Benitez calms Anfield exit talk
 Benitez has hinted that he will remain at Liverpool |
Liverpool boss Rafael Benitez has given a big hint he is prepared to commit his long-term future to the Anfield club.
The Spaniard has been locked in talks about a new contract for several weeks, prompting speculation he could leave.
But following Wednesday's 1-0 Champions League win over Real Madrid, he said his future could be resolved soon.
He said: "My lawyers and advisors have been talking to the club's owners on Wednesday about the contract and I feel the problems we have can be overcome."
Benitez has been discussing a new four-year deal, but it is believed American owners George Gillett and Tom Hicks have balked at some of his demands.
That has led to wild speculation, some of which surfaced before Wednesday's game in Madrid.
A flurry of bets led some bookmakers to suspend betting on Benitez leaving Anfield before the end of the week.
But he insisted the rumours were wide of the mark and said talk of his exit came as a surprise.
"I can assure you that I have not been considering such a move, and it was a shock to hear such suggestions," said Benitez.
"It needs to be clear that I was not thinking of resigning. My aim is to keep working and winning and to tell the owners that on the pitch."
 | PHIL McNULTY BLOG BBC Sport's Phil McNulty |
The former Valencia boss, who became Liverpool manager in 2004, is certain an agreement over his future will be reached.
"I expect talks to continue between my lawyers, my advisors, myself and the owners," said Benitez.
"I am really pleased with my position at the club, I have not been thinking about resigning.
"My aim is to win every game that is possible for this club, and my advisors will continue to talk. We will see what happens then.
"We are still talking, so we will see what happens. I was not thinking about resigning, obviously I cannot control other things that I could be fired, but I was just concentrating on the game.
"The club has made it clear this rumour was not true. That is important for everyone. Stability is the key if you want to be successful."
Yossi Benayoun gave Liverpool a 1-0 win at the Bernabeu in the first leg of their last-16 tie.
The Israeli headed home Fabio Aurelio's free-kick with eight minutes remaining.
"We knew they had problems at set pieces so we were trying to benefit from that," said Benitez. "Yossi is better in the air than people think."
The Reds boss, who left Steven Gerrard on the bench and revealed after the match that striker Fernando Torres had been injured early on, also praised the rest of the team.
"We knew it could be difficult because Real Madrid are a team with quality and we needed to work really hard," he said.
"We were trying to go also on the counter-attack because we knew how important it was to score an away goal.
"To see Torres limping from the first minute and without Steven Gerrard, it is a fantastic result."
Benitez expects Torres to miss Saturday's trip to Middlesbrough with his ankle injury, but believes Gerrard could start the game.
Real Madrid had won their last nine games under temporary manager Juande Ramos but rarely looked like breaking through the Liverpool defence as they struggled for any kind of fluency.
"We wanted to try and score a few goals for the second leg but Liverpool played their game and were very good in defence," said former Tottenham boss Ramos.
"They scored from a set-piece but it was meant to be a 0-0 as there were hardly any chances from either side.
"We were unlucky to concede and now we need to win in Anfield. We are behind in the tie, but it is far from over as we are capable of winning anywhere."
Thursday, February 26, 2009
Palestinian groups agree releases
Palestinian groups agree releases
 Senior Hamas officials, including Mahmoud Zahar, have agreed to release Fatah detainees |
Senior members of Hamas and Fatah, the main rival Palestinian factions, have agreed to release each other's members from detention.
Hamas has lifted house arrest on some Fatah members in the Gaza Strip while Fatah has released about 80 - out of a total 380 held - Hamas members.
The agreement came ahead of unity talks, due to start in Cairo, which could lead to more aid for Gaza.
The rivalry between the two came to a head when Hamas took control of Gaza.
"A certain number of detainees will be freed right at the beginning of the dialogue," said a statement from Azzam al-Ahmed, leader of the Fatah bloc in the Palestinian parliament, and Mahmoud Zahar, a senior Hamas official, referring to the talks about to start in Egypt.
"Other detainees will be freed successively so that this issue will be totally closed before the end of the national Palestinian dialogue," the statement said.
The two sides also promised to stop media attacks against each other.
Unity talks
About a dozen Palestinian groups are expected to be represented in the national dialogue, whose aim is to set up a unity government.
