Pop Tarts: Charlie Sheen Sorry for N-Word; Why No Man Will Date Denise Richards

LOS ANGELES — The tension between ex-spouses Charlie Sheen and Denise Richards reached another boiling point this week when a three-year-old voicemail of the "Two and a Half Men" star using the N-word against Richards emerged.
"I deeply apologize by my choice of words to all I have obviously offended; especially to Tony Todd, an African-American, who was my best man at my first two weddings," Sheen said in a statement on Wednesday.
"And for the record, my children did not show up today for a custodial visit without explanation. So three and one-half years later, the reasons that caused the anger and frustration displayed on that voicemail continue to be manifested on a daily basis."
Ever since their split in 2005, the former spouses have been squabbling over the custody rights regarding their two children, Lola and Sam. The case became particularly sour earlier this year when Sheen unsuccessfully turned to the courts in an attempt to stop their children from appearing on Denise's reality show, which he called an act of "exploitation.""I want people to see the show and all that stuff about me exploiting my children will be put to rest," Denise told Pop Tarts. "The reality is that I'm a single mom to two very young girls and I think that I would be manipulating the show if I didn't have them in it at all. If at any point my daughters said, 'I don't like these people around' or 'Why are they filming us?' it would be done."
Sheen recently re-married, but Richards remains loverless — and for a good reason. How many men out there are ready to run right into a relationship without as much as a date?
"I would much rather skip the whole dating process and be in a relationship. That's probably why I’m still single," the 37-year-old starlet said while promoting her new E! reality show, "It's Complicated," adding that she’s very uncomfortable and suffers from extreme nervousness at the mere thought of dating.
But while the "Drop Dead Gorgeous" glamour girl professes to be perfectly "happy being single," she wouldn’t mind a special somebody who is just a "good guy and a good dad."
Speaking of good guys, Richards also refuted her reputation that she has a thing only for bad boys.
"Everyone makes a point of saying that I like bad boys, and in my defense, Charlie was a reformed bad boy and Richie [Sambora] is not a bad boy," she said. "He's actually an amazing guy and a great dad."
Richards briefly dated the Bon Jovi guitarist after splitting from Sheen.
Kate Hudson and Lance Armstrong Love Stuck
Forget being love struck, it seems new couple Kate Hudson and Lance Armstrong are totally and utterly love stuck.
After spending Father's Day weekend schmoozing and moving through New York City, the actress and athlete were spotted together at the trendy STK restaurant on Tuesday evening.
We're told Hudson and Armstrong didn't let each other's hand go all night, even as they chatted to guests and noshed on hors d'oeuvres as they celebrated the launch of health and fitness social networking site, Livestrong.com.
Gisele Bundchen No Britney Spears
Gisele Bundchen clearly is in love with her quarterback beau, Tom Brady. But the folks at GQ magazine couldn't help but ask the supermodel if she really did cut her hair Britney Spears-style back in 2005 after splitting with Leonardo DiCaprio.
Bundchen dismissed the reports as "ridiculous" — just like the rumor that she boosted her bank balance by $35 million last year.
"Look, this is my job. I take pictures. There is no big deal. I would like to know who this reporter is finding out all of these amounts," she said. "I would like him to talk to my accountant and figure out where is the cash that's missing. Because I haven't seen it."
Porn Star Tera Patrick Turns to Clothes
We wouldn’t normally put clothes and porn in the same sentence, but when you’re talking about X-rated mogul Tera Patrick, it seems to work well.
The world’s No. 1 porn star hosted a big bash in Hollywood on Wednesday night to launch her T-shirt line with PJE Los Angeles. We’re told the casual yet sophisticated collection soon will be selling at numerous high-end boutiques, but it turns out Kitson won't be one of them.
Despite rumors that the porn princess' shirts will replace the space left from Victoria Beckham's dwindling denim line dVb, the store confirmed that this will not be the case as it "passed" on Patrick's line this time.
Meanwhile, at House of Blues in West Hollywood on Tuesday night, we couldn’t understand why there were dozens of busty beauties literally wearing next to nothing (fishnets and thongs don’t count) hanging around the Sunset Strip hotspot and posing for the paps in a very seductive manner.
It turned out that a lingerie-clad Patrick and her rocker husband, Evan Seinfeld, were launching their weekly Playboy channel SIRIUS radio show "Rockstar Pornstar."

