 8,000 torch bearers for the pre-Olympics relay next year.
"So, it's an exciting time, and with my involvement I just want to be a part of it. For it to be in the East End of London is a proud moment for myself, and to be there with my sons, possibly my daughter, my wife, it's going to be a proud moment for not only myself but for many people in this country."
Beckham said people like Roseje, from the south-east London area of Bermondsey, represented a bright future for British sport.
"It's what she does for other people is one of the reasons I've sat up and taken notice in the special things that she's done," he said.
"It's young people like Gabriella that are going to be inspired by the Olympics in our country. People are going to be looking at Gabriella thinking, 'How can I achieve what she's achieving, how can I do something that she's doing by helping so many young people?'
"Not just athletes but kids around the world and especially in the UK, what she is doing for her charity and what she is doing for young kids. These kids look up to this young lady and that's inspiring.
"That's what the Olympics can do, not just in this country but all around the world, and that's why our country will make this Olympics one of the best, if not the best Olympics of all time."
Beckham said he is happy in the United States, where he plays for Los Angeles Galaxy and lives with his wife Victoria, sons Brooklyn, Romeo and Cruz -- and his imminent first daughter.
"I've had such an exciting career so far ... when it will end, who knows. I continue to enjoy my football like I'm doing, I love playing. Until that changes, then I'll continue to play whether that will be here or in the U.S. I'm enjoying my time playing for the Galaxy and have no reason to move anywhere else."
Beckham is still a regular visitor to the UK, and was a guest at the Royal wedding between Prince William and Kate Middleton in April.
"They're an amazing couple that a month ago made our country so proud to see their amazing occasion," he said.
"To have watched Prince Harry and Prince William grow up from such a young age and go through what they have gone through -- it was such an amazing occasion for our country. To be part of that was
incredible."
comment:
The 36-year-old grew up in East London, parts of which have been transformed in the past few years as Britain's capital gears up to host the 2012 Games.
Expect to find some kind of homebrew software that can solve this problem shortly after the Wii U hits the streets.
STORY HIGHLIGHTS
- 25GB format looks like it can accommodate Blu-ray discs and DVDs, but it can't
- Nintendo president: "We feel that enough people already have devices that are capable"
- Nintendo may have wanted to keep the price down because controller may be expensive
RELATED TOPICS
(Mashable) -- Want to play DVDs or Blu-ray discs on your shiny new Nintendo Wii U when it's available sometime next year? You're out of luck.
Like its predecessors, Nintendo went with a proprietary 25GB format that looks like it could accommodate Blu-ray discs and DVDs, but can't.
Why did the company take away the convenience of being able to watch a movie on the same player used for playing games? Gaming site Kotaku quoted Nintendo president Satoru Iwata:
"The reason for that is we feel that enough people already have devices that are capable of playing DVDs and Blu-ray, such that it didn't warrant the cost involved to build that functionality into the Wii U console because of the patents related to those technologies."
Perhaps Nintendo wanted to keep the price down on the Wii U because of the relatively high cost of that shiny new controller.
Either way, you'll probably be able to play DVDs and Blu-ray discs on the Wii U if you really want to, that is, if the hyperactive Wii hacking community of the past is any indication.
Expect to find some kind of homebrew software that can solve that problem shortly after the Wii U hits the streets.
STORY HIGHLIGHTS
NEW: White House, monitoring the situation, says Greece should carry on with reforms
The prime minister tries to rally deputies ahead of a government shuffle
His party's lawmakers hold an emergency meeting; opposition leader urges early elections
Greece is getting international help to deal with its budget deficit
Athens, Greece (CNN) -- Greek Prime Minister George Papandreou tried to embolden his parliamentary deputies Thursday by telling them to stand fast to the task of rebuilding Greece under a new government, yet to be announced.
"We must not flee the battle, however difficult. I have faith in our MPs, in our movement, in our historical political party. You can rely on me and I will rely on you. We will get Greece out of this crisis," Papandreou said.
Earlier in the day two members of parliament from Papandreou's ruling socialists publicly resigned, shaking confidence in his efforts to reconstitute his Cabinet.
The prime minister has come under fire for his inability to form a coalition with conservative opposition leader Antonis Samaras, who Thursday repeated a call for elections to be held as soon as possible.
Papandreou's planned Cabinet reshuffle represents an attempt to win support for additional austerity measures intended to help the economy weather the current crisis amid fears global economic confidence could suffer.
Greece crisis could ripple across EU Europe to rescue Greece? Trichet: Consider big picture on Greece
RELATED TOPICS
Greece
George Papandreou
European Union
Lawmakers from the prime minister's own Panhellenic Socialist Movement, or PASOK, are holding an emergency meeting that could see him pushed out, even as Papandreou said he planned to unveil a government reshuffle Thursday.
