Supporters of Iran's government stage big rallies

Tens of thousands of Iranians have protested in favour of their government in major cities across the country, following recent opposition protests.

Government supporters marched in Tehran, Shiraz, Qom and elsewhere, chanting "Death to opponents!"

The rallies - reportedly organised by the government - were a response to the opposition demonstrations on Sunday.

Tehran has accused Western powers of stirring-up the protests which left at least eight people dead.

Among those killed was the nephew of opposition leader Mir Hossein Mousavi. Seyed Ali was buried on Wednesday, and opposition websites reported that family members had been ordered to hold a quiet funeral to avoid further protests.

The authorities deny opposition claims that police shot the protesters on Sunday.

Britain, Canada, France, Germany and the US have all condemned the violence.

Hundreds of people, including a number of opposition figures, have been arrested since Sunday - one of the most violent protests since June's disputed presidential election.

President Mahmoud Ahmadinejad was re-elected in the poll, which the opposition believes was rigged.

'Pawns of enemies'

Opposition websites said the pro-government rallies were sponsored by the authorities as a show of force against the regime's opponents.

They say that state-owned companies provided transport for their employees to take part in the demonstrations and that traditional bazaars were closed for the day in some cities.

Iran's hardliners have reacted angrily to the opposition protests staged during the Shia festival of Ashura.

"The offensive slogans have made the pious Iranian nation sad and the Zionist world happy," the government said in a statement.

It described the opposition as "pawns of the enemies" who "have furnished a red carpet for the foreigners who [are] aiming at the nation's security".

Some 500 people have been arrested since Sunday's protest, Iran's police chief Ismail Ahmadi Moghaddam said.

The BBC's diplomatic correspondent Jonathan Marcus says the Iranian authorities are clearly seeking to throw down a gauntlet to the opposition.

He says they are now embarking upon a two-pronged assault on the opposition:

• the undiplomatic attacks on Britain, the US and Israel - blaming them for fermenting the political unrest inside Iran - represents a clear attempt to paint opposition forces as the puppets of foreign powers

• but increasingly there is also an ominous religious tone to the government attacks as well; a branding of at least some of the opposition demonstrators as "enemies of God" - a label which could be used to justify their deaths.

All this makes it even harder for foreign governments to grapple with the Iranian authorities, our correspondent adds.

Nigeria gets 'illegal' new chief justice

Nigeria's new chief justice has been sworn in in the absence of President Umaru Yar'Adua, who is in hospital in Saudi Arabia with a heart condition.

A lawyer has told the BBC that the appointment of Aloysius Katsina-Alu is illegal, as only the president has the power to take his oath of office.

Instead, the ceremony was presided over by outgoing Chief Justice Idris Legbo Kutigi, who retires on 31 December.

There have been several calls for Mr Yar'Adua to resign over his ill-health.

Senior lawyer Bamidele Aturu told the BBC that the constitution makes it clear that the chief justice can only be sworn in by the president.

"This means the legality of the appointment is in question and people can go to court and challenge it," he said.

But this was denied by Mr Kutigi, who said a law had long been in existence to allow chief justices to swear in their successors.

Panic

The Nigeria Bar Association has called for an independent medical assessment of whether Mr Yar'Adua is well enough to carry out his duties.

Last week, an opposition politician began legal proceedings to try to force President Yar'Adua to step down on health grounds.

He has been in Saudi Arabia for more than a month.

The BBC's Caroline Duffield in Lagos says no-one knows who is making decisions and there has been barely concealed panic among officials in Abuja over what to do about the retirement of Nigeria's most senior judge.

There was talk of flying the new chief justice to the president's bedside and filming a ceremony.

Instead, officials decided that the outgoing chief justice would perform the president's job.

They are relying on the Oaths Act, which says that any lawyer can take an oath from anyone else.

But many observers are warning that Nigeria's constitution is being kicked aside.

