'Ichiro' got acquired by 'Yankees' for two prospects

The Ichiro Suzuki era came to an abrupt end on an overcast Monday afternoon at Safeco Field, as the star outfielder crossed over to the visiting clubhouse to greet members of the New York Yankees -- his new teammates.
The blockbuster trade transpired so quickly, Yankees manager Joe Girardi was barely given enough warning not to put together an official lineup. Ichiro selected a uniform number -- No. 31 -- and found himself in that Yankees' lineup, batting eighth and playing right field against his former Mariners club.
"I'm going from a team having the most losses to a team with the most wins, so it's been hard to maintain my excitement in that regard," Ichiro said through an interpreter.

The Yankees sent right-handed pitchers D.J. Mitchell and Danny Farquhar to Seattle in exchange for Ichiro. The deal also includes cash considerations. To create room on the 25-man roster for Ichiro, the Yankees designated outfielder Dewayne Wise for assignment.
"This was something that was a surprise," Yankees general manager Brian Cashman said. "It's an opportunity. I'm looking forward to seeing how it plays out for us, because I do think he can really help us. I look forward to seeing if that's the case or not."
As he revealed on Monday, Ichiro had approached the Mariners in recent weeks and asked them to seek a trade, believing that he no longer belongs on a younger, rebuilding Seattle club.
The Yankees eagerly welcomed the Japanese superstar with 2,533 career Major League hits, hoping he represents one of the final pieces that will help them secure a 28th World Series championship.
"I've enjoyed playing against him for 11 1/2 years; he's someone I've always admired from afar," Yankees captain Derek Jeter said. "I've had the opportunity to play with a lot of great players throughout the years. I'm looking forward to playing with him."
Girardi said that Ichiro can replace what the club felt it was missing without Brett Gardner, who is lost for the season with a right elbow injury. Girardi expects to play Ichiro in left and right field for the rest of the season.
"We're getting a very accomplished player," Girardi said. "Sometimes you need to create a run, and his defense is going to be outstanding -- 10 Gold Gloves -- and we're excited about that as well."
Ichiro is playing right field for now, as the Yankees expect to get Nick Swisher back from a left hip flexor strain when they return to the Bronx on Friday. Ichiro said that he does not have much experience in left field, but the thought does bring fond memories.
"I haven't played left for a long time, to be honest with you, but the last time I played left was a playoff game -- my first playoff game in Yankee Stadium [in 2001], so it's a very memorable position for me for that reason," he said.
Cashman said that the initial trade winds formed in conversations between Mariners president Chuck Armstrong and Yankees president Randy Levine. Cashman and his Mariners counterpart, Jack Zduriencik, hammered out the final agreement on Monday.
"This was a conversation that stood above the general managers," Cashman said. "Randy asked me, 'Would you have an interest in Ichiro? There might be something that could make sense.' From there we went."
As he was welcomed into the clubhouse, Ichiro shook hands and exchanged pleasantries with CC Sabathia and Phil Hughes before hugging Freddy Garcia, a former Seattle teammate. Alex Rodriguez called Ichiro a "great guy."
Rafael Soriano, who also played with Ichiro in Seattle, jokingly admonished the outfielder, "Don't be late for stretch. 5:30." He heeded Soriano's warning; Ichiro was on time, jogging out of the third-base dugout to shrieks and cheers from his old home crowd.
Ichiro spent some of his time on Monday discussing uniform numbers with Rob Cucuzza, the club's equipment manager. Ichiro's No. 51 may be iconic, but when embroidered on a pinstriped jersey, it evokes Bernie Williams -- and no Yankee has worn it since. Ichiro yielded, selecting No. 31 instead.
"Of course No. 51 is a special number to me, but when I think about what 51 means to the Yankees, it's hard for me to ask for that number," Ichiro said. "I'd like to have a new number and then make that my own."
A 10-time All-Star and 10-time Gold Glove winner, Ichiro has experienced a dropoff this season with Seattle, batting .261 with four home runs, 28 RBIs and 15 stolen bases. He believes that a new beginning in New York will rejuvenate his performance.
"Of course, that is my intention," Ichiro said. "Especially looking at how the Yankees are doing right now, I just want to do whatever I can to be helpful to the Yankees."

President-elect Pranab Mukherjee's immediate test will be Afzal Guru's clemency petition

Pranab Mukherjee was elected the 13th President of India after he defeated P.A. Sangma in a contest that ended on expected lines. The veteran leader rode on the massive support from across the political spectrum to register an emphatic victory.
From being number two in the ruling coalition, Mukherjee is on his way to becoming the first citizen.
"I have got much more in return than I have given. I thank everyone who voted for me. I hope to do the job now entrusted to me - to defend and preserve the Constitution," Mukherjee said soon after it became clear that he was on the victory path.
The Congress veteran, with a political career spanning over 40 years, trounced Sangma - backed by the BJP, AIADMK and BJD - by 1,612 votes. He had reached the required halfway mark to register victory even when votes for 10 states were yet to be counted.
Mukherjee and Sangma congratulated each other after the results became obvious, but the bitterness that had taken root during the run up to the contest remained. Sangma accused the UPA of influencing states through economic packages, accusing the Congress of starting the dangerous trend. "There should be a code of conduct," the NDA nominee said.
Mukherjee's victory was a foregone conclusion as all major political parties had announced their support for his candidature, including the BJP's NDA partners the Janata Dal (United) and the Shiv Sena. Not only was the NDA divided, the contest also saw the UPA falling apart with the Trinamool Congress first opposing Mukherjee's candidature only to support him later.

What came as a major embarrassment for the BJP was the result in saffron-ruled Karnataka where Mukherjee got 19 more votes than expected. The internal bickering in the state, precipitated by former CM B.S. Yeddyurappa, had a clear impact.