A unity government could serve for an interim period, preparing for new presidential and legislative elections and co-ordinating the rebuilding of Gaza.
The US, Britain and the EU have made clear that they would rather see non-partisan technocrats in control of the Palestinian territories than a coalition which includes Hamas.
Egypt had originally called for Palestinian reconciliation talks in November.
However, Hamas withdrew from the talks, complaining that Fatah continued to arrest Hamas members in the West Bank.
The two sides have fundamental differences over how to deal with Israel. While Fatah has renounced violence, Hamas refuses to recognise Israel. Hamas is prepared to accept a short-term truce but it reserves the right to fight Israel.
Four British personnel are killed
Four British personnel are killed
 Three soldiers were killed in a blast and one in enemy fire, the MoD said |
Four British personnel have died from injuries sustained in Afghanistan, the Ministry of Defence (MoD) has said.
Three soldiers from 1st Battalion The Rifles were struck by a blast in the Gereshk district of Helmand province and pronounced dead at the scene.
The fourth, a Royal Marine from 45 Commando, was hit by enemy fire near Sangin and died in a UK hospital.
The deaths, in one day, take the number of UK servicemen and women killed in Afghanistan since October 2001 to 149.
It is believed the three soldiers in Gereshk either set off a landmine or a wire-triggered improvised explosive device.
They were on a routine escort operation.
'Deep sorrow'
A medical helicopter was scrambled but all three were pronounced dead.
Commander Paula Rowe, spokeswoman for Task Force Helmand, said after that incident it was an incredibly sad day for the whole force.
"We will all feel the loss of these brave soldiers, whose role was to build the capacity of the Afghan National Army," she said.
"But it is their family, friends and loved ones, as well as the men and women who served alongside them, who feel the greatest pain and we offer them our deepest and heartfelt condolences, thoughts and prayers."
|  Their valiant efforts will not be forgotten  Brig Gen Richard Blanchette |
The Nato-led International Security Assistance Force (Isaf) said the soldiers were killed by an improvised explosive device.
It was the worst loss of life in a single incident for UK forces since December.
Spokesman Brig Gen Richard Blanchette said: "It is with deep sorrow that we announce the death of these [three] soldiers and offer our condolences to their grieving families.
"Their valiant efforts will not be forgotten, and spurs us to continue our vital mission to bring security to the people of Afghanistan."
The Royal Marine was injured on a reassurance patrol in northern Helmand on Monday, the MoD said.
He was treated on the ground and at Isaf's medical facility at Kandahar Airfield, before being returned to the UK for further specialist treatment.
He died from his wounds in Selly Oak Hospital, Birmingham, on Wednesday.
Commander Rowe said: "The death of this brave Marine is a tragedy and his loss will be felt deeply by his family, friends and all those who served alongside him."
The next of kin of all four men have been informed.
BBC defence correspondent Caroline Wyatt said improvised explosive devices were an increasing cause of death amongst UK soldiers.
"We understand the men may have been travelling in a Wmik, which is an armoured Land Rover," she said.
"But obviously if you have a bomb of a certain size, that can still be triggered despite the kind of counter measures they will have on those vehicles."
Obama's Commerce chief announced
Obama's Commerce chief announced
 |
US President Barack Obama has picked former Washington state Governor Gary Locke to be his Commerce Secretary.
This is the third time Mr Obama has picked a Commerce Secretary, after his previous two appointees both removed themselves from consideration.
New Mexico Governor Bill Richardson withdrew to fight an ethics probe, while Republican Senator Judd Gregg withdrew after political disagreements.
Mr Locke will be the third Asian-American in the new Cabinet.
Turkish plane crash in Amsterdam
Turkish plane crash in Amsterdam
Emergency services at the scene of the plane crash
A Turkish Airlines plane has crashed on landing at Amsterdam's Schiphol international airport, injuring at least 20 people.
The plane, with 135 passengers on board, crashed short of the runway near the A9 motorway and suffered significant damage.
It was Flight 1951 from Istanbul and was a Boeing 737-800 aircraft.
Witnesses have spoken of seeing at least 20 passengers walking from the wreckage, with luggage scattered about.
