[OOC] The Elites: Frontlines

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Pakistani PM seeks to dispel rumors of army rift

In this photo taken Sept. 9, 2008, Pakistan's President Asif Ali Zardari pauses during a press conference in Islamabad, Pakistan. Pakistan's president, recovering from a likely "mini stroke" in his Dubai home with no word on his return, is locked in a gathering struggle with the powerful army and political opponents over a secret memo sent to Washington seeking its help in averting a supposed military coup earlier this year.

In this photo taken Sept. 9, 2008, Pakistan's President Asif Ali Zardari pauses during a press conference in Islamabad, Pakistan. Pakistan's president, recovering from a likely "mini stroke" in his Dubai home with no word on his return, is locked in a gathering struggle with the powerful army and political opponents over a secret memo sent to Washington seeking its help in averting a supposed military coup earlier this year.

ISLAMABAD (AP) ? Pakistan's prime minister dismissed speculation of a rift between the government and the military over a secret memo sent to Washington seeking its help in averting a supposed military coup, saying the country was committed to democracy.

Political tensions have soared ahead of a hearing by Pakistan's Supreme Court into the circumstances surrounding the memo. The absence of President Asif Ali Zardari, recovering from a likely "mini stroke" in his Dubai home with no word on his return, has only added to rumors that the current civilian administration is in possible fatal trouble.

Zardari's critics are hoping the scandal will lead to his ouster, and delighted in portraying his trip to Dubai on Dec. 6 as a flight from the fallout from the memo. The president's aides have denied that, and most independent analysts believe the veteran politician, who has outlasted numerous predictions of his demise since taking office in 2008, will ride it out.

Tensions between the army and the government could complicate American attempts to rebuild ties with Pakistan, a country that many U.S. officials see as key to shepherding peace in Afghanistan. Airstrikes by the U.S.-led coalition in Afghanistan in late November killed 24 Pakistani soldiers along the border, hammering relations already strained by American suspicions that Islamabad is playing both sides in the Afghan war and virulent anti-U.S. sentiments inside Pakistan.

Late Friday, Prime Minister Yousuf Raza Gilani met with army chief Gen. Ashfaq Pervez Kayani to discuss the memo.

Gilani said in a statement afterward that he rejected the notion of a "standoff" between the army and the civilian leadership.

"The government of Pakistan and its institutions remain committed to their constitutional roles and obligations to a democratic and prosperous future for Pakistan," he said.

Pakistan has a long history of army coups or behind the scenes meddling by the generals to engineer pliant regimes, often with the support of the judiciary. That has left the country's 180 million people especially receptive to the idea that the collapse of the government is just around the corner.

Pakistan's envoy to the United States, Husain Haqqani, resigned last month amid allegations that he masterminded what has been dubbed a "treasonous" memo. Then U.S. military chief Adm. Mike Mullen has said he received the note, but ignored it.

With questions swirling over whether the president himself was aware of the letter, Zardari's main political rival petitioned the Supreme Court to hold an inquiry into the affair. Moving with rare speed, the court swiftly asked for statements from 10 people, including Haqqani, Gen. Kayani, Lt. Gen. Shuja Pasha and American-Pakistani businessman Mansoor Ijaz, who allegedly arrange for the memo to be delivered and then went on to reveal its existence via the media.

On Wednesday, the deadline for submissions, the Supreme Court ? widely considered to be hostile to the Zardari government ? said it had received statements from everyone except the president. The government said a parliamentary probe into the affair is enough, and it is unclear whether Zardari will cooperate.

In a new twist to the scandal, former U.S. national security adviser Gen. James Jones, who acted as an intermediary between Ijaz and Mullen, said in a sworn affidavit delivered to the court that he had no reason to believe that Haqqani had anything to do with the memo. He also said that he didn't find the memo "credible" and questioned why Ijaz, a businessmen and part-time journalist, would deliver it. The Associated Press obtained a copy of the affidavit Saturday.