A confidence vote on the reshuffled government will be held Tuesday, state television reported.
Papandreou faces strong opposition from his party over the austerity measures, which are intended to bring the government deficit down in order to secure a second enormous bailout package from institutions including the International Monetary Fund and European Union.
There are fears that efforts to restructure Greece's debt could wreak havoc with Europe's banking sector, sparking a rerun of investor panic like that caused by the 2008 collapse of the Lehman Brothers investment bank.
The crisis also raises concerns for Europe's currency, the euro. If struggling nations such as Greece, Portugal or Ireland default on debts, it could knock the bloc into the red, affecting the entire world economy.
The IMF issued a statement Thursday saying it would continue to back Greece provided it carried out economic policy reforms already agreed by the government.
White House spokesman Jay Carney said the United States is monitoring the situation in Greece closely but believes its European counterparts have the capacity to deal with it.
"We consider it a headwind, if you will, in terms of the global economy and therefore the domestic economy," he said.
"So far Greece has made significant progress in terms of reforms. But it is important that the Greek government carry on with the fiscal measures and reforms that are frequently under discussion with the EU and the IMF."
The political crisis in Greece has helped send the euro down two points against the dollar over two days, while the credit default market now puts a 78 percent chance on Greece failing to pay its debts.
Many political observers were skeptical about whether Papandreou has the political authority left to form a new government.
Vasso Papandreou, a founding member of the governing PASOK party but no relation of the prime minister, said this was "a critical time for the country", as she circulated a petition among party members calling for "an immediate meeting of PASOK's parliamentary group."
Asked what would be discussed at the meeting, the lawmaker replied: "Everything."
One of the two lawmakers from PASOK who resigned Thursday, former government minister George Floridis, said both George Papandreou and the leader of the main, conservative opposition had displayed unforgivable lack of leadership in failing to form a national coalition.
"One-party governments, even if they include broadly popular figures, cannot bring about today's difficult mission," Floridis said in an open letter.
"This is not the time for bemoaning our fate and complaining," Papandreou responded in his speech. "The next government will be more effective and proceed to make the great changes that the people want and demand."
George Papandreou spoke with conservative leader Samaras by phone on Wednesday afternoon after street riots marked the introduction of a new, 28 billion euro ($39 billion) austerity bill in Parliament. But by evening their talks broke down into mutual recriminations.
The main opposition party, New Democracy, has repeatedly demanded that Papandreou quit and that a cross-party coalition renegotiate the terms of the bailout package.
Papandreou said Wednesday he would be willing to resign if he was the only thing standing in the way of a national unity government.
The government's popularity has plunged recently, and anti-government protests turned violent Wednesday, as demonstrators threw gasoline bombs at the Ministry of Finance and police fired tear gas at protesters, police said.
Tens of thousands of protesters had vowed to form a human shield around the parliament to prevent lawmakers from debating the new austerity measures Wednesday afternoon.
"This is a joke. It is all a joke," protester Christos Miliadakis, 35, said of the government plans.
"When will we be able to get out of this vicious circle? My wife lost her job. I had a 12% pay cut as a result of the first bailout. The new measures want to cut another 20% of jobs in the public sector," he said. "So if no one has money and we are just more in debt, who is going to drive the economy? We will live like slaves paying all our lives."
Architecture student Maria Iliadi, 23, said that, for people like her, "the future in this country has been erased. There will be no big public projects, and no one will be building for a long time. Sometimes, finishing my degree seems totally pointless."
About 25,000 demonstrators were on the streets of the capital by the middle of the day Wednesday, police said. Two police officers and four civilians were slightly injured, and 12 people were arrested, they said.
On June 9, the Cabinet approved a tough five-year plan for 2011-15 and introduced a bill in Parliament to put the measures into effect.
The government has said that the passage of these additional measures is essential to Greece's securing the fifth portion of a 110 billion euro ($158 billion) bailout package that Greece signed with the European Union and the International Monetary Fund to prevent the country from defaulting on its debts.
"We stand ready to continue our support for Greece subject to adoption of the economic policy reforms agreed with the Greek authorities," said Caroline Atkinson, director of external relations at the IMF, in a statement Thursday.
Finance Minister George Papaconstantinou has said the country hopes to secure a second bailout deal this month.
The search for a second bailout comes after it became evident that Greece is extremely unlikely to raise capital from private markets in 2012 due to the prohibitively high interest rates it would face.
Papaconstantinou has also indicated that European Union members may support calls to get the private sector involved.
Despite the harsh austerity measures that the Greek government has imposed, it is failing to close its budget deficit as quickly as many had hoped. The country is in recession amid its fiscal restructuring program.