There were 127 passengers, including a baby, and seven crew on board.
Earlier reports said there was one dead, but Turkish Transport Minister Binali Yildirim later clarified that no-one had died.
Turkish Airlines Candan Karlitekin told reporters: "There are injured passengers at the back of the plane but there are no confirmed casualties."
 |
The BBC's Geraldine Coughlan in the Hague says television has been showing pictures of helicopters at the scene, with about 20 ambulances and fire engines.
All flights have been suspended.
The last crash involving a Turkish Airlines plane was in 2003 when 65 people died in an accident in Turkey.
Schiphol airport has six runways and one major passenger terminal. In 2007, it handled 47 million passengers, ranking fifth in Europe.
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Turkey plane crashes in Amsterdam
Turkey plane crashes in Amsterdam
| |
A Turkish Airlines plane has crashed on landing at Amsterdam's Schiphol international airport, reports say.
The plane, with 135 passengers on board, is said to be in three pieces on the runway.
More details shortly.
Sierra Leone rebels await verdict
Sierra Leone rebels await verdict
 Some 120,000 people died in Sierra Leone's decade-long civil war |
A war crimes court is to deliver its verdict on three Sierra Leone rebel commanders accused of raping, mutilating and killing civilians.
Issa Sesay, 38, Morris Kallon, 45, and Augustine Gbao, 60, deny 18 charges of war crimes and crimes against humanity, including use of child soldiers.
The trial of the RUF rebel leaders, relating to Sierra Leone's decade-long civil war, began in mid-2004.
The case is the last to be held at the special court in the capital Freetown.
The only trial still ongoing before the UN-backed Special Court for Sierra Leone is that of former Liberian President Charles Taylor, whose case has been moved to The Hague for security reasons.
The three accused committed atrocities during the 1991-2001 civil war as senior commanders of the Revolutionary United Front (RUF), prosecutors say.
The trio were allegedly involved in a joint criminal enterprise with Mr Taylor to control the diamond fields of Sierra Leone to finance their warfare.
Harrowing tales
The trial has heard harrowing tales from 75 prosecution witnesses of alleged rapes and killings at the hands of the RUF.
 Tens of thousands of civilians had limbs, noses or ears chopped off |
The RUF was notorious for using the so-called Small Boys Units - child soldiers forcibly recruited and issued with AK-47 assault rifles - who had a reputation for particular cruelty among the civilian population.
By the time the conflict ended, some 120,000 people had been killed while tens of thousands were left mutilated, their arms, legs, noses or ears cut off.
The Sierra Leone conflict was depicted in the 2006 film Blood Diamond, starring Djimon Hounsou, Leonardo DiCaprio and Jennifer Connelly.
Wednesday, February 25, 2009
Gun battle in Bangladesh capital
Gun battle in Bangladesh capital
 |
A gun battle has broken out inside the headquarters of the Bangladesh border guards in the capital, Dhaka, police and TV reports say.
There are no reports of any casualties yet in the gunfight at the Bangladesh Rifle headquarters, officials say.
"There has been a huge exchange of gunfire at the headquarters. We have heard mortar fire," local police chief Nabojit Khisa told the AFP news agency.
Mr Khisa said police were not being allowed to enter the complex.
The Bangladesh Rifles headquarters is located in the Pilkhana area of Dhaka.
The BBC's Mark Dummett, in Dhaka, says that according to reporters at the scene, the clashes are between officers and soldiers of the paramilitary force, which protects the country's borders.
One report said that the gun battle coincided with a meeting of senior Bangladesh Rifles officers.
Reports say that smoke is coming out of the complex and security forces have cordoned off the area.
There is no information yet on casualties, but reporters say some civilians walking past the camp have been hit.
There are unconfirmed reports that soldiers have also opened fire on a helicopter patrolling above the camp, where the fighting is taking place, our correspondent says.
US and Japan make economy pledge
US and Japan make economy pledge
Obama welcomes Japanese PM
US President Barack Obama and Japanese Prime Minister Taro Aso have agreed to work together to stimulate economic demand and fight protectionism.
At a meeting in Washington they also pledged to co-operate in diplomatic efforts over North Korea, a White House statement said.
Mr Aso was the first foreign leader to be received by the US president.