Read more at: http://indiatoday.intoday.in/story/president-pranab-mukherjee-afzal-guru-mercy-plea-2014-lok-sabha-elections/1/209706.html

In the Karnataka Assembly, Mukherjee secured 117 votes while Sangma polled 103 votes. Had there been no cross voting, Mukherjee would have secured 98 votes - 71 from the Congress and 27 from the JD-S, which supported his candidature. At least 13 MLAs from the party appeared to have voted for Mukherjee.
Sources in the Sangma camp, however, claimed he got 15 unexpected votes in Jammu and Kashmir, and three each in Gujarat, Madhya Pradesh and West Bengal. But Sangma, who projected himself as representative of tribals, lost in Arunachal Pradesh.
In all other BJP ruled states such as Himachal Pradesh, Gujarat, Chhattisgarh and Madhya Pradesh, he polled more votes than Mukherjee. Tamil Nadu and Orissa, ruled by the AIADMK and BJD respectively, also polled in favour of Sangma.
Mukherjee's victory came as a big boost for Congress president Sonia Gandhi as much was put at stake by her. She termed the victory as people's faith in the UPA. She visited Mukherjee's residence to congratulate him. Prime Minister Manmohan Singh and his wife were also one of the first persons to visit Mukherjee's house.
Trinamool chief and West Bengal chief minister Mamata Banerjee was one among the first to congratulate him.
The thumping majority has also provided the Congress-led UPA with much needed political resuscitation in its three-year tenure marred by corruption scandals, policy indecision and recalcitrant allies. Predictably, party workers hit the streets across the country in wild celebrations as the party won its first big election in recent years.
Mukherjee, who will be sworn in on Wednesday, will have to cross another hurdle. The BJP and Sangma will move the Supreme Court next week challenging his election on the ground that he held an office of profit while filing his nomination and his resignation from the post of chairman of the Indian Statistical Institute was invalid.
Mukherjee would have a tough job once he assumes charge. The controversial mercy petition of Afzal Guru will be his immediate test. His biggest test will come two years later when the country goes to the polls in 2014. Any fractured mandate would bring his role into sharp focus.

Read more at: http://indiatoday.intoday.in/story/president-pranab-mukherjee-afzal-guru-mercy-plea-2014-lok-sabha-elections/1/209706.html

'Pranab Mukherjee' New president of INdia

Pranab Mukherjee has been congratulated by Bangladesh President M Zillur Rahman and Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina on his election as India's President. They expressed hope that bilateral relations would grow further under his "able direction".

A Bangladesh High Commission spokesman in Kolkata said Hasina called Mukherjee in on Sunday evening after he was formally declared president-elect.

Hasina and Rahman sent separate missives exuding confidence that India-Bangladesh ties would further improve during his tenure.

Hasina, in her message, expressed happiness at Mukherjee becoming the first Bengali to hold the President's post in post-independence India.

"The well-deserved election of Pranab Mukherjee as the President of India bears the testimony to trust and confidence which the political leadership and the people of India reposes in him. It's also the recognition of vast experience and knowledge that you have gained over the last 50 years in your politics for the people," the letter read.

"Since our government assumed office in January 2009, it has been an endeavour to explore new opportunities to realise mutual benefits for our two countries and peoples," she said, hailing Mukherjee's personal efforts for attaining the same "as a great source of inspiration".

She also referred to Mukherjee's steadfast support to the people of Bangladesh "during the days of struggle for the country's independence in 1971".

"Since then, your association with Bangladesh and her people has been of a time-tested good friend striving hard to elevate our two countries' relations to an enviable level," she added.

Bangladesh Foreign Minister Dipu Moni, who has known Mukherjee personally, also felicitated him. "We have a common future and I am confident that your statesmanship will enable India and Bangladesh to achieve the fullest potential of our special relationship," she said.

During his stint as foreign minister, Mukherjee visited Dhaka many times, important visits that set the stage for a turnaround in once-difficult ties between India and Bangladesh.

India and Bangladesh will hold annual foreign office consultations in New Delhi this week to review bilateral projects and discuss the entire gamut of their improving relationship.

Read more at: http://indiatoday.intoday.in/story/new-president-of-india-congratulations-bangladesh-pm-hasina/1/209755.html

'Teen Choice Awards': who will be the next star...

The Teen Choice Awards got under way with a star-studded red carpet Sunday night, followed by a slew of awards, which were handed out at the Gibson Amphitheater in Los Angeles.
The teen-fueled ceremony honors film, TV, music and sports stars in such silly categories as choice hottie, villain, liplock and hissy fit. A record 134 million votes were cast this year.
Pictures: The red carpet The first award of the night, choice comedian, went to Ellen DeGeneres. After accepting her surfboard, she honored Sophia Grace and Rosie with the choice web award.
"The Vampire Diaries" scored the choice TV honor in the sci-fi/fantasy category. Other winners included Zac Efron for choice actor in a drama and Michael Trevino for choice male TV scene stealer. In the movie category, "21 Jump Street" scored choice comedy. Emma Stone received both the choice comedy actress award for "Crazy, Stupid, Love" and choice drama actress for "The Help."

Hosts Demi Lovato and Kevin McHale speak
onstage during the 2012 Teen Choice Awards on July 22, 2012, in Universal City, Calif.

(Credit: Getty)

When Selena Gomez picked up the choice music group for her band, Selena Gomez and the Scene, the crowd sang her a warm "Happy Birthday." Gomez, who was sitting in the audience next to her beau Justin Bieber, turned 20 on Sunday, July 22.
This year's choice hottie awards went to Miley Cyrus and Ian Somerhalder. Cyrus wasn't there to accept the honor, but Somerhalder thanked fans on her behalf.
Going into the 14th annual ceremony, Kristen Stewart's "The Twilight Saga: Breaking Dawn - Part 1" and "Snow White and the Huntsman" both led the nominees at the fan-favorite ceremony with seven nods a piece.
The "Twilight" movie saga turned out to be a big winner of the night, taking home the ultimate choice honor. The hit movie has won a whopping 41 Teen Choice trophies since the film first arrived in 2008. The movie's stars Taylor Lautner, Kristen Stewart and Robert Pattinson showed up on stage to accept their honor. Lautner told the crowd, "We owe everything to you guys." Stewart thanked the fans and the film's directors. Pattinson did the same, and then gave his surfboard to the audience. His co-star and real-life gal pal, Stewart, followed suit.
Stewart also walked away with choice movie actress - romance and choice female actress of the summer for her role in "Snow White and the Huntsman."
Others with multiple surfboard-shaped trophy nods included the CW's "The Vampire Diaries" with six nominations, and Fox's "American Idol" and Justin Bieber with five nods each.
The event kicked off with an introduction by the ceremony's co-hosts - pop star and new "The X Factor" judge Demi Lovato and "Glee" co-star Kevin McHale.
Lovato's "X-Factor" co-judges appeared in pre-taped segments. Simon Cowell joked in his typical way, calling Lovato a brat and describing her as irritating, annoying and said she had bad manners.
The Hollywood frolic comes two days after the midnight massacre at a Colorado movie theater showing "The Dark Knight Rises," killing 12 and injuring 58. Show organizers say that "The Dark Knight Rises" was not up for any Teen Choice awards this year nor was any reference to the tragedy planned during the show.
The show is also airing in the wake of a fog machine malfunction that forced the evacuation of a Hollywood nightclub Saturday night hosting a Teen Choice Awards pre-party featuring the boy band Midnight Red. Los Angeles Fire department spokesman Brian Humphrey said six people, ages 8 to 20 years old, were taken to the hospital for problems ranging from headaches, dizziness, shortness of breath and cryogenic burns.
Bieber served as one of the show's musical performers, along with Carly Rae Jepsen, Flo Rida and No Doubt. DJ Pauly D of "Jersey Shore" was on hand as the house DJ.

