Casey Anthony freed from jail, slips from view 12 days after acquittal in her daughter's death
Friday, July 15, 2011
Diversity Dominates Forbes Top 100 Power Women[Report Abuse]
Posted by: topicaltv
Image Copyright by SpreePiX
The legendary Forbes has come out with a new list on October 6, 2010 showcasing the world's most powerful women in 2010 who could surely take themselves straight into the next decade. The Forbes list has been praised as "Diverse" by Jenna Goudreau, a Forbes blogger herself, and "a new ranking of the female power elite that reflects the New Order of now" by ABC News. It seems everyone has something to be happy about in the debut of the world's top 100 power women. From CEO's to chancellors and performing artists and news anchors, the Forbes list displays an array of worldy talent. Topping the #1 spot is first lady Michelle Obama. Forbes calls her "A fashion icon and an athletic mother of two, she's Jackie Kennedy with a law degree from Harvard and street sense from Chicago's South Side." According to America, she deserves it as 54% of Americans still view her favorably. America can also be pleased that Irene Rosenfeld, chief executive of Kraft foods, came in close second. India can also be proud that three ambitious women have been named on the list. They include Indra Nooyi as CEO of Pepsi CO, Shikha Sharma of Axis Bank, and Chanda Kocchar of ICICI Bank. Kocchar has been described as "the first woman to run a large Indian bank". Germany's chancellor, Angela Merkel, is at #4 and is praised for her work on tax and education reforms for next year. In the far east, Ho Ching of Singapore clocks in at #30 as chief executive of Temasek Holdings, wife of Singapore's current Prime Minister. From France to the United Arab Emirates, these women have been kicking on as both powerful and admirable. Up with the CEO's and chancellors are young talents such as Beyonce Knowles and Lady Gaga. Gaga followers will agree that she is like the supermom of the pop-powerhouse, once telling a discouraging ex-boyfriend that "one day, I will become so famous that you won't be able to walk into a coffee shop without hearing my voice" - and live up to that, she did! At #7, and only 24 years old, she has a strong foothold on countries across the world such as the UK and Japan. According to Forbes, as for the media, these rankings were based "less on traditional titles and roles and more on creative influence and entrepreneurship," which is a big move forward in the world of show business, but also in the other industries that women are continuing to dominate.
Tags: Forbes, Forbes List, Lady Gaga, 100 Most Powerful...
Andy Murray is ready to seize his best-ever chance to serve up history at Wimbledon.
The flying Scot landed a knockout punch to reach his second successive Centre Court semi-final.
Murray relaxed by reading a boxing magazine before flooring Muhammad Ali lookalike Jo-Wilfried Tsonga with a heavyweight display of hitting.
He plays world number one Rafael Nadal on Friday in the most hotly anticipated match of his SW19 career.
Murray is now the shortest odds he's ever been to become the first man to lift the Wimbledon men's singles trophy since Stockport's Fred Perry in 1936.
“It would be incredible. Winning a Grand Slam is obviously why you play the game. If it was here, to win the first one, that would make it extra special,” he said. “But I'm a long, long way from doing that. Six sets away, and have to beat the number one in the world if I even want to have a chance of doing that.
“It's been a huge wait for us and it's still going on now. The crowd would love to see a British player win Wimbledon.”
He will serve for a place in his first-ever Wimbledon final on what millions of fans hope will be a fantastic Friday for British tennis.
Nadal beat him in straight sets when they met in the quarter-finals at the All England Club two years ago on his way to the winning the title, but Murray was shattered after an epic five set marathon to overcome Richard Gasquet just 48 hours earlier and will be out to gain revenge.
Although the Spaniard is favourite, their head-to-head record in Grand Slams is two matches each, with Murray yet to reach the top of his game.
“He would definitely be favourite for the match with his results here the last few years. I know it's going to be an incredibly difficult match to win, but one I believe I can if I play well,” added Murray.
Whoever wins knows they will not have to face Roger Federer on Sunday after the defending champion's shock exit at the hands of Tomas Berdych. Federer said Murray could be on course to take his crown: “Andy is a fantastic player and he's got all the chances to win here. We all know that.”