Mr Yar'Adua also failed to appoint his deputy acting president when he left - another constitutional requirement.

Doctors say the president is suffering from acute pericarditis - inflammation of the lining of the heart.

He also has a long-standing kidney complaint.

Nasa picks three in space contest

The US space agency Nasa has selected three projects as finalists for its next celestial mission.

The projects aim to either probe the atmosphere and surface of Venus, return an asteroid fragment to Earth, or send back rocks from the Moon's south pole.

The proposals are part of the New Frontiers programme, designed to carry out frequent, low-cost missions.

Nasa has provided funding for a fuller analysis of the projects, with a winner to be selected in mid-2011.

The cost of the winning project must not exceed $650m (£410m) and must be ready to launch by the end of 2018.

These limits are in keeping with the New Frontiers programme's principles of funding focused, short-term, and comparatively cheap space science missions.

The three proposals are:

• The Surface and Atmosphere Geochemical Explorer, or Sage, would gather information about Venus' atmosphere during the descent of a lander, which would then scratch at the planet's surface to determine its chemical and mineral composition in detail.
• The Origins Spectral Interpretation Resource Identification Security Regolith Explorer, or Osiris-Rex, would initially orbit an asteroid, landing on it to collect about 60g of material that would be returned to Earth.
• The Lunar South Pole-Aitken Basin Sample Return Mission would land near the Moon's southern pole, returning about a kilogram of material that scientists believe has risen from the moon's interior to the surface.

Each team has been given $3.3m (£2.1m) to further flesh out the details of their proposals over the coming year.

"These are projects that inspire and excite young scientists, engineers and the public," said Ed Weiler, associate administrator for Nasa's Science Mission Directorate.

"These three proposals provide the best science value among eight submitted to Nasa this year."

The proposal that is eventually chosen will form the third mission in the New Frontiers programme.

The first, New Horizons, was launched in 2006 and is bound for a Pluto fly-by in 2015. The second, dubbed Juno, will be the first craft to orbit Jupiter from pole to pole after it launches in August 2011.

US aware 'Nigerian' prepared for terror attack

The US was aware that "a Nigerian" in Yemen was being prepared for a terrorist attack - weeks before an attempted bombing on a US plane.

ABC News and the New York Times say there was intelligence to this effect, but its source is unclear.

Umar Farouk Abdulmutallab flew from Lagos to Amsterdam before changing planes for a flight to Detroit on which he allegedly tried to detonate a bomb.

The Netherlands is to introduce body scanners on US flights within weeks.

Dutch Interior Minister Guusje Ter Horst said Mr Abdulmutallab did not raise any concerns as he passed through Amsterdam's Schiphol Airport to board the flight.

She said the airport would be able to use body scanners on all flights to the US from the airport in three weeks.

Obama denounces lapses

US President Barack Obama has said security failures were unacceptable.

He has said a systemic failure allowed Mr Abdulmutallab, a Nigerian, to fly to the US on 25 December despite family members warning officials in November that he had extremist views.

The source of the intelligence about "a Nigerian" in Yemen was reported as coming from the Yemeni government or from US intercept intelligence, which can refer to intercepted e-mail and phone calls.

Mr Obama said he wanted to know why a warning weeks ago from Mr Abdulmutallab's father did not lead to the accused being placed on a no-fly list.

"We need to learn from this episode and act quickly to fix flaws in the system," Mr Obama said.

"When our government has information on a known extremist and that information is not shared and acted upon as it should have been, so that this extremist boards a plane with dangerous explosives that could have cost nearly 300 lives, a systemic failure has occurred."

Some passengers and crew tackled Mr Abdulmutallab in his seat about 20 minutes before landing in Detroit as he allegedly tried to detonate explosives in his underwear.

Initial investigations found he had used the explosive PETN and a syringe filled with liquid.

The Dutch interior minister described the bomb as professionally made but executed in an "amateurish" way.

Mr Abdulmutallab has reportedly told investigators that he trained in Yemen with al-Qaeda.