‘The Bachelorette’ Season Finale: Who will be the winner?

It has been a long journey. We’ve been through a lot this season of “The Bachelorette”—awkwardness, excessive hair product and spray tanning, intensely dull conversations, loud, moist kissing, some terrible human beings (Kalon, Ryan), some amazing bodies (Sean, Arie, etc.) and then, of course, Jef.
Now, Emily is at the precipice of a major life decision she plans to make in front of millions of people on national television thereby preserving the sanctity of marriage.
In Curaçao, Jef shows up to meet the parents looking like a greaser from The Outsiders—white t-shirt and blue jeans and that hair. Why, hello, Ponyboy Curtis!
Interrogations begin with Emily’s mother. A lone light bulb swings above them as Jef reaffirms he is ready to parent Ricky Bobby even though he knows nothing about the child as if good parenting rises strictly out of desire.
Emily’s brother emasculates Jef by valorizing Emily’s ex-fiance, may he rest in peace. Jef confesses he’s never been as in love with a girl. The brother is not convinced but he has a serious haircut. They hug it out like men.
Jef asks for Emily’s father’s approval to propose and after an awkward pause, and only a couple hours of knowing the guy, her father is totally fine with it. Modern parenting! Modern love!
It’s Arie’s turn to meet the parents. Emily’s father is not even sure why they’re meeting another guy. Arie chatters nervously as Emily’s family stares at him contemptuously. He breaks out the big guns—a small wooden box with the roses Emily has given him.
Arie charms Emily’s mother but the brother accuses Arie of being a “smooth talker.” He wants to know if Arie is more invested in winning or being with Emily. Arie talks a good game and brings up, a second time, that he dated a single mother before because single mothers are all the same, apparently. The brother softens. Weakling.
Alone with Emily’s father, Arie’s face shines even brighter but he is steady. He whips out the phrase, “She’s the love of my life.” He asks and receives her father’s blessing to propose. As he leaves, Arie is pretty cocky. He basically grins at the camera, thinking, “Nailed it!”
Emily turns to her family to make this important, life-altering decision for her. They pull a Switzerland.
Jef and Emily sit on a beach and Emily is acting strange and she is stressed. Jef remarks that he hasn’t met Ricky Bobby yet and Emily says, “It’s a big decision,” and overall, their conversation is mind numbing and forces you to wonder how on earth anyone could fall in love under these circumstances. Jef drops a new metaphor to force Emily’s hand about Ricky Bobby. It’s tense. The couple is at an impasse until they aren’t because Jef and the producers get their way—the meeting will happen. As they walk away from the beach, they abandon their belongings.
Existential question—if you leave a blanket and tote on the beach, will it ever be found?
When Jef meets Ricky Bobby, he asks her for a high-five perpetuating the idea that the high-five is the universe language of children. They babble and play house and Jef is ecstatic. This tableau of domestic bliss drags on. Jef acts like he has had the best day of his life. Clearly, Jef has bigger problems than his hair and the spelling of his name.
Emily shows up at Jef’s door that evening, the harlot. They engage in more sad conversation. There is still no chemistry. After a chaste kiss, Jef offers Emily a sacrifice, I mean, present—a book about Curaçao to preserve their memories, only he has defaced the book with stick figures on some of the pages. Emily makes a quick exit after that because it is a terrible gift and we all know it.
The next morning, Emily is at peace but has been thinking a great deal. When she answers the door, it is Chris Harrison. This does not bode well. Emily reveals that she’s made her decision. She wants to tell Arie she’s fallen in love with someone else “a little bit more,” which is what every man wants to hear when he has told the entire world that same woman is the love of his life. Emily cries and so do I because I’m Team Arie all the way.
Ominous music plays as Emily tells us about her own broken heart and how she knows she is blind siding beautiful Arie. Arie meets a local woman to make a love potion from flowers and he keeps talking about how in love he is and how he’s going to be engaged tomorrow and it’s all very cruel to watch him being open and gorgeous and in love.
Emily takes the longest walk in the history of walks, sniffling prettily as she meets Arie. They hug and kiss and he gives her his love potion and finally she utters those fateful words, “We need to talk.” She breaks down and it’s so awkward and painful you are inclined to watch from between your fingers. Arie quickly realizes what’s going on and then it’s very awkward silence and Emily crying and Arie trying to grapple with this new reality as his bloody heart beats slowly on the ground.
Emily keeps crying as Arie basically walks away and she runs after him. He is polite but chilly and slams the door when he gets into his SUV. He starts crying and looking so pretty and women across America shout at their televisions about how they will happily console Arie and his broken… heart, by giving him a good reason to cry sex tears.
Jef picks a ring and both Emily and Jef talk about FEELINGS to the producers. When the big moment arrives, Emily stands in another of Vanna White’s hideous Grecian dresses, the wind blowing her ruffles. Jef is wearing a skinny suit and skinny tie and “feeling great.” Emily muses that she’s unsure about getting engaged because she doesn’t want to be the girl who gets engaged fifteen times, always a fiancée, never a bride.
When the couple sees each other they play compliment tennis, volleying kind words until Emily takes the lead and professes her love and Jef is thrilled and Emily is thrilled. Jef starts talking about his feelings and so on and finally, he gets down on one knee and proposes because he’s asking a “forever thing”. Emily says yes, and he puts a big, sparkling diamond on her finger and they kiss more. The show ends with Peter Cetera’s “Glory of Love,” and a montage of the couple’s greatest, televised moments and Ricky Bobby appearing and the three of them walking into the sunset on Curaçao.
There are three small consolations—Emily seems happy, Arie is maybe available and tomorrow, we have “Bachelor Pad.”
What did you think? Did she make the right choice? Leave your thoughts in the comments.

Usher's stepson gone after boat accident

The stepson of US pop star Usher has died two weeks after being critically injured in a boating accident.