The finance minister has defended the five-year austerity plan, saying it is needed to keep Greece solvent. The new measures will include a number of additional taxes and an additional 20% cut in public-sector jobs.
Protesters have been gathering outside Parliament for more than three weeks as part of an ongoing peaceful demonstration against austerity measures, with some camping in the square facing Parliament.
The credit rating agency Standard & Poor's on Monday cut Greece's rating to just two notches above default, among the lowest in the world. The agency has said a default on some debt appears "increasingly likely."
Unemployment in Greece skyrocketed to more than 16% in May, a 40% rise since last year.
The European Commission has said Greece's economy was expected to shrink by 3.5% this year
comment "When will we be able to get out of this vicious circle? My wife lost her job. I had a 12% pay cut as a result of the first bailout. The new measures want to cut another 20% of jobs in the public sector," he said. "So if no one has money and we are just more in debt, who is going to drive the economy? We will live like slaves paying all our lives." these is very bad
NEW: White House, monitoring the situation, says Greece should carry on with reforms
The prime minister tries to rally deputies ahead of a government shuffle
His party's lawmakers hold an emergency meeting; opposition leader urges early elections
Greece is getting international help to deal with its budget deficit
Athens, Greece (CNN) -- Greek Prime Minister George Papandreou tried to embolden his parliamentary deputies Thursday by telling them to stand fast to the task of rebuilding Greece under a new government, yet to be announced.
"We must not flee the battle, however difficult. I have faith in our MPs, in our movement, in our historical political party. You can rely on me and I will rely on you. We will get Greece out of this crisis," Papandreou said.
Earlier in the day two members of parliament from Papandreou's ruling socialists publicly resigned, shaking confidence in his efforts to reconstitute his Cabinet.
The prime minister has come under fire for his inability to form a coalition with conservative opposition leader Antonis Samaras, who Thursday repeated a call for elections to be held as soon as possible.
Papandreou's planned Cabinet reshuffle represents an attempt to win support for additional austerity measures intended to help the economy weather the current crisis amid fears global economic confidence could suffer.
Greece crisis could ripple across EU Europe to rescue Greece? Trichet: Consider big picture on Greece
RELATED TOPICS
Greece
George Papandreou
European Union
Lawmakers from the prime minister's own Panhellenic Socialist Movement, or PASOK, are holding an emergency meeting that could see him pushed out, even as Papandreou said he planned to unveil a government reshuffle Thursday.
A confidence vote on the reshuffled government will be held Tuesday, state television reported.
Papandreou faces strong opposition from his party over the austerity measures, which are intended to bring the government deficit down in order to secure a second enormous bailout package from institutions including the International Monetary Fund and European Union.
There are fears that efforts to restructure Greece's debt could wreak havoc with Europe's banking sector, sparking a rerun of investor panic like that caused by the 2008 collapse of the Lehman Brothers investment bank.
The crisis also raises concerns for Europe's currency, the euro. If struggling nations such as Greece, Portugal or Ireland default on debts, it could knock the bloc into the red, affecting the entire world economy.
The IMF issued a statement Thursday saying it would continue to back Greece provided it carried out economic policy reforms already agreed by the government.
White House spokesman Jay Carney said the United States is monitoring the situation in Greece closely but believes its European counterparts have the capacity to deal with it.
"We consider it a headwind, if you will, in terms of the global economy and therefore the domestic economy," he said.
"So far Greece has made significant progress in terms of reforms. But it is important that the Greek government carry on with the fiscal measures and reforms that are frequently under discussion with the EU and the IMF."
The political crisis in Greece has helped send the euro down two points against the dollar over two days, while the credit default market now puts a 78 percent chance on Greece failing to pay its debts.
Many political observers were skeptical about whether Papandreou has the political authority left to form a new government.
Vasso Papandreou, a founding member of the governing PASOK party but no relation of the prime minister, said this was "a critical time for the country", as she circulated a petition among party members calling for "an immediate meeting of PASOK's parliamentary group."
Asked what would be discussed at the meeting, the lawmaker replied: "Everything."
One of the two lawmakers from PASOK who resigned Thursday, former government minister George Floridis, said both George Papandreou and the leader of the main, conservative opposition had displayed unforgivable lack of leadership in failing to form a national coalition.
"One-party governments, even if they include broadly popular figures, cannot bring about today's difficult mission," Floridis said in an open letter.
"This is not the time for bemoaning our fate and complaining," Papandreou responded in his speech. "The next government will be more effective and proceed to make the great changes that the people want and demand."
George Papandreou spoke with conservative leader Samaras by phone on Wednesday afternoon after street riots marked the introduction of a new, 28 billion euro ($39 billion) austerity bill in Parliament. But by evening their talks broke down into mutual recriminations.