Before the talks Mr Obama said the alliance between the countries was the "cornerstone" of East Asian security.
The US and Japanese economies are respectively the world's largest and second-largest.
A statement following the White House talks said the two leaders "agreed to work closely and urgently... to stimulate demand at home and abroad, to help other countries respond to the global crisis, [and] to unfreeze credit markets".
"They agreed fully on the need to resist protectionism," the statement said.
Japan was one of the countries to express concern at a "Buy American" clause in the recently approved US stimulus package.
The clause said American-produced materials should be used for public works in the US, though it was watered down with a pledge not to violate trade agreements.
Afghanistan
Mr Aso said the US and Japan needed to work "hand in hand" on the global downturn, and that it was crucial to maintain confidence in the dollar as a key currency.
| The alliance that we have is the cornerstone of security in East Asia, it is one that my administration wants to strengthen US President Barack Obama |
On North Korea, the two sides pledged to work through the process of six-party talks to end the country's nuclear weapons programme, and also to "deal with the problem of North Korea's missiles".
The meeting came amid fears that North Korea was preparing to test a long-range missile.
The two leaders also discussed global climate change, and Afghanistan.
A Japanese foreign ministry official said on Tuesday that Toyko would pay the salaries of 80,000 police officers in Afghanistan for six months, as part of its commitment to help rebuild the country.
The official said Japan would also provide funds to help build schools and hospitals, and provide a teacher-training programme.
Money from the projects will come from the $2bn (
Woods fit and ready for comeback
Woods fit and ready for comeback
 Woods has not played since winning the US Open at Torrey Pines last June. |
Tiger Woods said he feels fitter than ever ahead of this week's WGC-Accenture Match Play Championship in Arizona.
The 14-time major winner has been out for eight months after reconstructive surgery on the knee.
"I didn't think it would feel this good, I have not known what it is like to feel this way before, so healthy, solid and secure," he said.
"I am doing the same things I have always been trying to do but now I have got a leg I can do it on."
The tournament, which begins on Wednesday, will be Woods' first since winning the US Open at Torrey Pines last June.
The 33-year-old ended his 2008 campaign after revealing he had played with a ruptured anterior cruciate ligament in his left knee and a double stress fracture of the tibia below it.
But Woods has been back practising at full power in Arizona and said the signs are looking good.
"The strength in both legs feels a lot stronger than it has ever been with stability I have not had in years.
| Somebody said Tiger's announced he's coming back and I got a few chills up the back of my neck Brendan Jones |
"Basically practise went really well, I felt really good to be back in a competitive environment."
Woods will face Australian Brendan Jones in the first round on Wednesday, and the world number one will be wary as he has lost to Australians three times in this tournament.
Peter O'Malley beat woods in the first round in 2002 and Nick O'Hern got the better of him in the second and third rounds in 2005 and in 2007.
World number 64 Jones hopes that he can continue the trend.
"It's a chance of a lifetime," said the Australian. "I'm very, very excited," said Jones.
"It is one of the most anticipated comebacks in any sport and to have a front row seat is a great honour.
"Tiger came out and said that he was going to play and I was overjoyed. It's the chance to play probably the best player of my generation.
| IAIN CARTER BLOG |
"My friends have all said, 'you can beat him, you can beat him. It's a different format, matchplay's a funny game, anything can happen."
Jones, 33, has spent much of his career in Japan, where he has won eight titles - most recently the Tsuruya Open in April 2007.
His only season on the USPGA Tour was 2005, when he finished 144th on the money list.
With his Japanese schedule not due to start until April, Jones said he had not even been practising in the run-up to the Match Play.
"Obviously, I know I'm a longshot. I have got nothing to lose. I can just go out, be a lot more aggressive than what I normally would be. And if you say what are my chances, I have some sort of chance," he said.
"I didn't fly all this way to try to lose. I'm here to try to beat him."
US retailers report profit slides
US retailers report profit slides
 The slumping housing market has seen sales slide at The Home Depot |
Some of the US's best-known retailers have reported sharp slumps in profits for the three months to the end of January, as recession begins to bite.
Target said profits were down by 41% as customers cut back on more expensive clothes and furniture, while more fell behind on store card payments.