Willie A Watkins funeral home in Atlanta, Georgia confirmed it was handling funeral arrangements for 11-year-old Kile Glover. Glover was a son of Usher's ex-wife Tameka Foster.
The Atlanta Journal-Constitution reports the boy died on Saturday morning at an Atlanta hospital.
The boy was run over on July 6 by a personal watercraft on Lake Lanier, according to the Georgia Department of Natural Resources. He had been hospitalised with a major brain injury.
Authorities are continuing to investigate the accident.
Before the accident, Usher, whose full name is Usher Raymond, had been in a legal battle with his ex-wife arising from a custody fight over the two sons they had together.
Condolences flooded social media sites late Saturday, The Atlanta Journal-Constitution reported. Singers Justin Bieber, Toni Braxton and Eric Benet were among those who sent tweets of condolences.
Usher, long one of the top-selling singers and songwriters, has won numerous Grammy awards.
He gained initial acclaim in the late '90s with albums such as My Way and went on to release the 10-million-plus selling 2004 album Confessions that firmly established him as a superstar, among several others including Raymond v Raymond in 2010.

India Vs Sri Lanka Review 1st ODI at Hambantota

Statistical highlights of the first one-dayer between India and Sri Lanka.

# Virender Sehwag's 96 off 97 balls is his first half-century in six innings since registering 219 against the West Indies at Indore on December 8 last year.

# Sehwag's superb 38th ODI fifty is his fifth against Sri Lanka. He has recorded his sixth score in the nervous nineties - his second against Sri Lanka.

# Sehwag's first score in the nineties against Sri Lanka was an unbeaten 99 at Dambulla on August 16, 2010.

# Sehwag is averaging 46.81 in India's victories - 5711 runs in 131 matches, including 14 hundreds and 28 fifties.

# Virat Kohli has registered three successive centuries against Sri Lanka in ODIs.

# Kohli became the first batsman to hit four hundreds in ODIs this year. His fourth hundred against Sri Lanka is his 12th in ODIs.

# Kohli's aggregate of 596 runs at an average of 149.00 is a record in five consecutive innings, overtaking Matthew Hayden's aggregate of 529 at an average of 132.25 in 2007.

# Kohli's magnificent match-winning 106 off 113 balls is his first century against Sri Lanka in Sri Lanka.

# Kohli, for the first time in ODIs, has recorded his fifth successive score of fifty-plus - an unbeaten 133 at Hobart on February 28, 2012 and 108 at Dhaka on March 13 - both against Sri Lanka, 66 against Bangladesh at Dhaka on March 16, 183 against Pakistan at Dhaka on March 18 and 106 against Sri Lanka at Hambantota.

# His tally of four hundreds in five innings is an outstanding achievement in ODIs.

# Kohli became the third Indian player to post five innings of fifty-plus in a row in ODIs, joining Sachin Tendulkar during 1994 and Rahul Dravid during 2004-05 (four for India and one for Asia XI)

# Kohli has received four MOM awards this year - the most by him in a calendar year. His eleventh Man of the Match award in ODIs is his third against Sri Lanka.

# Sehwag is the eighth Indian batsman to be run-out in the nervous nineties. The only batsman to achieve this unwanted feat twice is Sourav Ganguly.

# The aggregate of 607 for 15 wickets is the second highest between India and Sri Lanka in Sri Lanka, next only to the 608 for 16 wickets at Colombo (RPS) on July 7, 1998.

# India have recorded 70 totals of 300 or more in ODIs - the first team to do so.

# India's 314 for six is the highest score by any team against Sri Lanka at Hambantota - the third highest at this venue, next only to Sri Lanka's 332 for seven against Canada on February 20, 2011 and Pakistan's 317 for seven against Kenya on February 23, 2011.

# India (314 for six) have posted their fourth highest total against Sri Lanka in Sri Lanka - their highest is 363 for five at Colombo, RPS on February 3, 2009.

# Sehwag and Kohli shared a partnership of 173 for the second wicket - the second highest for India against Sri Lanka in Sri Lanka, next only to the 188 between Mahendra Singh Dhoni and Gautam Gambhir at Colombo, RPS on February 5, 2009.

# Kumar Sangakkara has become the first batsman to aggregate 1,000 runs in ODIs in 2012 - 1038 at an average of 45.13 in 25 games. His tally includes three centuries and five fifties.

# Sangakkara has achieved the aforesaid feat four times in a calendar year - 2004, 2006, 2011 & 2012.

# Sangakkara has become the fifth player to make five centuries or more against India in ODIs. Sanath Jayasuriya (7), Ricky Ponting (6), Nathan Astle (5), Salman Butt (5) and Sangakkara (5) are the batsmen to achieve the distinction.

# Sangakkara's run tally of 10,769 at an average of 38.59 in 331 matches has bettered Mahela Jayawardene's tally of 10704 (ave. 33.34) in 379 ODIs. Sanath Jayasuriya is the leading Sri Lankan run-getter in ODIs with 13430 at an average of 445 matches for SL/Asia.

# Sangakkara's fifth hundred against India is his 14th in One-Day Internationals.

# Lasith Malinga for the first time has conceded 80 runs or more without taking a single wicket in an ODI. (PTI)

UFC 149: Barao tops Faber for interim bantamweight title

 