The main opposition party, New Democracy, has repeatedly demanded that Papandreou quit and that a cross-party coalition renegotiate the terms of the bailout package.
Papandreou said Wednesday he would be willing to resign if he was the only thing standing in the way of a national unity government.
The government's popularity has plunged recently, and anti-government protests turned violent Wednesday, as demonstrators threw gasoline bombs at the Ministry of Finance and police fired tear gas at protesters, police said.
Tens of thousands of protesters had vowed to form a human shield around the parliament to prevent lawmakers from debating the new austerity measures Wednesday afternoon.
"This is a joke. It is all a joke," protester Christos Miliadakis, 35, said of the government plans.
"When will we be able to get out of this vicious circle? My wife lost her job. I had a 12% pay cut as a result of the first bailout. The new measures want to cut another 20% of jobs in the public sector," he said. "So if no one has money and we are just more in debt, who is going to drive the economy? We will live like slaves paying all our lives."
Architecture student Maria Iliadi, 23, said that, for people like her, "the future in this country has been erased. There will be no big public projects, and no one will be building for a long time. Sometimes, finishing my degree seems totally pointless."
About 25,000 demonstrators were on the streets of the capital by the middle of the day Wednesday, police said. Two police officers and four civilians were slightly injured, and 12 people were arrested, they said.
On June 9, the Cabinet approved a tough five-year plan for 2011-15 and introduced a bill in Parliament to put the measures into effect.
The government has said that the passage of these additional measures is essential to Greece's securing the fifth portion of a 110 billion euro ($158 billion) bailout package that Greece signed with the European Union and the International Monetary Fund to prevent the country from defaulting on its debts.
"We stand ready to continue our support for Greece subject to adoption of the economic policy reforms agreed with the Greek authorities," said Caroline Atkinson, director of external relations at the IMF, in a statement Thursday.
Finance Minister George Papaconstantinou has said the country hopes to secure a second bailout deal this month.
The search for a second bailout comes after it became evident that Greece is extremely unlikely to raise capital from private markets in 2012 due to the prohibitively high interest rates it would face.
Papaconstantinou has also indicated that European Union members may support calls to get the private sector involved.
Despite the harsh austerity measures that the Greek government has imposed, it is failing to close its budget deficit as quickly as many had hoped. The country is in recession amid its fiscal restructuring program.
The finance minister has defended the five-year austerity plan, saying it is needed to keep Greece solvent. The new measures will include a number of additional taxes and an additional 20% cut in public-sector jobs.
Protesters have been gathering outside Parliament for more than three weeks as part of an ongoing peaceful demonstration against austerity measures, with some camping in the square facing Parliament.
The credit rating agency Standard & Poor's on Monday cut Greece's rating to just two notches above default, among the lowest in the world. The agency has said a default on some debt appears "increasingly likely."
Unemployment in Greece skyrocketed to more than 16% in May, a 40% rise since last year.
The European Commission has said Greece's economy was expected to shrink by 3.5% this year
comment "When will we be able to get out of this vicious circle? My wife lost her job. I had a 12% pay cut as a result of the first bailout. The new measures want to cut another 20% of jobs in the public sector," he said. "So if no one has money and we are just more in debt, who is going to drive the economy? We will live like slaves paying all our lives." these is very bad
notice thursday
Arabian unicorn' saved from extinction
June 16, 2011 -- Updated 0433 GMT (1233 HKT)
STORY HIGHLIGHTS
Arabian Oryx return to wild hailed as 'conservation success story'
Around 1,000 animals exist, nearly 40 years after declared 'extinct in the wild'
IUCN Red List still classifies species as vulnerable
Latest list has many new species of amphibian and tarsier as 'critically endangered'
RELATED TOPICS
Endangered Species
Arabian Peninsula
Nature and the Environment
(CNN) -- The return of wild oryx to the deserts of the Arabian Peninsula is being hailed as a conservation success story.
The latest International Union for Conservation of Nature (IUCN) Red List of Threatened Species states that the wild population of the two-horned antelope species now stands at around 1,000, nearly 40 years after the last wild animal was hunted and killed.
"To have brought the Arabian Oryx back from the brink of extinction is a major feat, one which we hope will be repeated many times over for other threatened species," said Razan Khalifa Al Mubarak, Director General of the Environment Agency -- Abu Dhabi.
The species is now listed as "vulnerable" and is the first time an animal listed as "extinct in the wild" has improved its status by three categories.
The turn-around has been the result of conservation efforts that began in 1982 in Oman. Captive bred oryx were successfully released back into the desert habitats of the country and then in regions of Saudi Arabia, United Arab Emirates, Israel and Jordan.
Known locally as Al Maha, the Arabian Oryx is thought to be uniquely adapted to living in harsh, dry environments with its ability to smell water from miles away.