Tiger to miss rest of season

NEW YORK (AP) -- Tiger Woods will miss the rest of the season because of surgery to repair a torn ligament in his left knee, an injury he has been dealing with the last 10 months despite winning nine of 12 tournaments.
Woods also said he suffered a double stress fracture of his left tibia while preparing to return to the PGA Tour last month, which forced him to miss the Memorial and was the source of his pain at Torrey Pines when he won the U.S. Open.
He had arthroscopic surgery April 15 to clean out cartilage in his left knee, bypassing ACL surgery with hopes it could get him through the 2008 season. But going 91 holes for his 14th career major made it impossible to play any longer.
"Now, it is clear that the right thing to do is to listen to my doctors, follow through with this surgery and focus my attention on rehabilitating my knee," Woods said in a statement on his Web site.
Woods was last seen in public late Monday afternoon walking with a pronounced limp across Torrey Pines toward the parking lot, the U.S. Open trophy in his arms.
Upcoming surgery makes his 14th major title even more staggering -- despite the stress fractures, he managed to win a U.S. Open that required five days of flinching, grimacing and a long list of spectacular shots that have defined his career.
"Although I will miss the rest of the 2008 season, I'm thrilled with the fact that last week was such a special tournament," Woods said.
He played only seven times worldwide this year and won five of them. He will miss a major championship for the first time in his career and will not be available for the Ryder Cup in September.
It will be the third surgery in five years on his left knee, although Woods said doctors have assured him the outlook is positive. When asked Monday if he further damaged his knee by playing in the U.S. Open, Woods said, "Maybe."
Doctors have told him, however, that the stress fractures will heal with time.
He did not say when he would have surgery.
Woods is ultra private with his health and personal life, never more so than at the U.S. Open. He never mentioned the torn ACL or the stress fracture, and wouldn't say how he was treating it, only that it was more sore as the week went on.
Perhaps the biggest surprise was when the injury first happened.
Woods said he tore the ACL while jogging at home after the British Open last July. He chose not to have surgery and went on a run that included seven consecutive victories, including the Dubai Desert Classic in Europe and his Target World Challenge, an unofficial event.
He did not play overseas late last year for the first time since 2003, hopeful that rest could allow him to play more this year. But the pain intensified through the Masters, where he finished second, and Woods said the cartilage damage developed from the ACL injury.
What he didn't anticipate were the stress fractures, discovered as he tried to get ready to play in the Memorial.
"The stress fractures that were discovered just prior to the tournament unfortunately prevented me from participating and had a huge impact on the timing for my return," Woods said. "I was determined though, to do everything and anything in my power to play in the U.S. Open at Torrey Pines, which is a course that is close to where I grew up and holds many special memories for me."

Bush asks Congress to clear way for offshore oil drilling

WASHINGTON -- President Bush asked Congress Wednesday to permit drilling for oil in deep water off America's coasts to combat rising oil and gas prices. "There is no excuse for delay," the president said in a Rose Garden statement.
Bush also renewed his demand that Congress allow drilling in Alaska's Arctic National Wildlife Refuge, or ANWR, clear the way for more refineries and encourage efforts to recover oil from shale in areas such as the Green River Basin of Colorado, Utah and Wyoming.
Bush said that the basin potentially contains more than three times as much recoverable oil as Saudi Arabia's proven reserves, and that the high price of oil makes it profitable to extract it.
"In the short run, the American economy will continue to rely largely on oil, and that means we need to increase supply here at home," said Bush, adding there is no more pressing issue than gas prices for many Americans.
The White House estimates there are 18 billion barrels of oil offshore that have not been exploited because of state bans, 10 billion to 12 billion in the Alaska National Wildlife Reserve, and 800 billion barrels of recoverable oil in the Green River Basin.
However, much of the U.S. oil is difficult or impossible to extract under current law.As for gas prices, resuming offshore exploration would not be a quick fix.
"If we were to drill today realistically speaking we should not expect a barrel of oil coming out of this new resource for three years, maybe even five years, so let's not kid ourselves," said Fadel Gheit, oil and gas analyst with Oppenheimer & Co. Equity Capital Markets Division.
But it almost certainly would be profitable.
Candida Scott, an oil industry researcher at Cambridge Research Associates, said oil needs to be priced at $60 a barrel or more to justify deep-shelf drilling. With oil now selling for $134 a barrel, companies are almost assured of profiting from offshore drilling, Scott said.
"For years, the president has pushed Congress to expand our domestic oil supply, but Democrats in Congress have consistently blocked such action," White House Press Secretary Dana Perino told CNN before Bush spoke.
She added, "As with several existing Republican congressional proposals, he wants to work with states to determine where offshore drilling should occur, and also for the federal government to share revenues with the states. The president believes Congress shouldn't waste any more time."
Democrats were quick to reject Bush's proposal.
"After eight years, President Bush and [Vice President] Dick Cheney have turned the GOP into the Gas and Oil Party. That's the legacy that they are going to leave," said Rep. Edward Markey of Massachusetts, chairman of the House Select Committee on Energy Independence and Global Warming.
"The White House has become a ventriloquist for the oil and gas industry, repeating the requests of the oil and gas industry -- that they be allowed to destroy the most pristine areas of our country," Markey added.
Congressional Democrats last week introduced a bill to compel oil companies to begin utilizing federal land they already lease. Oil companies are sitting on 68 million acres they have already leased from the American people for the purpose of oil and natural gas production," said Sen. Bob Menendez, D-New Jersey.
"It is about time they use these resources already at their disposal instead of waiting for more federal handouts and pushing to drill in the Arctic National Wildlife Refuge or up and down our coasts," he added.
Bush's request came a day after presumed Republican presidential nominee John McCain issued the same call at a campaign event in Houston, Texas.
"We have proven oil reserves of at least 21 billion barrels in the United States," he said. "But a broad federal moratorium stands in the way of energy exploration and production. And I believe it is time for the federal government to lift these restrictions and to put our own reserves to use." Watch McCain state his new position on drilling »
He said lifting the ban could be done "in ways that are consistent with sensible standards of environmental protection."
Opponents of offshore drilling say it would harm aquatic ecosystems by eroding wetlands, contaminating the water with chemicals, polluting the air, killing fish and dumping waste.
McCain made clear that he favors continuing the ban on drilling in the Arctic National Wildlife Refuge.
"Quite rightly, I believe, we confer a special status on some areas of our country that are best left undisturbed. When America set aside the Arctic National Wildlife Refuge, we called it a "refuge" for a reason," he said.
McCain's plan would let individual states decide whether to explore drilling possibilities. Oil companies are sitting on 68 million acres they have already leased from the American people for the purpose of oil and natural gas production," said Sen. Bob Menendez, D-New Jersey.
"It is about time they use these resources already at their disposal instead of waiting for more federal handouts and pushing to drill in the Arctic National Wildlife Refuge or up and down our coasts," he added.
Bush's request came a day after presumed Republican presidential nominee John McCain issued the same call at a campaign event in Houston, Texas.
"We have proven oil reserves of at least 21 billion barrels in the United States," he said. "But a broad federal moratorium stands in the way of energy exploration and production. And I believe it is time for the federal government to lift these restrictions and to put our own reserves to use." Watch McCain state his new position on drilling »
He said lifting the ban could be done "in ways that are consistent with sensible standards of environmental protection."
Opponents of offshore drilling say it would harm aquatic ecosystems by eroding wetlands, contaminating the water with chemicals, polluting the air, killing fish and dumping waste.
McCain made clear that he favors continuing the ban on drilling in the Arctic National Wildlife Refuge.
"Quite rightly, I believe, we confer a special status on some areas of our country that are best left undisturbed. When America set aside the Arctic National Wildlife Refuge, we called it a "refuge" for a reason," he said.
McCain's plan would let individual states decide whether to explore drilling possibilities.