He was living in Yemen from August to early December, the foreign ministry said, according to an earlier report from the official Saba news agency.

He had a visa to study Arabic at an institute in the capital, Sanaa.

CIA spokesman George Little earlier said the agency had become aware of Mr Abdulmutallab in November when his father, who had lost contact with him, visited the US embassy to seek help in finding him.

He said the agency had ensured the Nigerian's name was added to the government's terrorist database, and was forwarded to the National Counterterrorism Center.

UK hostage Peter Moore released alive in Iraq

British hostage Peter Moore has been released alive from captivity in Iraq, Foreign Secretary David Miliband said.

He said Mr Moore, an IT consultant from Lincoln who was seized in Baghdad in May 2007, was in good health and "absolutely delighted at his release".

Mr Miliband said the Moore family felt deep relief after two-and-a-half years of "misery, fear and uncertainty".

Four bodyguards were seized with Mr Moore. Three were shot dead; the fourth is also thought to have been killed.

The bodies of Jason Swindlehurst, from Skelmersdale, Lancashire, and Jason Creswell, of Glasgow, were returned to the UK in June 2009, followed by that of Alec MacLachlan, of Llanelli, Carmarthenshire, in September.

Mr Miliband has called for the release of the body of the fourth guard - Alan McMenemy from Glasgow.

Mr Miliband said Mr Moore, who had been released on Wednesday morning, was in the British Embassy in Baghdad and would be reunited with his family as soon as possible.

The foreign secretary said he had had a "very moving" conversation with Mr Moore, who was "to put it mildly, absolutely delighted". He is undergoing medical checks.

Mr Miliband said: "The joy and relief that will be felt by Peter's family will be mirrored by the continuing anguish of the family of Alan McMenemy, the last of the five men taken hostage.

"We have believed for some time that he has been killed and his family have been told our view of his likely fate."

The foreign secretary also told the BBC there were no concessions or deals made to secure Mr Moore's release.

"This was an Iraqi-led process of political reconciliation in which an armed group has made vows to come within the political system and to renounce violence, and that's the foundation of Peter Moore's release," he said.

Mr Moore had been working for US management consultancy Bearingpoint in Iraq. The other men were security contractors employed to guard him.

British hostage released in Iraq

The group was captured at the Iraqi Ministry of Finance by about 40 men disguised as Iraqi policemen.

They were understood to belong to an obscure militia known as the Islamic Shia Resistance, which demanded the release of up to nine of their associates held in US military custody since early 2007.

Western counter-terrorism help 'not enough for Yemen

Yemen has said it is not getting enough support from the West to tackle al-Qaeda, as details emerge of the suspected US jet bomber's time there.

Foreign Minister Abu Bakr al-Qirbi told the BBC that Yemen had the will and ability to deal with al-Qaeda, but was undermined by a lack of support.

He estimated that several hundred al-Qaeda members were operating in Yemen and could be planning more attacks.

A Yemen-based branch of the network has claimed it planned the failed attack.

Yemeni officials said Umar Farouk Abdulmutallab, 23, the Nigerian man accused of trying to blow up the Detroit-bound jet on Christmas Day, was living in Yemen from August until the beginning of December, the official Saba news agency reported.

US officials are said to be concerned there may be more al-Qaeda-trained young men in the country planning to bring down US planes.

In recent weeks, Yemen has launched several major operations against al-Qaeda with US backing, amid fears the troubled country is becoming a major training centre for militants.

'Exaggerated' danger

In an interview for BBC Radio 4's World at One programme, Mr al-Qirbi said the conflict with al-Qaeda was a priority for his government despite wars with Shia rebels in the north and with separatists in the south.

Yemen was getting some support in this conflict but it was inadequate, he added.

"We need more training. We have to expand our counter terrorism units and this means providing them with the necessary training, military equipment, ways of transportation - we are very short of helicopters.