It is thought that it was also the source of the unicorn legend, as when viewed in profile the two horns appear as one.
The latest published findings from the IUCN Red List also have new additions to the ranks of endangered and threatened species.
Eight new species of amphibians are classified as critically endangered, just one place from "extinct in the wild." The IUCN says that amphibians are one of the most threatened species groups with an estimated 41% at risk of extinction.
The main threats come from habitat loss, pollution, diseases and invasive species.
The IUCN estimates that human impact has meant extinctions are happening at anything between 100 and 1,000 times the natural rate.
COMMENT:
This is very good. To prevent that an animal in terrible fate of extintion is saved, is really good. But there are other species waiting to be saved. Let's hope that they are saved too
June 16, 2011 -- Updated 0433 GMT (1233 HKT)
STORY HIGHLIGHTS
Arabian Oryx return to wild hailed as 'conservation success story'
Around 1,000 animals exist, nearly 40 years after declared 'extinct in the wild'
IUCN Red List still classifies species as vulnerable
Latest list has many new species of amphibian and tarsier as 'critically endangered'
RELATED TOPICS
Endangered Species
Arabian Peninsula
Nature and the Environment
(CNN) -- The return of wild oryx to the deserts of the Arabian Peninsula is being hailed as a conservation success story.
The latest International Union for Conservation of Nature (IUCN) Red List of Threatened Species states that the wild population of the two-horned antelope species now stands at around 1,000, nearly 40 years after the last wild animal was hunted and killed.
"To have brought the Arabian Oryx back from the brink of extinction is a major feat, one which we hope will be repeated many times over for other threatened species," said Razan Khalifa Al Mubarak, Director General of the Environment Agency -- Abu Dhabi.
The species is now listed as "vulnerable" and is the first time an animal listed as "extinct in the wild" has improved its status by three categories.
The turn-around has been the result of conservation efforts that began in 1982 in Oman. Captive bred oryx were successfully released back into the desert habitats of the country and then in regions of Saudi Arabia, United Arab Emirates, Israel and Jordan.
Known locally as Al Maha, the Arabian Oryx is thought to be uniquely adapted to living in harsh, dry environments with its ability to smell water from miles away.
It is thought that it was also the source of the unicorn legend, as when viewed in profile the two horns appear as one.
The latest published findings from the IUCN Red List also have new additions to the ranks of endangered and threatened species.
Eight new species of amphibians are classified as critically endangered, just one place from "extinct in the wild." The IUCN says that amphibians are one of the most threatened species groups with an estimated 41% at risk of extinction.
The main threats come from habitat loss, pollution, diseases and invasive species.
The IUCN estimates that human impact has meant extinctions are happening at anything between 100 and 1,000 times the natural rate.
COMMENT:
This is very good. To prevent that an animal in terrible fate of extintion is saved, is really good. But there are other species waiting to be saved. Let's hope that they are saved too
Wednesday, June 15, 2011
Insurgents attack Iraqi government building Jun 14, 2011 18:38 GMT
A brazen insurgent attack inside a provincial council building in Baquba killed at least 12 people Tuesday, Iraqi Interior Ministry officials said.
Also Tuesday, gunmen used pistols equipped with silencers and shot dead Ahmed Hassan, the head of the legal department in Baghdad's provincial government, Interior Ministry officials said. The attackers intercepted Hassan's car Tuesday morning as he was driving to work in the al-Alawi area in central Baghdad.
In Baquba, the militants were shooting randomly from the roof of the Diyala provincial council building at Iraqi security forces who surrounded the structure, said the officials, who did not want to be named because they are not authorized to release information to media.
The assault began with a suicide blast at the checkpoint to the compound, followed by a car bomb a few feet away, the officials said.
When security forces rushed to the scene to help the wounded, four insurgents forced themselves into the building and held people hostage. By Tuesday afternoon, however, security forces regained control of the building and the hostages were freed.
U.S. troops, who were on routine patrol in the area, assisted with an initial search of the building at the request of Iraqi police and later assisted with security, said spokeswoman Maj. Angela Funaro. U.S. helicopters scanned the area and provided information to the Iraqis.
Comment: I think that if they are more attacks thre going to have alot of chaos because of the all of reads that are in Iraq right now and it doesn't very good to them
Also Tuesday, gunmen used pistols equipped with silencers and shot dead Ahmed Hassan, the head of the legal department in Baghdad's provincial government, Interior Ministry officials said. The attackers intercepted Hassan's car Tuesday morning as he was driving to work in the al-Alawi area in central Baghdad.
In Baquba, the militants were shooting randomly from the roof of the Diyala provincial council building at Iraqi security forces who surrounded the structure, said the officials, who did not want to be named because they are not authorized to release information to media.
