7:17 PM
The UK's Disasters Emergency Committee says more than 10 million people in Pakistan are in urgent need of aid.
Tuesday, August 24, 2010
Released al Qaeda hostages arrive in Spain
Two Spanish aid workers, set free by al Qaeda’s North Africa wing have arrived safe and well back home.
The pair, Albert Vilalta and his colleague Roque Pascual, flew into Barcelona after nine months in captivity.
They were met by their relieved families and a colleague who’d been released in March
Roque Pascual spoke to reporters.“I want you to know that we are well despite these last nine months. The kidnappers treated us correctly despite their own hard way of life.
Also, I want to thank all those who supported us all this time.”
The two who worked for a Barcelona based aid group were earlier flown to Burkina Faso and met by government officials. They’d been kidnapped while travelling through Mauritania with a relief convoy last November. In July the same group killed a French hostage after a failed military rescue attempt.
Copyright © 2010 euronews
22-year-old Mexico woman crowned Miss Universe
Jimena Navarrete of Guadalajara was first contestant to answer an interview question onstage and the last of 83 standing in the headline-grabbing pageant on the Las Vegas Strip.
"I want to give my parents a big hug," she said at a news conference after the pageant. "There was a lot of effort and a lot of sacrifice."
The train of her single-strap dress floated behind her like a sheet as she walked during the evening gown competition. Before that, she smiled in a violet bikini as she confidently strutted across the stage.
Asked by Olympic gold-medal figure skater Evan Lysacek how she felt about unsupervised Internet use, Navarrete said the Internet is important but parents need to be careful and watch over their kids.
"I do believe that Internet is an indispensable, necessary tool for the present time," she said through an interpreter. "We must be sure to teach them the values that we learned as a family."
First runner-up was Miss Jamaica Yendi Phillipps, while second runner-up was Miss Australia Jesinta Campbell.
Navarrete said she didn't expect to win.
"I did feel surprised," she said. "I was like in a state of shock."
Navarrete — who's been modeling since she was 15 — is Mexico's second Miss Universe. Lupita Jones of Mexico won the title in 1991. Navarrete replaces Miss Universe 2009 Stefania Fernandez of Venezuela.
Navarrete's win thwarted Miss Venezuela Marelisa Gibson from giving the South American country a third consecutive victory. Neither Gibson nor Miss USA Rima Fakih made the top 15 finalists.
Navarrete was immediately congratulated on Twitter by Mexican President Felipe Calderon and his wife, Margarita Zavala.
"Congratulations to Jimena Navarrete for her deserved victory as Miss Universe," Calderon said. "This will serve Mexico, (and) our image as a country."
With fans in some 190 countries watching on television and keeping tabs on social networks, Navarrete and her competitors introduced themselves while wearing over-the-top national costumes. They then danced in silver and black dresses for the show's opening number before the top 15 finalists were announced.
The final 15 walked in swimsuits while Cirque du Soleil musicians played Elvis Presley songs including "Viva Las Vegas." The last 10 impressed in their gowns while John Legend and the Roots played a soulful medley including "Save Room."
By the end of the show, seven of the top 10 trending topics on Twitter had to do with the pageant, its contestants, its judges or owner Donald Trump. The mogul co-owns the pageant with TV network NBC.
The show was without any major gaffes, except for Miss Philippines' answer when asked what her biggest mistake in life was and how she fixed it.
"In my 22 years of existence, I can say there is nothing major," Venus Raj said.
Before the pageant, Raj was rated among the top contestants in an online poll on the pageant's website. She finished in fifth place.
Navarrete won a package of prizes including an undisclosed salary, a luxury New York apartment with living expenses, a one-year scholarship to the New York Film Academy with housing after her reign, plus jewelry, clothes and shoes fit for a beauty champion.
Campbell won the Miss Congeniality Universe award. Miss Thailand Fonthip Watcharatrakul won Miss Photogenic Universe and a second award for having the best national costume.
Fakih, a 24-year-old Lebanese immigrant from Dearborn, Mich., spurred celebrations among Arab-Americans when she won Miss USA. Pageant records aren't detailed enough to show whether Fakih is the first Arab-American, Muslim or immigrant to win Miss USA.
Miss USA has not been named Miss Universe since Brook Lee won the title in 1997.