"The United States can do a lot, Britain can do a lot, the European Union can do a lot in that regard," he said.

He said he thought that 200-300 al-Qaeda members were operating in Yemen, but that this was just a rough guess.

"Of course there are a number in Yemen and they may actually plan for attacks as in Detroit," he said.

But Mr al-Qirbi said warnings about the situation made by US officials like Gen David Petraeus, head of Central Command, were overstated and "exaggerated in some media".

Guantanamo link

Mr Abdulmutallab has been charged with attempting to blow up the Northwest Airlines Airbus A330 from Amsterdam, which had nearly 300 people on board, as it made its final descent into Detroit on Friday.

The 23-year-old, who is being held at a federal prison in the US state of Michigan, was restrained by passengers and crew while allegedly trying to detonate a high-explosive device sewn inside his underwear.

He has reportedly told FBI investigators that al-Qaeda operatives in Yemen had supplied him with the bomb and that there were others like him who would strike soon. His family says it lost contact with him in October.

On Monday a web posting by al-Qaeda in the Arabian Peninsula, including a photograph purportedly of Mr Abdulmutallab in front of its banner, said the attack had been a response to US attacks against its operatives.

On Tuesday, an official at the Yemeni foreign ministry said that the Migration and Passport Authority had confirmed that Mr Abdulmutallab arrived in Yemen at the beginning of August to study at the Sanaa Institute for the Arabic Language (SIAL) and left for Ethiopia four months later.

ABC News earlier reported that among the group who planned the alleged attack were two men who were released by the US from its Guantanamo Bay detention centre in November 2007.

Mohammed Atiq al-Harbi, also known as Mohammed al-Awfi, and Said Ali al-Shihri were sent home to Saudi Arabia, where they were admitted to an "art therapy rehabilitation program" and later set free, US and Saudi officials said.

Both men appeared in a video in January along with the man described as the leader of al-Qaeda in the Arabian Peninsula, Nasser Abdul Karim al-Wuhayshi.

usa daily news usa news today local news: jesse stone movies

usa daily news usa news today local news: jesse stone movies

jesse stone movies

By Gina Gomez
Dec.28, (THAINDIAN NEWS) All the fans of much acclaimed American actor Tom Selleck were in for a treat as the actor appeared in the latest “Jesse Stone” movie, which was aired on CBS on Sunday night. The program which was titled “Jesse Stone: On Thin Ice”, turned out to be an extremely entertaining experience for all the viewers and ensured that they thoroughly enjoy themselves.

The 2009 edition of the “Jesse Stone” movies features Tom Selleck edging the title role of a police chief for five consecutive times. The latest movie showcases the 64 year old veteran actor as the police chief of a small town of Paradise, Mass. The story takes an interesting turn when the cop finds himself amidst an investigation after he unexpectedly gets involved in an incident at Boston street. In the shooting incident, one of his friends and a fellow police officer receive severe injuries, which results in Tom Selleck’s character being investigated for his involvement in the incident. Meanwhile, as a result of the ongoing investigation. supposedly the police chief has to distance himself from the town for a certain period of time. Apart from these, the movie also had a number of other captivating twists and turns, that made it worth watching.

Overall, the much anticipated movie managed to live up to the expectations of the viewers with its intriguing storyline and noteworthy performances. However, it was Tom Selleck’s true to life portrayal of the central character of Jesse Stone which completely stole the show. Meanwhile, one of the most acclaimed work of Tom Selleck is his portrayal of investigator Thomas Magnum in the popular television program ‘Magnum, P.I.’

Read more:

Arsenal vs Aston Villa Live Stream SCORE!

LIVE STREAM SCORE - Is there a live stream online of the Arsenal vs Aston Villa 2009 game? Live streaming scores of the Arsenal vs Aston Villa are available today courtesy of the BBC.