The assault began with a suicide blast at the checkpoint to the compound, followed by a car bomb a few feet away, the officials said.
When security forces rushed to the scene to help the wounded, four insurgents forced themselves into the building and held people hostage. By Tuesday afternoon, however, security forces regained control of the building and the hostages were freed.
U.S. troops, who were on routine patrol in the area, assisted with an initial search of the building at the request of Iraqi police and later assisted with security, said spokeswoman Maj. Angela Funaro. U.S. helicopters scanned the area and provided information to the Iraqis.
Comment: I think that if they are more attacks thre going to have alot of chaos because of the all of reads that are in Iraq right now and it doesn't very good to them
Serena Williams has been beaten in her comeback event in Eastbourne, losing a tight three-set second round match to top seed Vera Zvonareva on Wednesday.
American Williams has not played in a competitive tournament since defeating Zvonareva in the Wimbledon final a year ago.
However, the Russian claimed some revenge for that loss, recovering from dropping the opening set to secure a 3-6 7-6 7-5 triumph after three hours of intense tennis.
Murray unlikely to win Wimbledon despite recent success
Zvonareva, who has been seeded second for Wimbledon next week, paid tribute to Wiliams after the match, telling the official WTA Tour website: "Serena has done an unbelievable job coming back after almost a year of not playing.
Williams sisters back at Eastbourne
RELATED TOPICS
Vera Zvonareva
Serena Williams
Tennis
Eastbourne
"She spent more than three hours on the court playing some unbelievable tennis. She's a great champion and I have a lot of respect for her."
Williams was appearing in Eastbourne for the first time after two operations on a foot she cut on broken glass in a restaurant, followed by further surgery in February to remove blood clots from her lungs.
Meanwhile, older sister Venus kept the Williams flag flying high on England's south coast, reaching the quarterfinals with a comfortable straight sets win over Ana Ivanovic.
Venus, who has been out of action for five months with an abdominal injury, went through 6-3 6-2 and told the WTA Tour website: "I was happy to have some clean service games and not a lot of errors.
"I feel I'm playing well on the big points -- these matches have been crucial for me to get back, literally, into the swing of things."
She's a great champion and I have a lot of respect for her
--Vera Zvonareva on Serena Williams
In other matches, third seed Victoria Azarenka beat the final British player, Elena Baltacha, 6-1 7-6, while Czech fifth seed Petra Kvitova saw off defending champion Ekaterina Makarova 7-6 7-6.
In the men's draw, Bulgarian Gregor Dimitrov upset South African sixth seed Kevin Anderson 6-3 6-2, while third seed Janko Tipsarevic beat British number two Jamie Ward -- who reached the semifinals at Queen's Club last week -- 6-3 4-6 6-2.
Top seed Jo-Wilfried Tsonga, from France, who was betean in the final at Queen's by Andy Murray, lost 6-2 6-3 to Czech Radek Stepanek.
comment: i think that tennis sucks and this two women players suck to, i think they must go playing football, basketball or play station because tennis is a so borign game
American Williams has not played in a competitive tournament since defeating Zvonareva in the Wimbledon final a year ago.
However, the Russian claimed some revenge for that loss, recovering from dropping the opening set to secure a 3-6 7-6 7-5 triumph after three hours of intense tennis.
Murray unlikely to win Wimbledon despite recent success
Zvonareva, who has been seeded second for Wimbledon next week, paid tribute to Wiliams after the match, telling the official WTA Tour website: "Serena has done an unbelievable job coming back after almost a year of not playing.
Williams sisters back at Eastbourne
RELATED TOPICS
Vera Zvonareva
Serena Williams
Tennis
Eastbourne
"She spent more than three hours on the court playing some unbelievable tennis. She's a great champion and I have a lot of respect for her."
Williams was appearing in Eastbourne for the first time after two operations on a foot she cut on broken glass in a restaurant, followed by further surgery in February to remove blood clots from her lungs.
Meanwhile, older sister Venus kept the Williams flag flying high on England's south coast, reaching the quarterfinals with a comfortable straight sets win over Ana Ivanovic.
Venus, who has been out of action for five months with an abdominal injury, went through 6-3 6-2 and told the WTA Tour website: "I was happy to have some clean service games and not a lot of errors.
"I feel I'm playing well on the big points -- these matches have been crucial for me to get back, literally, into the swing of things."
She's a great champion and I have a lot of respect for her
--Vera Zvonareva on Serena Williams
In other matches, third seed Victoria Azarenka beat the final British player, Elena Baltacha, 6-1 7-6, while Czech fifth seed Petra Kvitova saw off defending champion Ekaterina Makarova 7-6 7-6.