Macy's said profits were almost 59% down owing to costs of closing regional offices and shops, and weak sales.
And closing some of its small brands took Home Depot to a $54m (
Tuesday, February 24, 2009
Peacekeepers 'must leave Somalia'
Peacekeepers 'must leave Somalia'
 The AU's Burundian and Ugandan troops went into Somalia in 2007 |
Eritrea has called for all foreign troops to leave Somalia, amid a fresh attack by insurgents against African Union (AU) peacekeepers.
The Eritrean foreign ministry said external interference must stop if national reconciliation is to be achieved in Somalia.
It came as six people died in a morning fire-fight in the capital Mogadishu, when rebels targeted a barracks.
Meanwhile Burundi vowed to send more troops to the AU mission in Somalia.
Burundian Defence Minister Lt Gen Germain Niyoyankana told Radio France Internationale they planned to reinforce their presence with a battalion of 850 men as soon as possible.
The minister said his government would not be deterred by Sunday's suicide attack - claimed by the radical al-Shabab group - on a barracks in Mogadishu which left 11 Burundian peacekeepers dead.
The BBC's Mohammed Olad Hassan in Mogadishu says civilians, as usual, bore the brunt of the latest fighting on Tuesday morning, during which mortar and heavy machine gun fire was exchanged for about 40 minutes.
As well as the six deaths, 15 people were wounded when insurgents targeted a base for hundreds of AU troops and soldiers from the fragile transitional government in the Hodan district, south of the capital.
'End invasion'
No-one has yet claimed responsibility, says our correspondent, but suspicion has fallen on al-Shabab and the Islamic Party, a coalition of four insurgent Islamist groups.
 Al-Shabab vowed to focus attacks on the AU after Ethiopian troops left |
Meanwhile the Eritrean foreign ministry said in its statement: "Putting an end to invasion and external interference is a precondition for the realisation of the Somali people's aspirations to reconstitute their nation.
"It is equally imperative to get rid of any force deployed in Somalia under the pretext of 'peacekeeping mission'."
Several Somali Islamist groups have operated out of Eritrea since they were ousted from Mogadishu after Ethiopian troops went in just over two years ago.
The AU's 3,400-force of Burundian and Ugandan peacekeepers - deployed since 2007 - are now the only foreign troops in the Somali capital.
Ethiopian troops, which had been in the country since 2006 to support Somalia's government, pulled out at the end of January.
A UN-brokered peace deal between Somalia's transitional government and a moderate Islamist opposition group saw Sheikh Sharif Sheikh Ahmed elected president in January.
Somalia has not had a functioning national government since 1991.
Some three million people - half the population - need food aid after years of fighting.
North Korea 'plans rocket launch'
North Korea 'plans rocket launch'
 North Korea has carried out a number of missile tests in recent years |
North Korea has announced that it is preparing to launch a rocket carrying a communications satellite, but without giving an indication of a date.
It said the launch would mark a great step forward for the communist state.
Correspondents say the statement is Pyongyang's clearest reference yet to what neighbours believe may be the imminent test of a long-range missile.
When it tested the short-range Taepodong-1 missile in 1998, it claimed to have put a satellite in orbit.
"Full-scale preparations are under way to launch a rocket Unha-2 to put communication satellite Kwangmyongsong-2 into orbit," said the national space committee in a statement carried on the official Korean Central News Agency (KCNA).
"When this satellite is successfully launched, our space technology will make a great step forward toward becoming an economically strong country," it said.
The launch is planned from Hwadae in the northeast of the country, which is believed to be the site of North Korea's longest-range missile, Taepodong-2.
There are fears that the Taepodong-2 missile, with a theoretical range of 6,700 km (4,200 miles), could be used to target the US state of Alaska.
But when the Taepodong-2 was last tested in 2006, it exploded within a minute.
Nuclear disarmament talks involving the United States, China, Russia, Japan, South Korea and North Korea are currently stalled.
Relations between North and South Korea are at a new low after the North scrapped several peace agreements and the South appointed a hard-line unification minister.
On a trip to Asia last week, the new US Secretary of State Hilary Clinton warned North Korea against any rash moves.
