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‘Crash’ wins best film Oscar
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Tom Cruise best ‘tiresome tabloid target’
China to launch ‘seed satellite’
Maoist rebels attack town
Sri Lanka to turn back clock by half an hour
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‘Crash’ wins best film Oscar
Coming into the evening, "Brokeback'' led its rivals with eight nominations, more than "Crash'' and George Clooney's moral tale ``Good Night, and Good Luck'' with six apiece. "Crash'' pulled a stunning upset because "Brokeback'' won most of Hollywood's best film honours heading into the Oscar. When its surprise victory was announced, an audience of luminary moviemakers and movie-stars at the Kodak Theatre stood in the aisles and cheered ``Crash.'' "Crash'' producer Cathy Schulman thanked Oscar voters for honouring a film "about love, about tolerance, about truth.'' "We are humbled by the other nominees in this category,'' Schulman said. "You have made this year one of the most breathtaking and stunning, maverick years in American cinema.'' Only moments earlier, Lee had accepted his trophy for directing "Brokeback,'' and it seemed certain his movie would claim the best film trophy. Lee thanked not only the normal list of agents, managers, producers and other Hollywood handlers, but the fictional characters in the movie who, he said, taught audiences ``the greatness of love, itself.'' Along with best film, "Crash'' won the trophy for best original screenplay for writers Paul Haggis, who also directed the movie, and for his writing partner Bobby Moresco. "Good Night, and Good Luck'' failed to win any Oscars, but its mastermind George Clooney, who also directed and co-wrote the film, did win an Oscar for best supporting actor for his role as a world-weary CIA agent in oil drama "Syriana.'' British actress Weisz was given the best supporting actress award for playing a social activist who is murdered for her beliefs in the thriller "The Constant Gardener". A range of films won other trophies. Japanese saga ``Memoirs of a Geisha'' was given three Oscars for costume design and art direction and cinematography. "The Chronicles of Narnia: The Lion, The Witch and the Wardrobe'' won for best makeup. "It's Hard Out Here for a Pimp'' from "Hustle & Flow'' was named best original song. But in another surprise, African film "Tsotsi,'' was named best foreign language movie over favourite ``Paradise Now.'' Following the plots of many of its message-themed
movies, Oscar took a decidedly political tone with winners noting
causes, and show host Jon Stewart cracking wise. — Reuters
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Tom Cruise best ‘tiresome tabloid target’
Los Angeles, March 6 The Razzies, which parody self-congratulatory Hollywood award shows such as the Oscars by roasting the worst of Tinseltown, this year added the “most tiresome” category to salute “the celebs we’re all sick and tired of.” Cruise won the award for his “antics with
fiancée Katie Holmes.” Cruise professed his love for the actress in an appearance on “The Oprah Winfrey Show” last May where he jumped up and down on a sofa like a man possessed. Cruise’s behaviour spawned a slang phrase “jump the couch”, meaning a defining moment when you know someone has gone off the deep end, providing endless material for late-night comedians. Cruise then proposed to Holmes in June at the Eiffel Tower in Paris and announced their engagement the next day at a press conference, prompting speculation it was all a publicity stunt to promote their summer films — “War of the Worlds” for Cruise and “Batman Begins” for Holmes. Cruise, a member of the Church of Scientology which eschews psychiatry, almost beat himself out for the award. He was also nominated for his attack on psychiatry and anti-depressant drugs made in an interview on NBC’s “Today” show last June. On the programme, he said “psychiatry is a pseudoscience”, and said actress Brooke Shields should have used vitamins rather than anti-depressants to battle postpartum depression. In other Razzies, “Dirty Love”, a movie written by and starring former Playboy model Jenny McCarthy took four honours, making it by far the worst movie of the year. The worst actor award went to Rob Schneider for the title role of “Deuce Bigalow: European Gigolo.” — Reuters |
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Musharraf says Kabul stirring trouble