CALGARY – Using a familiar game plan, Renan Barao used chopping leg kicks and quick hands to defeat Urijah Faber and claim the UFC's interim bantamweight title.
With current titleholder Dominick Cruz sidelined following recent ACL surgery, the Brazilian staked claim to No. 1 contender's status after shutting out Faber in the five-round pay-per-view headliner of Saturday's UFC 149 event at Scotiabank Saddlehome in Calgary.
Despite a fight card decimated by injuries, UFC 149 sold out in a matter of days and tallied a Scotiabank Saddledome record with a live gate of $4.1 million. But the main event concluded a string of highly anticipated but fairly lackluster featured attractions, and boos drowned out the post-fight interviews following the night's main event.
Faber, a former WEC champion who moved to the UFC when the promotions merged in 2011, competed in his 11th title fight in his past 16 appearances. But like an April 2010 loss to Barao's teammate, featherweight champion Jose Aldo, Faber was slowed by stinging low kicks that set up up power punches and kept him from closing the distance.
With his base gone and the distance too great, Faber couldn't put the Brazilian on his back, where he had his best shot at victory. Instead, Barao attacked him with shots from varying angles, and according to Faber, may have broken one of his ribs early in the fight.
Faber said Barao's leg kicks didn't do the damage that Aldo's did a few years ago, but the result was the same: Barao picked up a dominant unanimous-decision victory (49-46, 50-45, 49-46).
"I knew Faber was a great athlete and a great fighter, but I prepared myself very well, and that was the result," an emotional Barao said through a translator. "My coaches told me to keep [kicking the legs], but it was not only that."
With no definitive timetable for Cruz's return, Barao said he's willing to defend the interim title in the meantime.
--Lombard flops in debut, Boetsch gets split decision
In the night's co-headliner, former Bellator champion Hector Lombard's heavily anticipated UFC debut was a dud, and fellow middleweight Tim Boetsch capitalized on his flatfooted opponent to pick up a split-decision victory.
While initially billed as a bout with title implications, neither fighter proved in the same class as dominant champion Anderson Silva, and the three-round snoozer ended to a chorus of boos.
Boetsch (16-4, 7-3), who's resurrected his career after a drop down from light heavyweight, used a stick-and-move game plan for an opponent who had used power, quickness and a killer instinct to post a 25-fight unbeaten streak over the past six years. But in his first appearance on MMA's biggest stage, Lombard (31-3-1, 0-1) appeared hesitant to engage, content to counter-strike and unwilling to capitalize when he occasionally had Boetsch in trouble.
It resulted in a 29-28, 28-29, 29-29 split-decision win for Boetsch.
"I was glad to give him his first loss (since 2006), though I wasn't too thrilled with how things went," Boetsch said.
With champ Silva un-booked for his next title defense, Boetsch and Lombard initially were considered candidates along with the likes of Chris Weidman and Alan Belcher. Boetsch, though, is unlikely to cut to the front of the line due to the hard-fought but no-frills victory.

Fox News Channel

Fox News Channel (FNC), also referred to as Fox News, is a cable and satellite television news channel owned by the Fox Entertainment Group, a subsidiary of News Corporation. As of April 2009, the channel is available to 102 million households in the United States and to viewers internationally, broadcasting primarily from its New York studios.
The channel was created by Australian-American media mogul Rupert Murdoch, who hired former NBC executive Roger Ailes as the founding CEO. The channel was launched on October 7, 1996 to 17 million cable subscribers. The channel grew in the late 1990s and 2000s to become the dominant cable news network in the United States. In 2010, the network's programs took the top 10 spots for most-watched cable news programs in the 25–54 demographic and the top 12 spots among total cable news programs viewers.
Critics have asserted that Fox News Channel promotes conservative political positions and biased reporting. Commentators, news anchors, and reporters at Fox News Channel have responded that news reporting and political commentary operate independently of each other and deny any bias in the news reporting.

Fox News Channel
Launched	October 7, 1996
Owned by	News Corporation
Picture format	480i (SD/16:9 letterbox) 720p (HD)
Slogan	"Move Forward" "Fair & Balanced" "We Report. You Decide." "The Most Powerful Name in News"
Country	United States
Language	English
Broadcast area	United States and worldwide
Headquarters	New York City United States
Sister channel(s)	Fox Business Network Fox Broadcasting Company Sky News Sky News Australia SKY TG 24
Website	Foxnews.com
Availability
Satellite
DirecTV	360 (HD/SD)
Dish Network	205 (SD/HD) 9477 (HD)
Bell TV	507
Shaw Direct	503 / 154
Foxtel	604
Sky Network Television	092
Sky Italia	514
Sky	509
Digital+	77
DishHD (Taiwan)	6515
Cable
Available on most cable systems	Check local listings
In-House (Washington)	Channel 18
Verizon FiOS	118 (SD) 618 (HD)
Satellite radio
Sirius	131
XM	121
IPTV
Bell Fibe TV (Canada)Sky Angel	Channel 507318

Colorado Gun Laws Remain Lax: New changes

The news of the horrifying armed assault in Aurora, Colo. — just a half-hour drive from the site of the Columbine High School shootings in 1999 — has a freakish resonance in a state that has long played an unsought role in the national debate over gun laws and firearm rights.

As a mountain state, Colorado has a history of broad support for Second Amendment rights. But in the years since the Columbine tragedy, the state’s lawmakers and voters passed some gun restrictions, including requirements governing the sale of firearms at gun shows, a law regulating people’s ability to carry concealed weapons and legislation banning “straw purchases” of weapons for people who would not qualify to buy them legitimately.

Still, James Holmes, 24, the former neuroscience student believed to be the lone gunman in Friday’s shootings in Aurora, armed himself with an assault rifle, a shotgun and a handgun to allegedly kill 12 and wound 59 others, many critically. All were weapons that would probably be legal for him to possess.

“The guy basically had normal guns,” said Eugene Volokh, an expert in constitutional law at the University of California, Los Angeles. Unless some new evidence of documented psychiatric disturbance emerges, Mr. Volokh added, “there’s no indication that, from his record, he is someone whom more restrictive screening procedures would have caught.”

Despite the changes over the past 13 years, Colorado law still prohibits local governments from restricting gun rights in several significant ways. Moreover, gun rights organizations have successfully fought other efforts to restrict access to guns, including blocking a University of Colorado rule prohibiting concealed weapons on campus.

People in Colorado are allowed to carry firearms in a vehicle, loaded or unloaded, as long as the gun is intended for lawful uses like personal protection or protecting property.

Carrying a concealed weapon requires a permit, but Colorado is among those states whose rules on permits are relatively lax, said Heather Morton of the National Conference of State Legislatures. Colorado is one of 38 “shall issue” states. She explained that this meant “if a person complies with all of the requirements, then the state must issue a concealed weapons permit.” (By other measures, the number of states whose laws amount to “shall issue” is closer to 41.) Factors that might keep someone from being able to get a permit generally include felony convictions, mental illness or protective orders.

Other states have a tougher “may issue” law, which gives discretion to withhold a permit to an authority like the local sheriff or department of public safety.

Getting a concealed weapon permit in Denver is a relatively straightforward affair, according to materials put online by the Denver Police Department. Information forms and the application are available online; the process costs $152.50, payable by certified check or money order. Denver’s Web page describing the process warns, “Do not bring any weapon with you when you bring your application for review.”

The latest shootings will almost certainly lead to efforts to tighten gun laws. The Brady Campaign to Prevent Gun Violence issued a statement that laid the blame on lax gun laws: “The horrendous shooting in Aurora, Colo., is yet another tragic reminder that we have a national problem of easy availability of guns in this country.”

On his weekly radio appearance Friday morning, Mayor Michael R. Bloomberg of New York called for the presidential candidates to make gun issues a part of their campaigns.