Kevin Federline Named Father of the Year by Las Vegas Club Prive

Britney Spears and Kevin Federline were both in Las Vegas Friday night, but didn't hang out.
Federline nabbed a Father of the Year Award at club Prive, while Spears chilled with her dad Jamie and an assistant at the Cinevegas party at Palms Place.
Spears, 26, sipped just water while sitting in a poolside cabana, according to an Usmagazine.com eyewitness. She departed at 12:20 a.m. Saturday morning, after spending about an hour and a half there.
Meanwhile, across town, Federline was shocked at his Father of the Year award.
"I'm surprised," Federline said when asked how it felt to win the title.
Federline, 30, hit up the club with a group of male pals — including divorce attorney Mark Vincent Kaplan — just before 1 a.m. Saturday morning.

Mariah might scrap plans for second wedding

Mariah Carey’s Big Apple wedding might be off, according to sources close to Carey. The pop diva and her husband, Nick Cannon, hoped to have a lavish celebration that would involve millions of dollars and dozens of bridesmaids.
“The small wedding in the Bahamas was nice, but it was not Mariah’s style. The lady loves a spectacle,” said a source familiar with Mariah’s plans. What went wrong? The issue of who was picking up the tab.
“Mariah was willing to pay for the wedding, but the way she hoped to pay for the wedding was through the sale of photos. No one was interested,” the source revealed. That said, Carey and Cannon are still happy and reportedly shopping their way through their first months of marriage. Cannon flew out to Oahu to meet his wife, who was filming a video, but his first order of business was a trip to Macy’s at the Waikiki Kahala Mall in search of “his new line of PNB hoodies,” according to In Touch.
He also stopped by a local Tiffany & Co., where “he spent time choosing a gift for Mariah and put it in a regular paper bag so he could surprise her.”
Sherri Shepherd gears up for the EmmysThe Daytime Emmy Awards don’t have a reputation for being particularly exciting television, but if there ever was a woman capable of spicing up the broadcast, it’s Sherri Shepherd, who is hosting the show, along with Cameron Mathison, for the first time.Shepherd said she’s got some jitters, but one thing she’s not nervous about is contacting daytime hosting rival Tyra Banks, who is presenting at the Emmys. “Tyra is absolutely amazing … there is no rivalry and whenever she comes on ‘The View,’ I’m always excited to see Tyra, and we usually have the same hair.”
Pardon? The same hair? Shephard explained: “There’s times when (I see her and) I’m like, ‘Tyra, I thought I picked a wig that would not match the hair you are wearing but we both got curlies today.’”
Even if the two do show up at the Emmys with the same hair, chances are the awkwardness won’t last, as Shepherd has not only wardrobe changes planned, but wig changes, too. “Yes there will be a few wig changes, and I’m hoping they give me a wig room,” Shepherd said.
The Daytime Emmys will air June 20 on ABC.
Jimmy Fallon slimming down for late nightJimmy Fallon has been spotted doing some serious time on the treadmill at his Manhattan-area gym lately, but he isn’t necessarily happy about it.
Friends of Fallon’s suggested he slim down in preparation for taking over Conan O’Brien’s late-night spot, but Fallon isn’t interested. “He’s got a lot riding on that first show next year,” a friend told OK! magazine. “So his first priority isn’t the size of his pants.”
Another source close to Fallon said that the weight gain is just “love handles,” and that the suggestion that he has to be thinner is irritating to the comedian. “He’s a little stunned that at this point in his life he has to deal with such things. I mean, it’s late-night TV,” said the source. “He and his wife love to stay in, eat pizza, watch TV and relax. That’s his perfect night, so what if he’s packed on a few pounds because of it?”