Officials have not revealed what is wrong with Zardari, though this week did release a statement by his doctor saying he had lost consciousness for several minutes and was suffering from pain in his arm. It didn't give a diagnosis, however. One associate has privately said Zardari suffered a "mini-stroke" that had left no lasting damage.

The 56-year-old, with a history of heart troubles, left hospital on Wednesday. But aides have not said when he will travel to Pakistan. So long as he remains abroad, rumors will continue.

"Mr. Zardari needs to return to Pakistan to try and calm nerves and quell speculation that refuses to die down," Pakistan's daily Dawn newspaper said in an editorial. "Like it or not, the reality of Pakistan is that threats to the democratic process do lurk in the shadows."

Zardari, who was thrust to the presidency after his wife, Benazir Bhutto, was assassinated by militants in 2007, has never been particularly popular. His party has a majority in parliament, and his lawmakers are expected to give it a majority in the Senate in elections in March.

That prospect has allegedly prompted hardline lawmakers to seek his ouster immediately.

"They are creating a lot of fuss, they want something to happen, either through the Supreme Court or the army or through street agitation," said political analyst Hasan-Askari Rizvi. "Still, I think he can manage it, and linger on for a while."

Many are questioning why the president doesn't announce when he will return.

One possible reason is the general incompetence of those close to him. Another is that he is too ill to communicate his wishes to those around him, and with the boss incapacitated, his aides aren't brave enough to say anything.

While Zardari is a skilled operator in the frequently below-the-belt world of Pakistani politics, he has been known to ignore, or be unaware, of how his actions are playing in the street. When the world was rushing to help Pakistan recover from devastating floods in 2010, he flew to his family chateaux in France, triggering disbelief and outrage.

Associated Press

Source: http://hosted2.ap.org/APDEFAULT/cae69a7523db45408eeb2b3a98c0c9c5/Article_2011-12-17-AS-Pakistan/id-ac6c49a2472a4945b2d2a952369577eb

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D.Boerse, NYSE ramp up lobbying amid EU concerns over merger (Reuters)

BRUSSELS (Reuters) ? Deutsche Boerse and NYSE Euronext have stepped up their lobbying with an advertising campaign to pressure EU regulators and secure approval for their $9 billion merger.

In what some antitrust lawyers said was an unprecedented move for a competition case, the exchanges took out full-page adverts in seven newspapers in Britain, Germany, France, the Netherlands, Belgium and Portugal on Tuesday, touting the merits of the deal for Europe's financial sector.

The advert, signed by 30 academics and top executives from companies such as French oil major Total and French reinsurer SCOR, appeared amid continuing EU regulatory concerns and criticism from rivals and some users over the deal.

The European Commission is concerned about the combined entity's more than 90 percent share of the exchange-based derivatives trading in Europe and whether new players would be able to enter the market after the merger.

The exchanges will need to be careful not to be too heavy-handed in their lobbying, said experts.

"When appropriately done, lobbying can be effective but too heavy lobbying can be counter-productive. To be effective, it has to be extremely focused, touch the right button and has the right message," said Bernard Amory, a partner at law firm Jones Day.

Microsoft, for example, which marshalled an army of lobbyists in its decade-long battle with the European Commission, was hit with total fines of 899 million euros ($1.17 billion) -- a record at that time -- for breaching EU antitrust rules.

Nicolas Petit, a professor at the University of Liege Law School, said that lobbying had to be carefully targeted to be effective.

"In general, lobbying has little influence but in exceptionally important cases and where the lobbying is directly targeted at distinct teams within the competition directorate, it may have some influence and may create internal conflicts," Petit said.

"In one antitrust case for instance, rumor has it that the chief economist team did not support the theories advanced by the case team. The case was eventually dropped."

Playing to national interests could result in a favorable outcome, said Christopher Kummer, head of think tank the Institute of Mergers, Acquisitions and Alliances.