Yet another tragedy is not likely to shift the national debate over guns, said David Kopel, an adjunct professor at the Denver University law school and the research director of the Independence Institute, a libertarian organization in Denver. He noted that gun violence did not seem to bring about national restrictions on gun rights.

“The gun prohibition people tried to use Gabrielle Giffords and the Trayvon Martin case to get their cause going again, and weren’t particularly successful with that,” he said.

At the state level, he added, having fought pitched battles over gun rights since the 1980s, “we’re at a reasonably well settled point,” and “the legislature is not that interested in opening it up again.”

Mr. Volokh said the fragmentary information available so far about Mr. Holmes and the attack did not make a strong case for reform.

“The only weapons-control solution that could do anything about this kind of murder would be a total ban on guns,” he said.

“It’s hard to prevent someone who is really bent on committing a crime from getting them,” he added, and “it’s unlikely that gun laws are going to stop him.”

In the never-ending argument, tragedy can become a talking point. Luke O’Dell, a spokesman for the Rocky Mountain Gun Owners, a Colorado-based group that fights gun control measures, said private gun restrictions may well have had “tragic consequences” in the shootings.

He noted that the theater chain that owns the Aurora movie house bans firearms on the premises, and said that if other patrons had been legally able to carry weapons, the death toll might have been less. Mr. O’Dell also said that Mayor Bloomberg’s call for a discussion of gun issues was “exploiting the blood of these innocent victims to advance his political agenda.”

Cable News Network (CNN): "CNN"

Cable News Network (CNN) is a U.S. cable news channel founded in 1980 by American media mogul and philanthropist Ted Turner. Upon its launch, CNN was the first channel to provide 24-hour television news coverage, and the first all-news television channel in the United States. While the news channel has numerous affiliates, CNN primarily broadcasts from its headquarters at the CNN Center in Atlanta, the Time Warner Center in New York City, and studios in Washington, D.C., and Los Angeles. CNN is owned by parent company Time Warner, and the U.S. news channel is a division of the Turner Broadcasting System.

Replica of the newsroom at CNN Center.

CNN is sometimes referred to as CNN/U.S. to distinguish the American channel from its international counterpart, CNN International. As of August 2010, CNN is available in over 100 million U.S. households. Broadcast coverage extends to over 890,000 American hotel rooms, and the U.S broadcast is also shown in Canada. Globally, CNN programming airs through CNN International, which can be seen by viewers in over 212 countries and territories. Starting late 2010, the domestic version CNN/U.S., is available in high definition to viewers in Japan under the name CNN HD.

Some Details of CNN:

Launched	June 1, 1980
Owned by	Turner Broadcasting System, Inc. (a Time Warner company)
Picture format	480i (SDTV/16:9 letterbox) 1080i (HDTV)
Slogan	"The Worldwide Leader in News" "CNN = Politics" "The Best Political Team on Television" "CNN = Money"
Country	United States
Language	English
Broadcast area	United States Canada
Headquarters	CNN Center Atlanta, Georgia
Sister channel(s)	CNN International CNN-IBN CNN Airport Network CNN Türk CNN en Español HLN CNN Chile TNT Turner Classic Movies Cartoon Network Boomerang TruTV TBS
Website	cnn.com
Availability
Satellite
DirecTV (USA)	Channel 202 (SD / HD) Channel 1202 (VOD)
Dish Network (USA)	Channel 200 (SD / HD) Channel 9436 (HD)
Bell TV (Canada)	Channel 500 (SD) Channel 1578 (HD)
Shaw Direct (Canada)	Channel 140 / 500 (SD) Channel 257 / 331 (HD)
SKY PerfecTV! (Japan)	Channel 679 (HD)
Cable
Available on most cable systems in the US and Canada	Check local listings
In-house (Washington)	Channel 12
Verizon FiOS	Channel 100 (SD) Channel 600 (HD)
Satellite radio
Sirius	Channel 132
XM	Channel 122
IPTV
Bell Fibe TV (Canada)	Channel 500 (SD) Channel 1500 (HD)
AT&T U-Verse	Channel 202 (SD) Channel 1202 (HD)

Jessica Ghawi killed in Aurora

Friends and family of Jessica Ghawi, a 24-year-old aspiring sports broadcaster, have identified her as one of the 12 people killed in the Colorado shooting spree.

A survivor of another shooting at a shopping mall in Canada just one month ago, her death was confirmed by her brother on his blog.
Aurora police officials have not named her, saying they will not identify victims until families have been notified.
A local newspaper has begun to identify the 71 people in total who were shot, but its information is largely limited to those who were wounded.
'Who would do this?' Jessica Ghawi, who wrote and tweeted as Jessica Redfield, had recently moved to Denver from Texas, and was working as a sports journalist.
"She was a beautiful soul, a Fan intern, and an aspiring sportscaster," Denver's 104.3 The Fan radio station posted on its Facebook page. She had recently received credentials to cover the Colorado Avalanche, Denver's professional hockey team, the Aurora Sentinel reported.
She narrowly escaped another major shooting event, leaving a food court in Toronto's Eaton Center minutes before a deadly shooting occurred there in June. She wrote about the experience on her blog.
"Who would go into a mall full of thousands of innocent people and open fire? Is this really the world we live in?"
Her last tweets were a conversation with a fellow sportswriter about going to see The Dark Knight Rises. The writer, Jesse Spector, wrote a memorial to Jessica on Friday.
"Jessica Redfield was going to be a sportscaster, and she was going to be a good one," Mr Spector wrote.
A family friend tweeted that after speaking to Jessica's mother, he began a hashtag on twitter to celebrate memories of her life "Please trend #RIPJessica," he wrote.

12 people died in the shooting at a showing of the new Batman film "The Dark Knight Rises" in Aurora

The suspect apprehended in the mass shooting at a suburban Denver movie theater has been identified as James Eagan Holmes, 24, law enforcement sources told CBS News correspondent Bob Orr.
Twelve people died in the shooting at a showing of the new Batman film "The Dark Knight Rises" in Aurora, Colo., early Friday morning. A law enforcement source told Orr the shooting appears to have been carried out by a lone gunman.

One federal official told CBS News that at this time Holmes appears to have been "under the radar." CBS News reports Holmes doesn't appear to have a criminal record in Colorado or in San Diego, Calif., where he graduated from high school in 2006. Pentagon officials said there is no record of Holmes having served in any branch of the military.