Call to relax Guantanamo regime
Call to relax Guantanamo regime
 About 250 prisoners are still held at the prison camp |
A US defence department review of conditions at Guantanamo Bay detention camp has called for an easing of the isolation of prisoners there.
The Pentagon report says inmates should be allowed more social interaction and opportunities for recreation.
It comes as new US Attorney General Eric Holder pays his first visit to the controversial facility in Cuba.
Last month, President Barack Obama ordered the Guantanamo Bay camp to be closed within one year.
About 250 prisoners are still held there, nearly all without charge.
Among them was a UK inmate, who returned from the camp to Britain earlier on Monday.
Ethiopian-born Binyam Mohamed, 30, was held in Guantanamo for more than four years and says he was tortured.
He became the first Guantanamo prisoner released since Barack Obama took office.
'Humane treatment'
The report, by Adm Patrick M Walsh, says conditions at the camp comply with the Geneva Conventions on the treatment of prisoners.
However, it recommends allowing more socialisation among prisoners, many of whom are confined to their cells for 23 hours a day.
| The key to socialisation is providing more human-to-human contact Pentagon report  |
Such interaction "is essential to maintain humane treatment over time", the report says.
"In our opinion, the key to socialisation is providing more human-to-human contact, recreation opportunities with several detainees together, intellectual stimulation, and group prayer," AFP news agency cited the report as saying.
Mr Holder is being briefed on the detainees and the charges they were facing before military trials were halted last month.
The attorney general is making his visit away from the media glare, the BBC's James Coomarasamy in Washington says.
It comes as the Obama administration wrestles with the legal, practical and security implications of its pledge to shut Guantanamo, he adds.
Murray edges through Dubai opener
Murray edges through Dubai opener
 Murray is looking to win his third ATP title of 2009 |
Britain's Andy Murray reached round two of the Dubai Championships with victory over Sergiy Stakhovsky, but looked to be struggling with an ankle injury.
Murray took control after an uneven start, recovering from a set and a break down to lead 6-7 (3-7) 6-3 5-3 when his opponent called it quits.
Both men struggled with ankle injuries - Murray missed Marseille last week because of the problem.
The Scot will face Arnaud Clement or Rainer Schuettler in the second round.
Indian joy at Oscar night glory
Indian joy at Oscar night glory
 AR Rahman won for best original score and best original song |
India has been revelling in Oscar night glory, with the success of Slumdog Millionaire, its composer AR Rahman and the documentary Smile Pinki.
Rahman won two Oscars, best original score and best original song - Jai Ho - with fellow Indian Gulzar.
Resul Pookutty bagged another award for sound mixing of the rags-to-riches Mumbai movie, which also won best picture and best director.
Smile Pinki, about an Indian cleft-lip girl, won best short documentary.
The success of Slumdog sparked massive celebrations back in the Mumbai slum where two of the film's child actors still live.
Rubina Ali and Azharuddin Ismail were both in Hollywood for the ceremony.
Indian Prime Minister Manmohan Singh said of the winners: "They have done India proud."
'Power of hope'
India's biggest winner of the night was Rahman, 43.
| INDIA'S OSCAR WINNERS 2009: AR Rahman - best original score 2009: AR Rahman and Gulzar - best original song 2009: Resul Pookutty - sound mixing 1992: Satyajit Ray - lifetime achievement 1983: Bhanu Athaiya - costume design (Gandhi) |
The composer said he hailed "all the people from Mumbai and the essence of the film, which is about optimism and the power of hope and our lives".
He went on: "All my life I've had a choice of hate and love. I chose love and I'm here. God bless."
TV pictures showed Rahman's family cutting a cake in his home city of Madras (Chennai) in southern India and celebrating the composer's win.
A local band played a tribute to the composer singing Jai Ho.
| It's a proud moment for India that the film has been awarded an Oscar Rafique, Father of Rubina Ali |
Pookutty said: "I'm the first Indian technician to be nominated for an Oscar and winning one... And it's an absolute glory for me myself personally and for my country."
Pookutty, a graduate from the prestigious Film and Television Institute of India, has been in the industry for more than 10 years and has worked on several big films.
A spokesperson for Indian President Pratibha Patil, said she was "specially thrilled with the remarkable feat achieved by AR Rahman, Gulzar, Resul Pookutty and making India proud".