Britain's number one eventually put in an absolutely fabulous performance, with comedienne Jennifer Saunders looking on from the royal box.
Frenchman Tsonga threatened an upset when he took the first set on a tie break. But the fourth seed raised his game as he began to read his opponent's power serve.
Murray won a crucial second set tie-break and then took full advantage against a tiring Tsonga to secure a 6-7 7-6 6-2 6-2 quarter final victory.
“It was a really tough first couple of sets. I was just having to hang in there,” added Murray.
Tags: Andy Murray, Rafael Nadal, Wimbledon, Tennis, Sem...
But a decision on the debt by the World Bank has been put off temporarily at Canada's request because of concerns arising from a dispute between the Kinshasa government and a Canadian mining company, Vancouver-based First Quantum Minerals.
“Canada remains concerned about the recent cancellation of mining contracts by the DRC government, and believes that the international dispute settlement mechanism initiated by First Quantum Minerals should be allowed to run its course,” a spokesperson for Finance Minister Jim Flaherty said.
The Canadian government also referred Wednesday to a statement contained in the declaration signed by leaders of the G8 in Muskoka last weekend.
“The illicit exploitation of — and trade in — natural resources from the eastern Democratic Republic of the Congo has directly contributed to the instability and violence that is causing undue suffering among the people of the DRC,” G8 leaders said. “We urge the DRC to do more to end the conflict and to extend urgently the rule of law.”
More than three million people have died in the past decade in the former Zaire as a result of disease, hunger and armed conflict fed by competition for the country's mineral riches.
The G8 also urged the DRC to become a signatory to the global Extractive Industries Transparency Initiative, or EITI, to enhance transparency in the petroleum and mining industries in the African country.
A World Bank spokeswoman interviewed by Reuters news agency confirmed the delay in the debt-relief deal. However, it could be approved within days after further discussion, officials said.
First Quantum Minerals is seeking international arbitration after the DRC government closed its $700 million (U.S.) Kolwezi copper tailings project following a review.
A spokesperson for Flaherty said Ottawa has been trying to temporarily slow the debt relief process for the DRC “to raise concerns over governance problems and issues facing foreign investors” there.
“We will continue to work with our international partners to ensure Canadian investment in the DRC is protected, while empowering those within the country as they work towards peace and sustainable economic development,” the spokesperson said.
Tags: Congo, Democratic Republic, 50, Fifty, Years, Ind...
Cyprus police on Thursday posted a picture of missing alleged spy Robert Christopher Metsos, considered by the American authorities to be a high ranking member of an 11-man ring spying upon the United States for the Russian government.
“We have issued an arrest warrant against Metsos for disobeying a court order to report to a police station”, Police spokesman Michalis Katsounotos said.
He added police are requesting information from the public which might lead to his arrest.
The suspect was described as of medium build, balding with grey hear, rimless spectacles and a neat moustache.
The picture posted by Cyprus police was taken in Cyprus two days ago, shortly before he was released on bail.
Metsos, aged 54, failed to report to a police station in the southern coastal city of Larnaca as ordered by a court which had set him free on bail to appear at an extradition hearing on July 29.
Metsos had cleared the apartment he had moved in after leaving his hotel room where he had stayed for 11 days before his arrest while trying to leave for Budapest.
Justice Minister Loucas Louca told reporters there are certain indications as to where the suspect is now, but he refused to give any details.
Tags: Spy, Russian, Missing, Russia, Cyprus, USA
Christian Wulff Elected As New German President[Report Abuse]
Posted by: topicaltv
Christian Wulff was elected Wednesday as Germany's new president, after three tense rounds of voting questioned the authority of Chancellor Angela Merkel's ruling coalition.
Wulff, who is state premier of Lower Saxony, won 625 of 1,244 votes in the specially convened Federal Assembly, after it was forced into a third round in which it was enough to win more votes than any other candidate.
The presidency became vacant after the unexpected resignation of Horst Koehler May 31.