Iowa river still rising — at 2 inches an hour

Cedar Rapids hospital evacuates; river expected to crest higher now
CEDAR RAPIDS, Iowa - Officials evacuated patients from a Cedar Rapids hospital on Friday as the rising waters from the Cedar River confounded the city's best efforts to secure the downtown area. Much of the Midwest remained under threat of more severe weather, with yet another storm front moving through Kansas, Missouri and Wisconsin.

In Cedar Falls, officials early Friday had hoped the Cedar River would crest Friday at about 31.8 feet, but NBC's Kevin Tibbles later reported from the city that officials now fear it won't crest until the weekend, with a predicted crest of 33 feet.

The water has been rising about two inches an hour, Tibbles added.
The river was at 30.9 feet early Friday. In a 1993 flood, considered the worst in recent history, it crested at 19.27 feet.

"We are seeing a historic hydrological event taking place with unprecedented river levels occurring," said Brian Pierce, a meteorologist with the National Weather Service in Davenport. "We're in uncharted territory — this is an event beyond what anybody could even imagine."

At the Mercy Medical Center in downtown Cedar Rapids, all 176 patients were evacuated to other hospitals in the region. The evacuation started late Thursday night and continued Friday morning in the city of 124,000 residents.

"Some are frail and so it's a very delicate process with them," said Karen Vander Sanden, a hospital spokeswoman.

Water was seeping into the hospital's lower levels, where the emergency generator is located, said Dustin Hinrichs of the Linn County emergency operations center. "They proactively and preventatively started evacuation basically guessing on the fact they were going to lose power," he said.

I-80 cut off for miles
Flooding also closed Interstate 80 from east of Iowa City to Davenport. The flooded Cedar River crosses the interstate in Cedar County, about 20 miles east of Iowa City.

By late Thursday, Cedar Rapids officials estimated that 100 blocks were under water, where several days of preparation could not hold back the rain-swollen river. Rescuers had to use boats to reach many stranded residents, and people could be seen dragging suitcases up closed highway exit ramps to escape the water.

"We're just kind of at God's mercy right now, so hopefully people that never prayed before this, it might be a good time to start," Linn County Sheriff Don Zeller said late Thursday. "We're going to need a lot of prayers and people are going to need a lot of patience and understanding."

In Wisconsin, amphibious vehicles that carry tourists on the Wisconsin River were used to evacuate homes and businesses in Baraboo, north of Madison. Hundreds of people lost power in Avoca, west of Madison, and were "strongly encouraged" to evacuate because of flooding of the Wisconsin River and some streams, said Chief Deputy Jon Pepper of the Iowa County Sheriff's Department.

France team euro 2008

Tournament fixtures
09/06/2008 v Romania 0 - 0
13/06/2008 v Netherlands 20:45
17/06/2008 v Italy 20:45


Squad list

Goalkeepers1 Steve Mandanda
16 Sébastien Frey
23 Grégory Coupet

Defenders2 Jean-Alain Boumsong
3 Eric Abidal
5 William Gallas
13 Patrice Evra
14 François Clerc
15 Lilian Thuram
17 Sébastien Squillaci
19 Willy Sagnol

Midfielders4 Patrick Vieira
6 Claude Makelele
7 Florent Malouda
11 Samir Nasri
20 Jérémy Toulalan
21 Lassana Diarra
22 Franck Ribéry

Forwards8 Nicolas Anelka
9 Karim Benzema
10 Sidney Govou
12 Thierry Henry
18 Bafetimbi Gomis