But if you want to watch live streaming video of the game, it’s not possible. Arsenal vs Aston Villa is the latest sporting event subjected to the fake “live streaming video” stories of 2009. The most recent and notable was the Cowboys vs Saints game. During that game, some sites continued to claim to have live streams even after the net was aware they didn’t exist.

Arsenal vs Aston Villa was scoreless in the first half. Now it’s 2-0. BBC reported after the first goal:

“Arsenal goal: Less than 10 minutes after coming on, captain fantastic Cesc Fabregas does the business for his side in sensational style. He wins the free-kick for Richard Dunne’s foul and curls a delicious effort into the top corner from 25 yards out.”

CLICK HERE FOR THE LIVE SCORING

And the following after the second goal:

“Arsenal goal: That is absolutely stunning from Arsenal. James Milner’s hopeless pass forward is picked up by Armand Traore, who sweeps a perfect long ball out to Theo Walcott. This time, the final ball is inch-perfect for Cesc Fabregas, who runs in between two defenders to slot past Brad Friedel. The Gunners’ celebrations are cut short though as Fabregas feels his hamstring before limping back to the halfway line…”

Arsenal vs Aston Villa Live Stream SCORE!

LIVE STREAM SCORE - Is there a live stream online of the Arsenal vs Aston Villa 2009 game? Live streaming scores of the Arsenal vs Aston Villa are available today courtesy of the BBC.

But if you want to watch live streaming video of the game, it’s not possible. Arsenal vs Aston Villa is the latest sporting event subjected to the fake “live streaming video” stories of 2009. The most recent and notable was the Cowboys vs Saints game. During that game, some sites continued to claim to have live streams even after the net was aware they didn’t exist.

Arsenal vs Aston Villa was scoreless in the first half. Now it’s 2-0. BBC reported after the first goal:

“Arsenal goal: Less than 10 minutes after coming on, captain fantastic Cesc Fabregas does the business for his side in sensational style. He wins the free-kick for Richard Dunne’s foul and curls a delicious effort into the top corner from 25 yards out.”

CLICK HERE FOR THE LIVE SCORING

And the following after the second goal:

“Arsenal goal: That is absolutely stunning from Arsenal. James Milner’s hopeless pass forward is picked up by Armand Traore, who sweeps a perfect long ball out to Theo Walcott. This time, the final ball is inch-perfect for Cesc Fabregas, who runs in between two defenders to slot past Brad Friedel. The Gunners’ celebrations are cut short though as Fabregas feels his hamstring before limping back to the halfway line…”

rachael ray racy photos

Rachael Ray spoke to "Nightline" co-anchor Cynthia McFadden recently, and she defended (among other things) her decision to pose provocatively in lad mag FHM.

"I thought if I'm gutsy enough to do this, this is a good thing for everybody," Ray said of being 35 and asked to pose in the magazine in 2003. "This is the everywoman, here she is. And I thought, what the heck? I asked my husband what he thought of it and he said, oh, kinda cool. And I did it and it was the most scared I've ever been and I wouldn't change a thing. I'd do it again tomorrow."

Ray also said her mother "remains furious" over her decision to participate in the shoot, and that she initially thought FHM stood for "Food and Home" not "For Him Magazine."

In the interview, which airs tonight (Monday) at 11:35 ET on ABC News' "Nightline," Ray also discusses the origin of her famous phrase "EVOO," defends her endorsement deal with Dunkin' Donuts, and explains that she is "not a chef."

See Rachael's FHM photos and Watch the

mele kaliki maka

Mele Kaliki Maka is what the Obama’s are saying this Christmas (photo). President Obama and his family left for Hawaii Thursday to spend 10 days on a family vacation. According to the White House website, there isn’t much on the calendar for the next ten days.

President Obama, Michelle Obama and daughters, Malia, 11, and Sasha, eight took off on Air Force One Christmas Eve, after the Senate health care reform vote was in.

Before he left, Obama delivered holiday messages to the US military, and wished troops a merry Christmas and thanked them for their service.