In the men's draw, Bulgarian Gregor Dimitrov upset South African sixth seed Kevin Anderson 6-3 6-2, while third seed Janko Tipsarevic beat British number two Jamie Ward -- who reached the semifinals at Queen's Club last week -- 6-3 4-6 6-2.
Top seed Jo-Wilfried Tsonga, from France, who was betean in the final at Queen's by Andy Murray, lost 6-2 6-3 to Czech Radek Stepanek.
comment: i think that tennis sucks and this two women players suck to, i think they must go playing football, basketball or play station because tennis is a so borign game
Paris (CNN) -- Imagine a night flight, 30,000 feet in the air, and being able to stare up at the stars through the plane's transparent fuselage.
This will be the flying experience in 40 years time, according to aircraft manufacturer Airbus.
The European giant unveiled its Concept Cabin Tuesday in Paris, ahead of next week's "Le Bourget" Paris Air Show. The cabin is part of its research project entitled "A vision of aviation in 2050."
Paris Air Show set for take-off
Airbus says the Concept Cabin is "inspired by nature" and will be 100% recyclable with "self-cleaning materials made from sustainable plant fibres which reduce waste and maintenance and will harvest passenger body heat to power cabin features."
Passengers of 2050 will expect a seamless travel experience while also caring for the environment.
--Charles Champion, Airbus
RELATED TOPICS
Airbus A380
Air Travel
The body of the aircraft has a structure that Airbus says "mimics the efficiency of bird bone which is optimized to provide strength where needed."
A "wall membrane" will enclose the cabin and become transparent to give passengers panoramic views of the sky.
"Our research shows that passengers of 2050 will expect a seamless travel experience while also caring for the environment," said Charles Champion, Airbus Executive Vice President Engineering.
The Concept Cabin also includes seats that adjust to the passengers' body shape.
But the onboard ambience is where airlines will be able to make money. Today's cabin classes have been ripped out and replaced by themed zones.
Airbus envisages a "Vitalizing Zone" for relaxation complete with mood lighting, aromatherapy and acupressure treatments; a "Tech Zone" to stay connected; and in the center of the cabin, an "Interactive Zone," where a round of golf can be played via a virtual projection.
With double-beds, power showers and lounge areas already experienced on Airbus A380 Superjumbos, perhaps passengers with the money will be getting into the zone onboard sooner than Airbus thinks.
Comment: I think that this type of plane will be very cool because you would not get bored on that plane and also you will have lots of things to do. Also the seats will be much more comfortable than the actual airplane seats.
This will be the flying experience in 40 years time, according to aircraft manufacturer Airbus.
The European giant unveiled its Concept Cabin Tuesday in Paris, ahead of next week's "Le Bourget" Paris Air Show. The cabin is part of its research project entitled "A vision of aviation in 2050."
Paris Air Show set for take-off
Airbus says the Concept Cabin is "inspired by nature" and will be 100% recyclable with "self-cleaning materials made from sustainable plant fibres which reduce waste and maintenance and will harvest passenger body heat to power cabin features."
Passengers of 2050 will expect a seamless travel experience while also caring for the environment.
--Charles Champion, Airbus
RELATED TOPICS
Airbus A380
Air Travel
The body of the aircraft has a structure that Airbus says "mimics the efficiency of bird bone which is optimized to provide strength where needed."
A "wall membrane" will enclose the cabin and become transparent to give passengers panoramic views of the sky.
"Our research shows that passengers of 2050 will expect a seamless travel experience while also caring for the environment," said Charles Champion, Airbus Executive Vice President Engineering.
The Concept Cabin also includes seats that adjust to the passengers' body shape.
But the onboard ambience is where airlines will be able to make money. Today's cabin classes have been ripped out and replaced by themed zones.
Airbus envisages a "Vitalizing Zone" for relaxation complete with mood lighting, aromatherapy and acupressure treatments; a "Tech Zone" to stay connected; and in the center of the cabin, an "Interactive Zone," where a round of golf can be played via a virtual projection.
With double-beds, power showers and lounge areas already experienced on Airbus A380 Superjumbos, perhaps passengers with the money will be getting into the zone onboard sooner than Airbus thinks.
Comment: I think that this type of plane will be very cool because you would not get bored on that plane and also you will have lots of things to do. Also the seats will be much more comfortable than the actual airplane seats.
Nadal and Wozniacki named top seeds by Wimbledon organizers
June 15, 2011 -- Updated 1530 GMT (2330 HKT)
World number one Rafael Nadal is seeded to retain the Wimbledon trophy he won last year.
STORY HIGHLIGHTS
- Rafael Nadal and Caroline Wozniacki are the top two seeds for next week's Wimbledon
- Nadal will be looking to retain his men's title while Wozniacki is seeking a first slam
- Defending women's champion Serena Williams has been seeded eighth
(CNN) -- Rafael Nadal and Caroline Wozniacki have been named as the top seeds for next week's Wimbledon tournament, the third grand slam of the season.