"I do believe that talking to the right political influencer's might make a difference which means taking it to a very high level," he said. "If I would want to get this deal done - very, very national senior support is needed."

The exchanges have chosen four top-notch lobbyists to make their case. Fipra, whose advisers are usually former government officials and industrial specialists, is tasked with winning support from national competition regulators for the deal.

G+ Europe, which has a blue-chip client list, and FTI Consulting deals with the press. A fourth firm, cabinet DN, lobbies EU lawmakers on securities regulation issues.

($1 = 0.7694 euros)

(Reporting by Foo Yun Chee; Editing by Elaine Hardcastle)

Source: http://us.rd.yahoo.com/dailynews/rss/stocks/*http%3A//news.yahoo.com/s/nm/20111215/bs_nm/us_dboerse_nyse_eu

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Golden Globe Predictions: Brad Pitt, 'Bridesmaids' And More

We think Meryl Streep, 'The Help' and George Clooney will definitely snag Globes nominations Thursday.
By Kara Warner

Brad Pitt in "Moneyball"
Photo: Columbia TriStar

Although there have been a slew of award nominations announced in recent weeks, things kicked into high gear Wednesday (December 14) with the Screen Actors Guild nods and go into overdrive Thursday when the Hollywood Foreign Press Association announces the Golden Globe nominees.

We've gathered our thoughts about whose names will be read bright and early Thursday morning — the shoo-ins and the should-bes.

Best Motion Picture - Drama
Shoo-ins: "The Help," "The Descendants," "Hugo" and "War Horse"

Should-bes: "Warrior," "Moneyball," "Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows, Part 2"

The HFPA loves A-list stars, and what better way to guarantee their attendance at your ceremony than with a nomination? "The Help" is a clear fave, "Descendants" means George Clooney and "Hugo" and "War Horse" mean big-time directors. "Moneyball" would bring Brad Pitt — who would bring Angelina Jolie, maybe. "Potter" deserves a nomination for the franchise's astounding success.

Best Motion Picture - Comedy or Musical
Shoo-ins: "The Artist," "Bridesmaids" and "Midnight in Paris"

Should-bes: "The Beginners" and "50/50"

There are always a few great surprises at the Globes, particularly with the Best Comedy or Musical category. It opens up the field and allows for a few fun entries, including all of the above. The HFPA loves Woody Allen, but both "Bridesmaids" and "The Artist" have great momentum.

Best Performance by an Actor in a Motion Picture - Drama
Shoo-ins: George Clooney in "The Descendants," Brad Pitt in "Moneyball" and Leonardo DiCaprio in "J. Edgar"

Should-bes: Michael Fassbender in "Shame," Ryan Gosling in "Drive" and Gary Oldman in "Tinker Tailor Soldier Spy"

So many heavy-hitters to choose from! The critics love Fassbender and Gosling this year, so it will be interesting to see if the HFPA also feels the love for the popular young men. And Oldman is a perennial favorite, despite being snubbed by SAG.

Best Performance by an Actor in a Motion Picture - Musical or Comedy
Shoo-ins: Jean Dujardin in "The Artist," Owen Wilson in "Midnight in Paris" and Johnny Depp in "The Rum Diary"

Should-bes: Joseph Gordon-Levitt in "50/50," Steve Carell in "Crazy Stupid Love" and Brendan Gleeson in "The Guard"

Dujardin is a serious front-runner, and the HFPA almost always nominates Depp, no matter the critical and box-office reception of the qualifying film in question. Gordon-Levitt is one of the most talented actors working right now, and his wonderful performance in "50/50" deserves recognition.

Best Performance by an Actress in a Motion Picture - Drama
Shoo-ins: Viola Davis in "The Help," Meryl Streep in "The Iron Lady" and Tilda Swinton in "We Need to Talk About Kevin"

Should-bes: Glenn Close in "Albert Nobbs" and Kirsten Dunst in "Melancholia"

Such strong, stalwart contenders here who gave well-received and compelling performances in a variety of films. It will be very interesting to see if the HFPA goes for iconic favorites or new-ish blood, particularly since several of these films have not yet been widely released.