Switzerland Team Euro 2008

Tournament fixtures
07/06/2008 v Czech Republic 0 - 1
11/06/2008 v Turkey 20:45
15/06/2008 v Portugal 20:45

Squad list
Goalkeepers1 Diego Benaglio
18 Pascal Zuberbühler
21 Eldin Jakupovic

Defenders2 Johan Djourou
3 Ludovic Magnin
4 Philippe Senderos
5 Stephan Lichtsteiner
13 Stéphane Grichting
17 Christoph Spycher
20 Patrick Müller
23 Philipp Degen

Midfielders6 Benjamin Huggel
7 Ricardo Cabanas
8 Gökhan Inler
10 Hakan Yakin
14 Daniel Gygax
15 Gelson Fernandes
16 Tranquillo Barnetta
19 Valon Behrami
22 Johan Vonlanthen

Forwards9 Alexander Frei
11 Marco Streller
12 Eren Derdiyok

Portugal Team Euro 2008

ournament fixtures
07/06/2008 v Turkey 2 - 0
11/06/2008 v Czech Republic 18:00
15/06/2008 v Switzerland 20:45

Squad list
Goalkeepers1 Ricardo
12 Nuno Espírito Santo
22 Rui Patrício

Defenders2 Paulo Ferreira
3 Bruno Alves
4 Bosingwa
5 Fernando Meira
13 Miguel
14 Jorge Ribeiro
15 Pepe
16 Ricardo Carvalho

Midfielders6 Raul Meireles
8 Petit
10 João Moutinho
18 Miguel Veloso
20 Deco

Forwards7 Cristiano Ronaldo
9 Hugo Almeida
11 Simão
17 Ricardo Quaresma
19 Nani
21 Nuno Gomes
23 Hélder Postiga

28 dead as fire engulfs plane in Sudan, officials say

A jetliner burst into flames Tuesday after landing in Sudan, killing at least 28 people, officials said.Khartoum Police Chief Mohammad Othman Mohammad Noor said "a defect" in the Sudan Airways plane caused it to catch fire as it touched down."The fire then led to an explosion on the airplane," he said. "There was a large number of passengers on the plane, some of whom survived. The number of casualties is still unconfirmed at this time."
Lighting up the night sky, flames consumed the plane as it sat on the runway at the airport, which is in the center of Khartoum near residential and business areas.
Mortuary officials said that 28 people had been confirmed dead, though initial reports said that more than 100 had been killed.
Police updated that information late Tuesday, saying 123 people survived. Dozens are unaccounted for. It's possible that some of those people may have simply gone home after escaping the burning plane, officials said.

Hospitals said they were treating 11 patients from the plane.Sudanese television reported that more than 200 people were on the plane when the incident occurred about 8:45 p.m. (1:45 p.m. ET). Sudan Airways Flight 109 was arriving from Amman, Jordan, and Damascus, Syria, airport security officials said.Abbas al-Fadini, a member of the Sudanese parliament who was on the plane, told Al-Jazeera that "fire was inside the plane."

"It started from the right engine and then spread to the inside of the plane," he said.
He was sitting in the front of the plane, he said, and was among those who got out first. Flight attendants and crew members were guiding passengers to the exit, he said.
Some passengers who had minor injuries remained at the airport, he said.
Journalist Andrew Heavens said relatives of those on the plane had gathered at the airport, talking on their cell phones and waiting for news as ambulances sped past.
John Ukec, the Sudanese ambassador to the United States, confirmed that the plane was a Sudan Airways flight carrying 203 passengers and 14 crew members.
Sudanese television said 13 of the crew members survived.
Jordanian officials said the plane carried 34 passengers when it left Amman and picked up 169 passengers in Damascus. It made an initial landing outside Khartoum, at Port Sudan on the Red Sea, the Jordanian officials said, but took off again and landed in the city.
Sources in Khartoum said the plane was an Airbus A310 with the capacity to carry 250 people.
The weather in Khartoum as the plane attempted to land was terrible, the sources said. Low visibility and heavy rain and wind followed a big sandstorm earlier in the day.
A pilot who landed a plane in Khartoum earlier in the evening reported a rough landing, the source said, and added that there was a lot of standing water on the runway. Sandstorms can cause crashes when sand gets into the engines and causes them to ignite, the pilot said.
Video from the scene showed wreckage engulfed in flames. Media reports said the initial landing of the Sudan Airways flight was delayed because of the weather, and the plane landed after the weather cleared.
CNN's Nic Robertson, who recently was in Sudan, said the nation is in its rainy season.
"It's the time of year where you get massive rainstorms ... just coming in very quickly," he said. "The problem in Khartoum is not just the rain, but it mixes with a lot of dust in the air. Khartoum is right on the edge of the Sahara Desert. The city is famous almost for these huge dust storms that blow in. So at this time of year, you get the dust, you get the rain coming together. It's bad conditions."
He said the Khartoum airport is very modern, with a large amount of air traffic passing through.
The last crash of a Sudan Airways plane was July 8, 2003, when a Boeing 737 reported engine trouble after takeoff from Port Sudan and missed its return approach to the airport, crashing about three miles away. A 3-year-old boy was the only survivor of the 117 people aboard. It was Sudan's worst air disaster.The airline has connected Sudan with cities in the Middle East and Africa since 1947.