Bollywood actor-director Aamir Khan said he was also "thrilled" by India's successes at the Oscars.
 Smile Pinki is the story of a girl with a cleft lip |
Smile Pinki, a 39-minute documentary by American director Megan Mylan on an eight-year-old Indian girl born with a cleft lip, had been one of the four short documentaries nominated for the Academy Awards.
There were celebrations in the north Indian village in Mirzapur district where Pinki lives, the BBC's Geeta Pandey says.
The girl's uncle said several hundred people took part in a procession, chanting "Bharat mata ki jai" (Long Live Mother India).
India now has five Oscar winners.
Costume designer Bhanu Athaiya won for her work in Gandhi in 1983 and director Satyajit Ray won a lifetime achievement award in 1992.
Arteta's season ended by injury
Arteta's season ended by injury
 Arteta is Everton's joint top-scorer this season with seven goals |
Everton midfielder Mikel Arteta has been ruled out for the rest of the season with a ruptured knee ligament.
The 26-year-old fell awkwardly just three minutes into Everton's 0-0 draw away to Newcastle on Sunday.
He was stretchered off after receiving treatment and underwent scans on his right knee on Sunday night to ascertain the full extent of the injury.
Arteta has been a key figure for Everton this season, making 31 appearances and scoring seven goals.
The Spaniard's spell out will be a huge blow to the Toffees as they continue to chase a European spot and hope to further their run in the FA Cup.
| A draw's not a bad result but we're disappointed not to take all three and bitterly disappointed because of the injury to Mikel Everton manager David Moyes |
He scored in Everton's previous two games before the goalless draw with Newcastle and his absence was keenly felt once he left the field at St James' Park.
"The early look at him wasn't good, but I'd rather wait to see," said Everton manager David Moyes, who is also worried over Victor Anichebe's fitness.
"We played for nearly an hour against 10 men and created hardly and chances," said Moyes.
"A draw's not a bad result, but I think in the circumstances we're disappointed not to take all three and bitterly disappointed because of the injury to Mikel."
Anichebe was replaced shortly before half-time after a heavy tackle from Kevin Nolan, which saw the Newcastle midfielder receive a straight red card.
| 606: DEBATE VicazOfGoodison |
"We certainly have a sore boy in Anichebe," Moyes added. "It was a sending off, there's no doubt about that. I don't think Kevin Nolan is that type of player but it was a bad tackle and it was definitely a sending off.
Newcastle caretaker manager Chris Hughton was pleased with his side's efforts in limiting Everton to so few chances and spoke of Nolan's regret at the tackle for which he saw red.
"For us I think to go down to 10 men at the time that we did, to come through the 90 minutes with Everton having limited good opportunities at our goal is testament to our lads," he said.
"Kevin has apologised to David [Moyes] and to the lad in their team [Anichebe].
"He's an honest professional. We accept it wasn't the best of challenges but my first impression was that it was poorly timed, not malicious."
Monday, February 23, 2009
Crew rescued from blazing vessel
Crew rescued from blazing vessel
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The crew of a Spanish fishing boat which caught fire has been rescued by the Canadian Coast Guard.
The vessel, the 30-metre Monte Galineirom, was about 400 km (250 miles) east of St John's, Newfoundland, when the fire started.
Crew members abandoned ship and were picked up by a coast guard vessel soon after. One man was flown to hospital in St John's with smoke inhalation.
The rest of the crew was due to arrive in port on Monday.
"The coast guard ship happened to be only 10 minutes away," Joint Rescue Co-ordination Centre spokeswoman Jeri Grychowski was quoted by the AFP news agency as saying.
"It was a real stroke of good luck that they were so close and could respond quickly."
Liverpool 1-1 Man City
Liverpool 1-1 Man City
| By Mandeep Sanghera |
 Bellamy scored against his former club to put City ahead |
Liverpool's title hopes were dealt a severe blow as they were held to a draw by Manchester City at Anfield.
City broke the deadlock when Craig Bellamy's shot was deflected in off Alvaro Arbeloa.
A poor Liverpool had rarely threatened but levelled when Dirk Kuyt poked home after a Yossi Benayoun cross.