Defending champion Nadal heads the men's section from Novak Djokovic and six-time champion Roger Federer, as the All England Club organizers chose to adhere to the top five placings in the current world rankings.
Further down the list, there are small changes from the official rankings, with last year's finalist Tomas Berdych named as the sixth seed, up one place from his world mark, while Andy Roddick is two places higher at eighth.
The woman's seedings are complicated by the return from injury of both Williams sisters, with defending champion Serena ranked eighth and older sister Venus in as the 24th seed.
RELATED TOPICS
Wozniacki tops the women's list despite never having won a major title. She is seeded to face last year's runner-up Vera Zvonareva in the final.
Men's seedings:
1 Rafael Nadal
2 Novak Djokovic
3 Roger Federer
4 Andy Murray
5 Robin Soderling
6 Tomas Berdych
7 David Ferrer
8 Andy Roddick
9 Gael Monfils
10 Mardy Fish
11 Jurgen Melzer
12 Jo-Wilfried Tsonga
13 Viktor Troicki
14 Stanislas Wawrinka
15 Gilles Simon
16 Nicolas Almagro
17 Richard Gasquet
18 Mikhail Youzhny
19 Michael Llodra
20 Florian Mayer
21 Fernando Verdasco
22 Alexandr Dolgoplov
23 Janko Tipsarevic
24 Juan Martin Del Potro
25 Juan Ignacio Chela
26 Guillermo Garcia-Lopez
27 Marin Cilic
28 David Nalbandian
29 Nikolay Davydenko
30 Thomaz Bellucci
31 Milos Raonic
32 Marcos Baghdatis
2 Novak Djokovic
3 Roger Federer
4 Andy Murray
5 Robin Soderling
6 Tomas Berdych
7 David Ferrer
8 Andy Roddick
9 Gael Monfils
10 Mardy Fish
11 Jurgen Melzer
12 Jo-Wilfried Tsonga
13 Viktor Troicki
14 Stanislas Wawrinka
15 Gilles Simon
16 Nicolas Almagro
17 Richard Gasquet
18 Mikhail Youzhny
19 Michael Llodra
20 Florian Mayer
21 Fernando Verdasco
22 Alexandr Dolgoplov
23 Janko Tipsarevic
24 Juan Martin Del Potro
25 Juan Ignacio Chela
26 Guillermo Garcia-Lopez
27 Marin Cilic
28 David Nalbandian
29 Nikolay Davydenko
30 Thomaz Bellucci
31 Milos Raonic
32 Marcos Baghdatis
Women's seedings:
1 Caroline Wozniacki
2 Vera Zvonareva
3 Na Li
4 Victoria Azarenka
5 Maria Sharapova
6 Francesca Schiavone
7 Serena Williams
8 Petra Kvitova
9 Marion Bartoli
10 Samantha Stosur
11 Andrea Petkovic
12 Svetlana Kuznetsova
13 Agnieszka Radwanska
14 Anastasia Pavlyuchenkova
15 Jelena Jankovic
16 Julia Goerges
17 Kaia Kanepi
18 Ana Ivanovic
19 Yanina Wickmayer
20 Shuai Peng
21 Flavia Pennetta
22 Shahar Peer
23 Venus Williams
24 Dominika Cibulkova
25 Daniela Hantuchova
26 Maria Kirilenko
27 Jarmila Gajdosova
28 Ekaterina Makarova
29 Roberta Vinci
30 Bethanie Mattek-Sands
31 Lucie Safarova
32 Tsvetana Pironkova
2 Vera Zvonareva
3 Na Li
4 Victoria Azarenka
5 Maria Sharapova
6 Francesca Schiavone
7 Serena Williams
8 Petra Kvitova
9 Marion Bartoli
10 Samantha Stosur
11 Andrea Petkovic
12 Svetlana Kuznetsova
13 Agnieszka Radwanska
14 Anastasia Pavlyuchenkova
15 Jelena Jankovic
16 Julia Goerges
17 Kaia Kanepi
18 Ana Ivanovic
19 Yanina Wickmayer
20 Shuai Peng
21 Flavia Pennetta
22 Shahar Peer
23 Venus Williams
24 Dominika Cibulkova
25 Daniela Hantuchova
26 Maria Kirilenko
27 Jarmila Gajdosova
28 Ekaterina Makarova
29 Roberta Vinci
30 Bethanie Mattek-Sands
31 Lucie Safarova
32 Tsvetana Pironkova
Comment: well congratulations to nadal for being seeded number one in the mens categorie and Wozniacki who did it in the wemen categorie this are great players who must have trained alot for this.
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