Best Performance by an Actress in a Motion Picture - Musical or Comedy
Shoo-ins: Michelle Williams in "My Week With Marilyn" and Charlize Theron in "Young Adult"

Should-bes: Kristen Wiig in "Bridesmaids"

This category is more difficult to predict than the Drama category, which might mean it will lend itself to a couple of pleasant surprises.

Best Supporting Actor
Shoo-ins: Christopher Plummer in "Beginners" and Kenneth Branagh in "My Week With Marilyn"

Should-bes: Nick Nolte in "Warrior" and Albert Brooks in "Drive"

We included this category for the sole purpose of trying to draw more attention to "Warrior" and Nolte's scene-stealing, kick-to-the-gut/ tug-on-the-heartstrings performance. And Brooks' turn in "Drive" also deserves a nod while we're at it.

Best Supporting Actress
Shoo-ins: Melissa McCarthy in "Bridesmaids," Octavia Spencer in "The Help," Bérénice Bejo in "The Artist" and Jessica Chastain in "The Help"

McCarthy and Spencer will likely be battling it out for this one come show time in January, although all the hype for "The Artist" could be great for Bejo. And Chastain deserves an award for being so good in so many movies this year.

Best Director
Shoo-ins: Steven Spielberg for "War Horse," Martin Scorsese for "Hugo," Woody Allen for "Midnight in Paris" and Angelina Jolie for "In the Land of Blood and Honey"

Should-bes: Alexander Payne for "The Descendants" and Michel Hazanavicius for "The Artist"

Yes Angelina Jolie is a Shoo-in. As we mentioned before, the HFPA loves their star power, and Jolie's directorial debut is a powerful, unrelenting drama about the Bosnian war. A historically based war drama directed by an A-list actress? Shoo-in — as are Spielberg and Scorsese. We want Allen to be a shoo-in, along with Payne and Hazanavicius.

Best Original Score
Shoo-ins: John Williams for "The Adventures of Tintin" and "War Horse," Howard Shore for "Hugo" and Ludovic Bource for "The Artist"

Should-bes: Michael Giacchino for "Super 8," Trent Reznor and Atticus Ross for "The Girl With the Dragon Tattoo," Cliff Martinez for "Drive" and Alexandre Desplat for "Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows, Part 2"

Fellow score nerds can visit our list of the year's 10 best scores for further analysis, but Williams, Shore and Bource are likely front-runners. The should-bes are equally worthy; it's difficult to know what moved the HFPA musically this year.

Best Television Series - Drama
Should-bes: "Game of Thrones," "The Good Wife," "Homeland," "Breaking Bad" and "Revenge"

Thanks to the out-of-the-box, groundbreaking programming spearheaded by cable networks like HBO, and Showtime, basic cable networks have stepped up their game as well in recent years, bringing us fascinatingly complex characters and equally compelling story lines. This year's best of the best offers a mix of lust, power and deceit in "Thrones," "Revenge" and "The Good Wife" and paranoid, damaged antiheroes in "Homeland," "Breaking Bad."

Best Television Series - Comedy or Musical
Should-bes: "Modern Family," "30 Rock," "Glee," "The League" and "The New Girl"

"Modern Family" has been on an award-winning roll with its unique, talented and diverse cast, but "30 Rock" is still noteworthy, as rumors of a final season swirl. "Glee" has taken a tumble in the ratings but brings in the key 18-24 demographic, along with hit newbie "The New Girl." And FX's often R-rated, testosterone-fueled, consistently hilarious sitcom about a bunch of dudes who are obsessed with fantasy football deserves a nod for ingenuity, plain and simple.