Shay Given saved a powerful Benayoun strike in a frantic finish but the Reds failed to get a winner and trail Manchester United by seven points.
Liverpool have now drawn six and won seven at home, while United have drawn just one and won 12 at Old Trafford.
It is a telling statistic, revealing the story of Liverpool's failure to break down visitors to Anfield and, with Steven Gerrard and Xabi Alonso missing, their lack of squad strength compared to United's was also highlighted.
The Merseysiders had gone into the game with the pressure of knowing anything less than a win would have delivered a damaging blow to their title aspirations after United beat Blackburn on Saturday.
The gravity of Liverpool's situation was hard to tell from their first-half play as they struggled to find any sort of rhythm or fluency.
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City have won just once away from home in the league this season but were looking comfortable and should have taken the lead through Stephen Ireland.
He had intercepted a stray Javier Mascherano pass and released Robinho on the right with a long diagonal ball before making a run into the Liverpool box.
The Brazilian found Ireland at the far post but the City midfielder's shot lacked conviction as he tamely sidefooted straight at keeper Jose Reina.
Liverpool's play was laboured and predictable and they lacked a player in the mould of the injured Gerrard to to take the game by the scruff of the neck and inspire their play.
Striker Fernando Torres tried his best to fill the Gerrard void as he set up chances that he would have relished for Albert Riera and Benayoun.
But Riera dragged a shot wide and Benayoun put his effort into the crowd to sum up a poor first-half which suggested anything but a side challenging for the title.
Things got worse for Liverpool soon after the break when Robinho started a move which saw him find Vincent Kompany, who teed up Bellamy.
Bellamy's shot went in off an Arbeloa deflection and gave the Reds little choice but to commit more numbers forward.
The situation was looking desperate the longer the game went on before Kuyt equalised when he pounced after Torres scuffed an effort from Benayoun's low cross.
City had seen Liverpool overturn a two-goal deficit to win in the reverse fixture earlier this season.
But, despite Benayoun's late effort and in contrast to their defensive vulnerability so far this season, the visitors held on to earn a point.
BBC Sport Player Rater man of the match: Stephen Ireland on 6.85 (on 90 minutes).
Please note that you can still give the players marks out of 10 on BBC Sport's Player Rater after the match has finished.
EU leaders seek unity on downturn
EU leaders seek unity on downturn
 Germany's Angela Merkel wants stricter financial regulations |
Leaders from Europe's biggest economies are meeting in Berlin to try to find a joint position on the economic crisis.
The French, Italian, Spanish, Dutch, UK and German leaders are hoping to take a common approach at a world financial summit in London in six weeks' time.
But analysts say reaching agreement among EU powers will not be easy.
Some members differ on new regulations for financial markets. There have also been disagreements over trade, with accusations of protectionism.
The current Czech presidency of the EU, as well as and the European Commission, have voiced concern at attempts by France, Italy and Spain to shelter their car industries from the effects of the downturn.
| Capitalism must be given new moral foundations Nicolas SarkozyFrench President |
The BBC's Rob Cameron in Berlin says Czech Prime Minister Mirek Topolanek - who is also in Berlin - will have a private meeting with French President Nicholas Sarkozy, following a very public row between the two countries.
Mr Sarkozy has suggested that in order to secure government aid, French carmakers should move production out of their East European factories and back to France.
Such disagreements are threatening to prevent Europe speaking with one voice, our correspondent adds.
Rewriting the rules
Ahead of the Berlin meeting German Chancellor Angela Merkel renewed her calls for tighter oversight of financial markets.
 The recession has hit the car industry particularly hard |
There should be no more gaps in international controls, she said on Saturday.
Germany's finance ministry is pushing for stricter rules for hedge funds and better rating systems to avoid future meltdowns.
However some members - such as Britain - are less keen on a radical tightening of regulations, correspondents say.
Mr Sarkozy stressed he would not accept "a weak compromise, a cheap fix" in establishing the European position.
"Capitalism must be given new moral foundations," he said.
The agenda of the Berlin summit also includes strengthening international accounting standards, reform of the IMF and other financial institutions, as well as moves to restrict executive pay.
The London meeting in April will bring together leaders of the G20 group of major developed and developing economies, in an effort to rewrite the rules of the global financial system.