The election was a nail-biting test for Merkel, after her allies failed to unite behind Wulff in the initial round of voting, when 44 members of her centre-right delegation did not back him - far more than she had expected.
Wulff clawed back 15 ballots in the second round, but the 615 votes fell short of the required absolute majority and excited hopes in the opposition of a last-minute upset and a victory for their candidate, Joachim Gauck.
Gauck, a popular former East German anti-communist icon who was nominated by the Social Democrats (SPD), won 494 votes in the final round of balloting.
The Left Party withdrew their candidate Luc Jochimsen before the final round, opening the possibility of their 124 members backing Gauck.
However the radical left-wing party could not unite in support of the opposition candidate and several members decided to abstain, effectively clearing the way for Wulff's victory.
A total of 121 members of the federal assembly abstained in the final round of the secret ballot.
Wulff's eventual success came after Merkel has struggled in recent months to end feuding within her coalition of Christian Democrats (CDU/CSU) and Free Democrats (FDP), and has lost several high-profile allies, including Koehler.
The Federal Assembly, which has the sole purpose of electing the president, consists of the lower house of parliament and a matching number of representatives picked by Germany's 16 federal states.
To win, a candidate must obtain an absolute majority on the first or second ballot, or a plurality on a third ballot.
On paper, 644 members of the college were Merkel loyalists from her own CDU, the Bavaria-only Christian Social Union (CSU) or the junior coalition partner, the FDP.
Ahead of the election, Merkel loyalists had played down the significance of only succeeding in a third round of voting. Former presidents Gustav Heinemann and Roman Herzog also required a third ballot.
In the event, the final outcome for Wulff constituted an absolute majority, meaning he would have won in the first round if he had achieved 625 votes at the start of the day. His failure to do so was interpreted as disgruntlement with Merkel's government amongst centre-right ranks.
A fourth candidate, songwriter Frank Rennicke, also withdrew before the final round. He was only backed by the 3 votes of the far-right National Democratic Party (NPD), which nominated him.
Wulff, a CDU career politician, must immediately renounce his post as a state premier before he can be appointed president. Aged 51, he is the youngest person yet to hold the post. He is in his second marriage and has a son aged two.
Tags: Christian Wulff, President, Germany, Election, An...
British Troops Might Leave Afghanistan In 2015[Report Abuse]
Posted by: topicaltv
Foreign Secretary William Hague has said that British soldiers could leave Afghanistan by 2015, following previous comments by Prime Minister David Cameron that troops would not stay in the country for "a day longer than necessary".
The coalition government has said that British troops will withdraw from Afghanistan when the current government is able to stand and defend itself independently against the Taliban.
Speaking to the BBC Mr Hague, said, "We are committed to the Afghans being able to conduct their military operations and security and that takes time. But I would be very surprised if that took longer than 2014.
"Of course, in the next parliament he would hope - anyone would hope - that the British combat troops were coming home. But he's also stressed that's not setting a timetable for what happens over the next few years."
"We have always said, the chief of the defence staff has said, that the Afghan forces should be able to conduct their own affairs, should be able to stand up for themselves without other nations having to be alongside them, by 2014.
"So I don't think it's any great surprise or any great mystery about us saying that by 2015 really we should be in the position where Afghan national security forces will be looking after themselves.
"Will there still be British troops who are training, could there still be British troops in that kind of role?
"Well, of course there could be, but this combat operation is what the prime minister has quite rightly been talking about over the last few days."
American President Obama has indicated that American troops will begin to pull out from 2011 onwards. Some have expressed concerns that the dates chosen by the US and British government's reflect political rather than military expediency.
Mr Obama will face re-election in 2012 and could spend much of that year going through the primary process should a Democrat try to challenge his position, while the next British general election is likely to take place in 2015.
Earlier this week the new NATO commander in Afghanistan, General Petraeus, said that the Taliban no longer had the momentum in Afghanistan, while the Taliban claim that they are on the road to victory and will not negotiate with coalition forces.
Tags: William Hague, Foreign Secretary, Troops, British...