Lysacek was one of this year's nine celebrity judges. The others were actresses Jane Seymour and Chynna Phillips; actors Chazz Palminteri and William Baldwin; magician Criss Angel; MSNBC anchor Tamron Hall; drummer Shiela E.; and supermodel Niki Taylor.
Tiger Woods' Divorce Is Finalized
Tiger Woods and Elin Nordegren announce that their marriage is over.
According to People.com, they appeared at Bay County Circuit Court in Panama City, Fla., today for the execution of their divorce agreement.
"We are sad that our marriage is over and we wish each other the very best for the future," they said in a statement released by Nordegren's law firm, McGuireWoods. "While we are no longer married, we are the parents of two wonderful children and their happiness has been, and will always be, of paramount importance to both of us."
While the details of the split have not been revealed, the statement asserted that the couple's children, Sam Alexis, 3, and Charlie Axel, 1, will remain their primary focus.
"Once we came to the decision that our marriage was at an end, the primary focus of our amicable discussions has been to ensure their future well-being," the statement said. "The weeks and months ahead will not be easy for them as we adjust to a new family situation, which is why our privacy must be a principal concern."
Woods' personal and professional life has been in turmoil since the now infamous Thanksgiving holiday car crash that set off an avalanche of allegations about sexual infidelity. Throughout, Nordegren, 30, remained noticably absent, while reports flew that she could receive anywhere from $100 million to $500 million in assets from a divorce settlement.
Woods, 34, took a 5-month-long leave from golf after dozens of women came forward to claim they'd had affairs with him. Now back on the green, his game continues to decline. The man who once seemed a sure thing to break Jack Nicklaus' record for victories at the sport's four major tournaments failed to finish higher than fourth at any of the year's first three majors.
In his other five PGA tournaments this year he withdrew from one, missed the cut at another and finished no higher than 19th at the others.
According to People.com, they appeared at Bay County Circuit Court in Panama City, Fla., today for the execution of their divorce agreement.
"We are sad that our marriage is over and we wish each other the very best for the future," they said in a statement released by Nordegren's law firm, McGuireWoods. "While we are no longer married, we are the parents of two wonderful children and their happiness has been, and will always be, of paramount importance to both of us."
While the details of the split have not been revealed, the statement asserted that the couple's children, Sam Alexis, 3, and Charlie Axel, 1, will remain their primary focus.
"Once we came to the decision that our marriage was at an end, the primary focus of our amicable discussions has been to ensure their future well-being," the statement said. "The weeks and months ahead will not be easy for them as we adjust to a new family situation, which is why our privacy must be a principal concern."
Woods' personal and professional life has been in turmoil since the now infamous Thanksgiving holiday car crash that set off an avalanche of allegations about sexual infidelity. Throughout, Nordegren, 30, remained noticably absent, while reports flew that she could receive anywhere from $100 million to $500 million in assets from a divorce settlement.
Woods, 34, took a 5-month-long leave from golf after dozens of women came forward to claim they'd had affairs with him. Now back on the green, his game continues to decline. The man who once seemed a sure thing to break Jack Nicklaus' record for victories at the sport's four major tournaments failed to finish higher than fourth at any of the year's first three majors.
In his other five PGA tournaments this year he withdrew from one, missed the cut at another and finished no higher than 19th at the others.
Views On News – 23rd August 2010
Imran Khan Chairman PTI in fresh episode of Views On News in ARY News & talk with Dr. Shahid Masood.
Islamabad Tonight – 23rd August 2010
Babar Ghauri MQM, Siraj ul Haq JI, Khawaja Muhammad Asif PML-N and Justice (R) Tariq Mehmood in fresh episode of Islamabad Tonight in AAJ Tv & discusses current issue with Nadeem Malik.
Aaj Kamran Khan Kay Saath – 23rd August 2010
Mushahid Hussain Syed PML-Q and Senator Pervaiz Rasheed PML-N in fresh episode of Aaj Kamran Khan Kay Saath in Geo TV and talk with Kamran Khan.
Kal Tak – 23rd August 2010
Senator Ishaq Dar PML-N, Waseem Akhtar MQM and Senator Syed Nayyar Hussain Bukhari PPPP in fresh episode of Kal Tak in Express News & discusses current issue with Javed Chaudhry.