San Diego police read a statement from Holmes' California family saying that their hearts go out to those involved. They say they're cooperating with authorities in San Diego and Aurora and are trying to process everything. San Diego police spokeswoman Andra Brown said there's nothing to suggest the family had any involvement.
Tom Mai, a retired electrical engineer who lives next door to Holmes' family, told The Associated Press that Holmes was a loner. Mai said he said hello to Holmes once in a while, but he seemed to be shy. The mother told Mai that Holmes couldn't find a job after graduating from a public university in California.
The University of California, Riverside, confirmed to CBS News that Holmes graduated in 2010 with a bachelor's degree in neuroscience.

The family lives on a quiet, well-to-do San Diego street of two-story homes with red tile roofs. Mai said the family lived there about 10 years. The mother is a nurse and the father is a manager at a software company. The suspect has a younger sister.
According to the University of Colorado, Denver, Holmes was in the process of dropping out of the school's graduate program in neurosciences. School spokeswoman Jacque Montgomery said in a statement that Holmes enrolled at the school in June 2011. She didn't say why he was withdrawing.
Aurora shooting witnesses describe panic, chaos
Mass shooting at Batman premiere near Denver
Bloomberg calls on Obama, Romney to talk gun control
There was no immediate word of any motive for the attack. Federal law enforcement officials were briefed on the attack, but at this point there is no indication it is terrorism-related, CBS News senior correspondent John Miller reports.
Police evacuated the area surrounding Holmes' Denver-area apartment, saying the residence was apparently booby-trapped. A law enforcement source told Orr that police saw what looked like "buckets of extra ammunition" and some kind of chemical inside his home.
(At left, watch CBS News senior correspondent John Miller break down the investigation)

CBS News has learned that some loud music blaring from Holmes' apartment around the time of the attack was designed to draw a noise complaint from a neighbor, thus luring police into his residence, sparking a firebomb and diverting resources from the movie theater.
Aurora Police Chief Dan Oates said it could take hours or days to safely enter the apartment.
Police recovered four guns at the theater, including two pistols, a shotgun and an assault rifle, Oates told reporters at a news conference. All four guns were purchased legally at three Colorado gun stores between May 22 and July 6, Orr reports. Authorities also recovered a ballistic helmet and a gas mask.
A law enforcement source told CBS News investigative producer Pat Milton that the attack appears to have been planned well in advance. Holmes parked his vehicle at the rear of the Century 16 theaters at the Aurora Mall and entered the theater through an emergency door in the back. He exited through the same door and was apprehended without incident.
The violent and chaotic scene erupted about 12:30 a.m. local time as the gunman stood at the front of the theater. Witnesses reported that the gunman threw a gas canister before opening fire.
"Witnesses tell us he released some sort of canister. They heard a hissing sound and some gas emerged and the gunman opened fire," Oates said.
Police, ambulances and emergency crews swarmed on the scene after frantic calls started flooding the 911 switchboard, officials said.
Officers found Holmes near a car behind the theater.
It was the worst mass shooting in the United States since 32 people were killed on the Virginia Tech campus in 2007. It was the worst in Colorado since the Columbine High School massacre on April 20, 1999. Students Eric Harris, 18, and Dylan Klebold, 17, opened fire at the school in the Denver suburb of Littleton, about 15 miles west of Aurora, killing 12 classmates and a teacher and wounding 26 others before killing themselves in the school's library.
The shooting occurred in Theater 9, which has a capacity of around 300 people, according to CBS Denver station KCNC-TV.
Victims were rushed to six area hospitals. Sixteen of the wounded were listed in critical condition, CBS News correspondent Barry Petersen reports. The youngest reported victim is a 4-month-old, who was treated and released from University Hospital. Another victim is a 6-year-old being treated at Children's Hospital, where a total of six victims were taken. Their condition wasn't known.
Victims were being treated for chemical exposure apparently related to canisters thrown by the gunman.

'The Dark Knight Rises': A short review of the Movie!

At long last, Christopher Nolan's third Batman movie has finally hit theaters. Set eight years after the gritty events that play out in the end of "The Dark Knight," "The Dark Knight Rises" is said to be the final chapter in Nolan's telling of Batman's saga, and if all the Internet buzzing is to be believed, it is the most anticipated movie of the year.
The only fan-related element surrounding the film that was not anticipated, however, were the headlines generated earlier this week when Batman fans took several film critics to task for posting less-than-stellar reviews of the film on Rotten Tomatoes.
Slightly lukewarm reviews or no, the critical masses agree that Nolan has another record-breaking hit on his hands and that "The Dark Knight Rises" is a fitting end to the game-changing franchise. Minor spoilers ahead as we fly through the "Dark Knight Rises" reviews:

The Story
"After seven years and two films that have pushed Batman ever deeper into the dark, the director Christopher Nolan has completed his postmodern, post-Sept. 11 epic of ambivalent good versus multidimensional evil with a burst of light. As the title promises, day breaks in 'The Dark Knight Rises,' the grave and satisfying finish to Mr. Nolan's operatic bat-trilogy. His timing couldn't be better. As the country enters its latest electoral brawl off screen, Batman (Christian Bale) hurtles into a parallel battle that booms with puppet-master anarchy, anti-government rhetoric and soundtrack drums of doom. ... Times change; superheroes and villains too. The enemy is now elusive and the home front as divided as the face of Harvey Dent, a vanquished Batman foe. The politics of partisanship rule and grass-roots movements have sprung up on the right and the left to occupy streets and legislative seats. It can look ugly, but as they like to say — and as Dent says in 'The Dark Knight,' the second part of the trilogy — the night is darkest before the dawn." — Manohla Dargis, The New York Times

The Scale and Spectacle
" 'The Dark Knight Rises' (TDKR), Christopher Nolan's mesmerizing climax to his trilogy reboot of the DC Comics character, is a show, all right. But not in the way of the standard summer action fantasy. Although his movie contains elaborate fights, stunts, chases and war toys, and though the director dresses half his characters in outfits suitable for a Comic-Con revel, Nolan is a dead-serious artist with a worldview many shades darker than the knight of the title. 'The Avengers' is kid stuff compared with this meditation on mortal loss and heroic frailty. For once a melodrama with pulp origins convinces viewers that it can be the modern equivalent to Greek myths or a Jonathan Swift satire. TDKR is that big, that bitter — a film of grand ambitions and epic achievement. The most eagerly anticipated movie of summer 2012 was worth waiting for." — Richard Corliss, Time