Deposed Nepal king to leave palace

KATHMANDU, Nepal (AP) -- Nepal's deposed king planned to move Wednesday from what was once his palace to a summer home the government has loaned him just west of the capital, officials said.

Nepal's Constituent Assembly, which abolished the monarchy last month and declared Nepal a republic, ordered former King Gyanendra to move out of the palace by this week.

Home Minister Krishna Prasad Sitaula said Gyanendra's aides told the government he would leave the Narayanhiti royal palace in Katmandu on Wednesday and move to the Nagarjung summer palace.

The main palace has been his home since he became king in 2001.

Nagarjung palace, situated on a forested hill on the northwestern edge of Katmandu, was previously used for vacations by the king. It, like many royal assets, was nationalized by the government when the monarchy was abolished.

Gyanendra had asked the government in Nepal to help find alternative accommodation after he was ordered to move out of the main palace. He said he could not move back to the house where he had lived before becoming king because his son and his family were already living there.

The government has said Gyanendra can temporarily live in the summer palace, but has not said for how long.

The monarchy's end was the culmination of a two-year peace process in which communist insurgents gave up their armed struggle, joined mainstream politics and won the most seats in April's election for the Constituent Assembly.

The assembly is tasked with rewriting the constitution, deciding the country's future political system and governing the nation.

Indian Bollywood beauties

Latest news of Indian Bollywood beauties
London Beauty, Indian Fans
In a recent survey conducted by a magazine, actress Katrina Kaif was voted to be the Sexiest Woman In The World”. The competition though, was not easy. It had Asia’s Sexiest, Bips, along wit other bollywood babes like Deepika Padukone and Kareena Kapoor. The list also had hotties from hollywood like Rihanna, Madonna, Angelina Jolie, and many more. Over 5 Lakh voters took part in this online voting contest to crown Kat’s as the sexiest woman.
With huge hits to her credit, and now the title to add on, looks like the stars have finally started favoring the beauty, haven’t they?

Happy Birthday Amisha
Well, with the career at a better position with the Yash Raj’s “Thoda Pyar..Thoda Magic”, Amisha Patel surely has a reason to party wildly. And on top of that, here is her birthday. The newest of the bikini beauty is said to spend her birthday in Maldives with her newly acquired boyfriend, Kanav Puri. Her beau is a UK based Indian, who, rumors say, motivated the beauty to do the bikini act in her forthcoming movie.
So all u bikini girls’ fans bow, and say thanks to Kanav.

Shilpa Shetty: Committed
Now here’s another beauty who will be breaking many hearts by admitting the fact that she is committed. The lady recently confirmed on her birthday, that she was definitely seeing someone. The actress has also been in news for visiting temples and was rumored to be praying for a happy married life. Rumors also say that Shilpa is dating a UK based India millionaire.

Infectious Kiss

Infectious Kiss by Anne Hathaway
Anne Hathaway gave Steve Carell a pink eye when they kissed in Get Smart. Hathaway said she was suffering from itchy eyes when she filmed a particularly raunchy scene with Carell.

She says, a certain contact solution gave me conjunctivitis. I also had a sinus infection at the same time. So I had to go up to Steve with my eyes red, puffy and dripping green. I’m snotty and I’m just Luke “Come here”,

However, Hathaway revealed she was unaware she had pink eye and was forced to ring the film’s producer Alex Gartner to warm him. She added, I told Alex. You might want to call Steve & let him know I had pink eye and my tears kind of get in my mouth, so he might want to worry about that. But I’d do the kiss again in a heart beat

President, Congress offer no immediate help on gas prices

WASHINGTON-- Before departing the White House early Monday for a farewell tour of Europe, President Bush stole a page from his predecessor and suggested he feels American consumers' pain."A lot of Americans are concerned about our economy," Bush said. "I can understand why. Gasoline prices are high, energy prices are high. I do remind them that we have put a stimulus package forward that is expected to help boost the economy. And of course, we'll be monitoring the situation."
Americans are looking for more action, though, than monitoring the situation.
But while gas prices keep soaring, the chances of Washington finding a solution keep dropping because Democrats and Republicans are deadlocked over how to fix the problem.
Bush talks mostly about increasing supply through more oil drilling in places like Alaska's Arctic National Wildlife Refuge.
"I've proposed to the Congress that they open up ANWR, open up the Continental Shelf, and give this country a chance to help us through this difficult period by finding more supplies of crude oil, which will take the pressure off the price of gasoline," Bush said Monday. more....