Mele Kaliki Maka means Merry Christmas in Hawaiian, and it is one of the most famous Christmas songs that Bing Crosby sang.

doctor who end of time torrent

Which brings me to my disappointment this morning when I realized the Doctor Who Christmas special ‘The End Of Time” wasn’t airing until tomorrow.

What bollocks! If that’s the way it’s gonna be, call it a friggin Day-After-Christmas special. Here I thought the Brits were all anti-torture. But this was a cruel blow.

I was already setting my clock to London time so as to anticipate the availability of the torrent.

But, hey, it’s just another 24 hours, and waiting for Doctor Who to air is usually a matter of months. I’ll get through it with my new British series–Misfits.

A group of dysfunctional British teens who are all stuck doing court-mandated community service get stuck in a freak lightning storm and develop superpowers.

what stores are open on christmas day 2009

Stores open on Christmas day 2009 include....

It's tough to find a list of stores open on Christmas day 2009, because there is no universal list of retailers keeping their doors open. Many stores were open on Thanksgiving day 2009 to try to get more shoppers inside to spend more for the holiday shopping rush. However, many of those same stores are closed today including Walmart, Target, Best Buy and Toys R Us. It has been reported that Starbucks and IHOP will be open in many areas for serving patrons.

Online shopping continues around the clock. You can always spend certain gift cards on sites like Best Buy, Target or Amazon.com or place new orders 24/7. Amazon.com continues to offer great deals in their Gold Box and Lightning deal daily specials. View our Christmas holiday information page for more on today's deals.

Most of us are shopped out, however some people want to rush out to get necessary accessories, batteries for new gifts or food for dinner. Gas stations and convenience stores may be open. Also, some of the local businesses in your area may be open too. Be sure to check with your local newspaper or place a call to your favorite establishment to find out if the stores open on Christmas day 2009.

Best of the Year 2009

Having crowned The Story of Maths your number one, presenter Marcus du Sautoy explores the mathematics of ancient Egypt and Greece, and discovers how fundamental the subject is to our lives.

BBC Persian's Sadeq Saba's gastronomical tour of his home country was voted second most popular documentary. In A Taste of Iran, Sadeq explores the culinary history of the different regions.

And in third place, an Our World investigation follows the life of Chechen human rights activist Natalya Estemirova, who was murdered just weeks before giving an interview to the BBC's Lucy Ash.

Voted fourth most popular, Life on the Edge meets obstetrician Grace Kodindo - world reknowned for her fight to stop women dying unnecessarily in pregnancy and childbirth - as she travels to north west Congo.

While Hollywood star Michelle Yeoh travels the world in Dying to go to School - voted your fifth favourite documentary - to find out why there's been an increase in young deaths due to more traffic.

And in sixth place, Panorama investigates the interrogation techniques used by the Bush administration after 9/11 in Licence to Torture.

Susan Sarandon and Tim Robbins split confirmed

Hollywood couple Susan Sarandon and Tim Robbins have ended their relationship after more than two decades together, Sarandon's publicist has confirmed.

"Actress Susan Sarandon and her partner of 23 years, actor Tim Robbins, have announced that they separated over the summer," she said in a statement.

Sarandon, 63, met Robbins, 51, on the set of their 1988 film Bull Durham.

The couple, who never married, have two sons. Sarandon's representative said no further comments would be made.

Sarandon, whose films include Thelma and Louise and The Rocky Horror Picture Show, won an Oscar in 1996 for her work in Death Row drama Dead Man Walking.

The film was directed by Robbins, who went on to win an Academy Award for his performance in 2003's Mystic River.

In addition to the couple's sons Jack, 20, and Miles, 17, Sarandon has a 24-year-old daughter, Eva Amurri, from a previous relationship.

The actress recently attended the Royal Film Performance in London of her latest movie, The Lovely Bones.

She also travelled to Sweden last month to accept a career achievement prize at the Stockholm Film Festival.