Washington, March 6 In a hard-hitting interview with CNN’s Wolf Blitzer, President Musharraf said that Afghan President Hamid Karzai ‘‘does not appreciate what Pakistan has done for him’’. “He knows how he was elected. If it’s not for Pakistan, his election would not have gone smoothly,” said Gen Musharraf while responding to an intelligence report that President Karzai is believed to have leaked to an American news agency. In an interview on February 18, Mr Karzai urged neighbouring nations to stop meddling in Afghan affairs, or risk seeing chaos spread from a destabilised Afghanistan across the region. The news agency reported that the Afghan President also gave a list of 100 suspected terrorists to Pakistan when he visited Islamabad last month. The list reportedly contained names, telephone numbers and addresses where Al-Qaida and Taliban leaders, including Mullah Omar, were allegedly hiding. “Yes, they have given us a list … I am surprised and shocked why they have given that list to the media … there’s no need of releasing such sensitive information to the press,” said President Musharraf when asked if he had received such a list. “This list was months old and outdated … contained dead telephone numbers … even the CIA knows about it because we have coordinated our actions with them,” said Gen Musharraf. “There are families living where they said Mullah Omar was hiding in Quetta … I keep going to Quetta and I know Mullah Omar is not there … these kinds of nonsensical (allegations) are not acceptable.” President Musharraf said he did not understand why the Afghans waited for a presidential visit to convey an intelligence report, adding that the information should have been shared with Pakistani agencies as soon as the Afghans received it so that Pakistan could have taken action. Asked if he was satisfied with President Bush’s visit to Pakistan on Saturday, Gen Musharraf said: “Yes, indeed. Very satisfied. We have very close understanding.” Describing his talks with the US leader as ‘substantive’, President Musharraf said he was against the ‘‘India-centric’’ approach of some people in Pakistan who compared everything with India. “This tendency of being Indo-centric does not have a rationale,” he said. He disagreed with a suggestion that President Bush displayed double standard when he said he could not offer nuclear cooperation to Pakistan hours after concluding a nuclear deal with neighbouring India. President Musharraf said he agreed with the US leader that America’s relations with Pakistan were different from its relations with India. “We are two different countries … have different compulsions, different nuances … Pakistan has a totally different nuance.” President Musharraf said that countries have to look after each other’s interests even in a bilateral relationship. He said Pakistan did not need to seek nuclear reactors from the US because its needs were different. “We need nuclear energy.” President Musharraf said that President Bush did not ask for allowing US officials to interrogate Dr A. Q. Khan about his alleged involvement with a ring of nuclear smugglers. “We (already) have a methodology (for interrogating Dr Khan and sharing information) which satisfies mutual concern,” he said. Asked if he would quit the army after the 2007 election, the President said: “Let the next year come … (let’s see) if the nation needs me … I will abide by the Constitution.” |
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China to launch ‘seed satellite’
Beijing, March 6 The first one, an experimental satellite will blast off at the end of April this year, president of the China Aerospace Science and Technology Corp Zhang Qingwei said, the state media reported today. For the first time, the country will send into orbit a "seed satellite" specially designed for seed-breeding in
space, he said.It is scheduled for September. The recoverable satellite will enable scientists to try to cultivate high-yield and high-quality plant varieties after the seeds are exposed to special environments such as cosmic radiation and micro-gravity, 'China Daily' quoted sources with the Chinese Academy of Agricultural Sciences as saying. Zhang said another key satellite to be launched in 2006 is SinoSat 2, the country's first direct broadcasting satellite, which was expected to beam TV programmes to even the most remote rural regions in the country. Other satellites in the pipeline include a meteorological satellite and oceanic satellite that will monitor ocean colour and red tides, he said.
— PTI |
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Maoist rebels attack town
Kathmandu, March 6 The guerrillas, who specialise in hit-and-run attacks, drove into Ilam in buses and trucks, attacking government buildings and shooting at security posts, residents said. ''The Maoists also stormed the local jail and freed more than 100 prisoners, including some Maoists,'' a police officer said.
— Reuters |
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Sri Lanka to turn back clock by half an hour
Colombo, March 6 Sri Lanka will turn its clocks back by 30 minutes and revert to its old time zone after a nearly 10-year experiment aimed at maximising daylight failed, the government said today. Starting on April 14, the country’s traditional New Year, the official time will be five and a half hours ahead of Greenwich Mean Time instead of the current six hours, government spokesman Anusha Pelpita said.
— AP |
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Los Angeles, March 6
Los Angeles, March 6