Brown in tribute to Afghan dead

Prime Minister Gordon Brown has paid tribute to the courage of British troops in Afghanistan, as the number to die there since 2001 reached 100.

His comments came after three soldiers were killed in a suicide attack.

The men, from 2nd Battalion the Parachute Regiment, were on foot patrol in Helmand when the blast happened.

Defence Secretary Des Browne added no loss could be compensated for, but he remained convinced the campaign was "the noble cause of the 21st century".

"We are making significant progress in Afghanistan. It's slow, sometimes it's frustratingly slow," he told BBC Radio Four's Today programme.

"The reason we are making that progress is because those very brave and professional young men and women have gone about their job in such a way that they have created, in the most difficult of circumstances, a degree of security that many people a couple of years ago thought was impossible."

The prime minister said those who had died had "paid the ultimate price" but had "achieved something of lasting value."

He said: "My first thoughts and condolences are with the families of these soldiers, who died serving in Afghanistan with such distinction more:...

S Korea sends beef envoys to US

The South Korean government is sending delegates to the US for talks on a controversial beef deal that has triggered weeks of protests.
The envoys will meet US officials to discuss changes to the April deal, under which South Korea agreed to resume US beef imports.
Protesters say the move does not protect them from mad cow disease, despite assurances to the contrary.
President Lee Myung-bak's popularity has plummeted over the issue.
Last week, the ruling party suffered a heavy defeat in its first electoral test since Mr Lee took office - in sharp contrast to its election victory late last year.
Some reports suggest a Cabinet reshuffle could be imminent.
More protests
The beef issue has sparked weeks of demonstrations in the capital, Seoul, and led to scores of arrests.
South Korea used to be a major market for US beef, but banned most imports in 2003 after BSE was found in cattle there.
In April Mr Lee's government agreed to relax most of the restrictions - a move linked to approval of a bilateral free trade deal.
As protests escalated, the government asked the US to stop exports from cattle aged more than 30 months in a bid to assuage popular concern.
On Saturday, Mr Lee and US President George W Bush held telephone talks on the issue, with Mr Bush reportedly agreeing to the request, according to South Korean media.
The South Korean delegates - a presidential envoy and ruling party lawmakers - will seek assurances of this commitment when they arrive in the US later this week, media reports said.
The protests, meanwhile, show no sign of easing off.
On Saturday, tens of thousands of people demonstrated in Seoul over the issue. More demonstrations are planned for later in the week.

Iraqi PM assures Iran on security

Iraq will not allow its territory to be used to attack Iran, Iraqi Prime Minister Nouri Maliki has said during a visit to Tehran.
Mr Maliki met the foreign minister and President Mahmoud Ahmadinejad, who pledged to help with Iraq's security.
The role of the US in Iraq is high on the agenda, with Tehran concerned about a treaty under discussion on the terms of the US military's future in Iraq.
Iran's alleged backing for militants in Iraq was also expected to be discussed.
'Peace and security'
"We will not allow Iraq to become a platform for harming the security of Iran and neighbours," Iranian state-run media quoted Mr Maliki as saying after late-night talks with Foreign Minister Manouchehr Mottaki.
In his talks with Mr Ahmadinejad, Iranian media quoted Mr Maliki as saying: "A stable Iraq will be a benefit to the security of the region and the world."

Mr Ahmadinejad told Mr Maliki: "Iraq's neighbours have more responsibility to help the country to establish peace and security."
Without referring directly to the US-Iraqi deal, Mr Ahmadinejad was quoted as saying: "Iraq must reach a certain level of stability so that its enemies are not able to impose their influence."
A statement from Mr Maliki's office in Baghdad said economic and trade issues were high on the agenda.

"Iraq is looking forward to Iranian companies taking part in developing its infrastructure," Mr Maliki is quoted as saying.
The BBC's John Leyne, in Tehran, says Iran has made no secret of its opposition to the current negotiations going on between Iraq and the US, which are aimed at regulating the presence of US forces in the country after their UN mandate expires at the end of 2008.
The US-Iraqi talks, which are seeking to reach agreement by the end of July, have run into problems over issues related to Iraqi sovereignty.
The Iraqi prime minister was also expected to raise allegations of Iranian support for Shia militants in Iraq.
Shia militiamen fought bitter battles with US and Iraqi government forces between March and May.
Mr Maliki is on his third visit to Iran since taking office in June 2005.
Government sources say Iraqi security officials with the delegation will be showing the Iranians evidence of their alleged support for the militias, the BBC's Jim Muir in Baghdad reports.
Iran has always denied any involvement, but officials say Mr Maliki will once again urge Tehran to support the Baghdad government and stop secretly backing militias.