For breaking news, celebrity columns, humor and more — updated around the clock — visit MTVMoviesBlog.com.

Related Videos

• Best Movies Of 2011 Debate
• MTV Rough Cut: 'Bridesmaids'
• MTV Rough Cut: Brad Pitt And Jonah Hill In 'Moneyball'

Source: http://www.mtv.com/news/articles/1676014/golden-globe-nomination-predictions.jhtml

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Japan Prepares to Declare the Fukushima Reactor "Shutdown" [Fukushima]

Japanese officials are preparing to finally declare the Fukiushima power plant in a state of cold shutdown as early as 9am tomorrow (GMT). Now they can begin the estimated 40-year process of dismantling the site and repopulating the area. More »

Source: http://feeds.gawker.com/~r/gizmodo/full/~3/KBNNUo7S_Hg/japan-prepares-to-declare-the-fukushima-crisis-over

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'Sound of Music' star calls famed role 'awful,' 'gooey'

Asked about his most challenging role to date, Christopher Plummer gives a surprising answer.

?I think the part in 'The Sound of Music' was the toughest,? the actor said during The Hollywood Reporter?s exclusive actors roundtable interview.

Joined by fellow award contenders George Clooney, Albert Brooks, Gary Oldman, Christoph Waltz and Nick Nolte, Plummer offered his thoughts, expertise and experience with the craft. The actor, now approaching 82 years of age, has played King Lear, American journalist Mike Wallace, Russian writer Leo Tolstoy and most recently, an elderly gay man who comes out late in life in "Beginners." Yet it was his turn as Captain von Trapp in the 1965 musical that was the most difficult to perform.

VIDEOS: THR's Awards Season Actors Roundtable

?Because it was so awful and sentimental and gooey,? he explained with a laugh. ?You had to work terribly hard to try and infuse some miniscule bit of humor into it.?

The Robert Wise-directed film, which also starred Julie Andrews, went on to become an iconic piece of work. At the time of release,Plummer was 36 years old.

?It?s a very good picture [for] what it is,? he said. ?But somebody had to be Peck?s bad boy and I chose myself.?

Plummer went on to discuss his transition from stage to screen and why the ?drunk stage? of his life provided the most rewarding projects.

Watch the video below and for more from THR?s actors roundtable, click here.

? 2011 MSNBC Interactive.? Reprints

Source: http://today.msnbc.msn.com/id/45524645/ns/today-entertainment/

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William, Harry & Kate: British Olympic Ambassadors!

The Duke and Duchess of Cambridge and Prince Harry are joining forces in their official new roles as ambassadors to the British Olympic and Paralympic teams.

Sadly, Pippa Middleton is not royalty and thus, will not be participating along with the aforementioned, adorable trio. She remains royally cute, however.

The Royals are part of a group of 27 other ambassadors named from among Britain's most inspirational and accomplished Olympians from previous games.

In the cuteness department, team Great Britain has already won gold.

"Catherine, Harry and I are honored" and "hugely looking forward to an incredible sporting competition, but are also looking beyond next summer's games to the springboard it will provide for future success and excellence," William said in a statement.

"London hosting the 2012 Olympic and Paralympic Games will inspire so many people – particularly the young – to be the best they can be," he added.

Their offices at St. James's Palace said the Royals will "use their roles to promote the importance of participation in Olympic and Paralympic sport and encourage greater awareness of the Olympic and Paralympic values."

For Kate Middleton, the appointment positions her in another major national role after her being named a patron for the country's Princess Foundation.

Among themselves, all three are athletic: William, an avid swimmer, hopes to run a marathon, takes part in soccer and rugby, and plays tennis with Kate.

She played hockey at school, and still loves the game, as well as tennis. William's younger brother Harry is a major rugby and polo enthusiast.

[Photos: WENN.com]

Source: http://www.thehollywoodgossip.com/2011/12/william-harry-and-kate-british-olympic-ambassadors/

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