Tokyo man goes on stabbing spree

A man armed with a knife has injured at least 14 people in central Tokyo, Japanese media say. State television says two of the victims have died.
The incident occurred in the Akihabara district, a shopping area known as Electric Town that is popular with young people and tourists.
Five of the victims suffered cardiac arrest, a spokesman for the Tokyo Fire Department told AP news agency.

A suspect, said to be a 25-year-old man, has been arrested at the scene.
Correspondents say such incidents are rare in Japan.
NHK television reported that the man drove a vehicle into a crowd in the early afternoon and then began stabbing people at random.

Hillary ends White House bid, backs Obama

Washington: Hillary Rodham Clinton ended her historic campaign for the presidency on Saturday and told supporters to unite behind rival Barack Obama, closing out a race that was as grueling as it was groundbreaking.
The former first lady, who as recently as Tuesday declared herself the strongest candidate, gave Obama an unqualified endorsement and pivoted from her role as determined foe to absolute ally. ''The way to continue our fight now to accomplish the goals for which we stand is to take our energy, our passion, our strength and do all we can to help elect Barack Obama, the next president of the US,'' she said in a speech before cheering supporters packed into the ornate National Building Museum, not far from the White House she longed to govern from.

''Today as I suspend my campaign, I congratulate him on the victory he has won and the extraordinary race he has run. I endorse him and throw my full support behind him and I ask of you to join me in working as hard for Barack Obama as you have for me,'' the New York senator said in her 28-minute address.
With that and 13 other mentions of his name, Clinton placed herself solidly behind her Senate colleague from Illinois, a political sensation and the first black to secure a major party presidential nomination in the US.
Obama, in a statement, declared himself ''thrilled and honored'' to have Clinton' support.
''I honor her today for the valiant and historic campaign she has run,'' he said. ''She shattered barriers on behalf of my daughters and women everywhere, who now know that there are no limits to their dreams. And she inspired millions with her strength, courage and unyielding commitment to the cause of working Americans.''
For Clinton and her supporters, it was a poignant moment, the end of an extraordinary run that began with an air of inevitability and certain victory. About 18 million people voted for her; it was the closest a woman has come to capturing a presidential nomination.
''Although we weren't able to shatter that highest, hardest glass ceiling this time, thanks to you, it has about 18 million cracks in it and the light is shining through like never before,'' she said.
Indeed, her speech repeatedly returned to the milestone her candidacy represented for women. In primary after primary, her support among women was a solid bloc of her voting coalition. She noted that she had received the support of women who were 80 and 90 years old, born before women could even vote.
She acknowledged the unprecedented success of Obama's candidacy, as well.
''Children today will grow up taking for granted that an African-American or a woman can, yes, become the president of the United States,'' she said.
Obama secured the 2,118 delegates needed to clinch the nomination Tuesday after primaries in South Dakota and Montana. He planned to spend the weekend at home in Chicago. more...

French Open - Ana Ivanovic won greate record

Ana Ivanovic confirmed her status as the new world number one with her first Grand Slam title at the French Open.
The 20-year-old second seed beat Russia's Dinara Safina 6-4 6-3 to become the first Serbian woman to win a Grand Slam singles title.
In a tense opening set, Ivanovic got the better of five breaks of serve.
And two breaks in the second were enough for Ivanovic to make up for her heavy defeat by the now retired Justine Henin in last year's final.
Henin was on hand to give Ivanovic the trophy after she sealed victory.
"I'm just so happy I kept my composure until the end," said Ivanovic. "Last year's final was a great learning experience."
The Serbian also had the experience of playing in the Australian Open final in January, losing to Maria Sharapova, while 13th seed Safina was playing her first Grand Slam singles final. With both players looking for a first major title it was understandable that they began in nervous fashion, but it was Ivanovic who looked the calmer as she soon moved a double-break clear.
The fear for Ivanovic supporters before the match had been whether her nerve would hold, and when she let a 40-0 lead slip in game eight to be pegged back to 4-4, it looked a reasonable question.
However, just when Safina needed to heap on the pressure she faltered and a series of errors handed the break straight back, and then helped Ivanovic come through an edgy service game to take the set.

The new world number one - who replaces Sharapova at the top of the rankings on Monday - needed no further encouragement and broke again in game three of the second set with a thumping forehand winner down the line.
And despite lengthy scraps in games six and seven, Safina could not get back on terms before, at 4-3 down, her resolve finally broke.
The Russian had saved match points on her way to beating Sharapova and Elena Dementieva in earlier rounds but there was to be no miracle comeback this time.
"I didn't have any more the fire that I had those matches," said Safina afterwards. "I was tired."
Three unforced errors put Ivanovic 5-3 ahead and Safina then failed to put the second seed under any pressure as she served for the title.
Victory was wrapped up in one hour 38 minutes and Ivanovic immediately headed into the stands to celebrate with her supporters.
"This was amazing," she said. "I still don't realise what happened. As a kid, when I used to go by bike to practice, I used to dream of this."