The Performances
"Bane (Tom Hardy) is hampered by an elaborate black mask that covers most of his face, with a mouthpiece that recalls Hannibal Lecter's muzzle. This apparatus makes it nearly impossible for Hardy to give a full-scale performance, and his Darth Vader-breathy dialogue is occasionally unclear. Bale remains superb as the tortured hero, and the trajectory of his story comes to a poignant conclusion. The most moving scenes involve Wayne and his loyal butler/confidant, Alfred (Michael Caine). A buoyant chemistry flares between Bale and Anne Hathaway as Selina Kyle/Catwoman. Hathaway offers a charmingly fresh take on her character — less feline (no purring, thankfully) and more acrobatic, playful and assertive than previous incarnations. Less impressive is the rather bland Marion Cotillard as environmental conservationist Miranda Tate, positioned as Wayne's love interest though they lack chemistry. Joseph Gordon-Levitt is affably noble as dedicated police detective John Blake, a role that could figure into a potential spinoff." — Claudia Puig, USA Today

The End of an Era
"[Nolan] leaves future Batman filmmakers in an impossible position. They'll simply have to try something different, because for grandeur and pretension and evil genius and pure thrills — for delivering exactly what the multiplex audience wants, in tremendous style, and undercutting it at the same time — there's no way to top 'The Dark Knight Rises.' " — Andrew O'Hehir Salon.com

The Final Word
" 'The Dark Knight Rises' is something of an ordeal to sit through. But Nolan provides moments of jaw-dropping spectacle: that football-game set piece, for example, or a somber scene in which we see Gotham from far above as dozens of Bane's randomly planted bombs explode throughout the city. Too much of this film takes place in dimly lit, cramped spaces where sweaty men threaten each other in whispers: the Gotham sewer, the underground prison to which Bruce Wayne is exiled for a long and dreary stretch in the second half. As Nolan proved in those crazy street-folding scenes in Inception, he's a whiz at staging visually inventive action on a grand, topographic scale. Now that the 'Dark Knight' series is over (and the character no doubt being readied for a steampunk-themed reboot), I hope Nolan's next project will lift his imagination out of the bat-cave and into the world." — Dana Stevens, Slate

Batman fans flock to midnight showings of 'The Dark Knight Rises'

For Stephen Rudd, seeing back-to-back screenings of 2005’s “Batman Begins” and 2008’s “The Dark Knight” at the Emagine Novi on Thursday was the only way to prepare for the eagerly awaited midnight opening of “The Dark Knight Rises,” the third and final chapter in director Christopher Nolan’s blockbuster trilogy of Batman movies.
“Batman is the best superhero ever,” said the 18-year-old South Lyon resident, who showed up at the concessions counter in a Batman cape and mask during a brief break between the two films.
“I love the action but also the way everything is so philosophical. There’s meaning in every line.”
For weeks, the buzz about “The Dark Knight Rises,” starring Christian Bale at Batman/Bruce Wayne and Anne Hathaway as cat burglar Selina Kyle, has been electric.
This time out, the Caped Crusader squares off against the villainous Bane (Tom Hardy), a bald-headed, mask-wearing warlord who holds Gotham City hostage with a nuclear bomb.

At the AMC theater in Livonia, Batman fans Kate Bonk, 24, of Livonia (left) and Alex Steinke, 18, are the first persons in line Thursday, July 19, 2012, for the premiere of the latest Batman movie, The Dark Knight Rises. As they say on their sign they arrived at 9 a.m. for the midnight (and first) showing of the movie. / Eric Seals/DFP

The movie is expected to make $185 million to $195 million on its opening weekend, breaking the record for a 2D release set four years ago by “The Dark Knight.” As of Wednesday, “The Dark Knight Rises” already had grossed an estimated $25 million in advance ticket sales. Fans all over metro Detroit were taking part in the excitement.
The folks who began arriving at 4:30 p.m. for the midnight screening at the Henry Ford IMAX theater in Dearborn weren't in line for tickets. They have had those since June 11, when all 440 seats were snapped up within 27 minutes.
"I'm here for the best possible seat," said Farmington-based Sean Young, 19, who was first in line with seven friends. "I like the way he re-imagined Batman to make him more realistic, more mainstream. He's not just for comic book lovers anymore."
Young and his friends were typical of the crowd that wound through the Henry Ford lobby, but they were far from the most flamboyant. Among the mostly college-age movie fans hunched over iPhones, four sported the familiar black bat cape and mask. One donned the gruesome makeup of Two-Face. Another was dressed as Bane.
All would tell you that it would have been a lot easier to see the movie at their multiplex. Indeed, like many suburban Detroit theaters, Emagine Novi was showing “The Dark Knight Rises” on all 18 of its screens. An Emagine spokesman said that as of 7:30 Thursday, 2,342 tickets had been sold for the midnight screenings.
But many of the biggest diehards were at the Henry Ford, the most sizable of the handful of Detroit-area theaters equipped with large-format IMAX projectors and screens.
With its 62-by-85-foot screen and booming surround sound, it has become the theater of choice for hard-core fans of blockbusters like "The Dark Knight Rises" and its predecessors. Demand was so great for the Henry Ford’s midnight show that a more recently added 3:15 a.m. screening also sold out.
As with 2008's "The Dark Knight," Nolan has took great care in composing the movie to fit the massive IMAX screen. Many of the key scenes were filmed in IMAX, an unusual approach for a Hollywood blockbuster.
"Christopher Nolan shot the movie with IMAX cameras, so I wanted to make sure to see it here," said Matthew Layne, attending the midnight show with his father Kenny Layne, 56. The tickets were a Father's Day gift.

At the AMC theater in Livonia, Batman fans (l-r) Jack Mastantuono, 18, of Northvile; Angela Alvarez, 18, of Novi, dressed as Bane; and Molly Reitman, 17, dressed as Catwoman, gather for a portrait before going in at 4:30pm to get good seats for the start at 6pm of the Dark Knight trilogy (all three Batman movies), culminating in the midnight showing of The Dark Knight Rises. / Eric Seals/DFP

Kenny Layne confessed to getting Matthew hooked on Batman by showing him the 1960s TV show and movie starring Adam West. And while both are fond of the Tim Burton-directed "Batman" movies, they recognize something special in Nolan's approach to the iconic comic book crime fighter.
"I always saw Batman as a loner and appreciated his dark side," says Kenny. "I think Nolan captures that."

We’ll be talking all things “The Dark Knight Rises” in a live chat at Friday at noon.
Sharing their Bat-expertise and thoughts on the film will be Chris Marshall (creator of the Collected Comics Library podcast and blog), Rob Allstetter (longtime comics journalist and producer of the “Comics Continuum” TV show and website) and Free Press movie writer Julie Hinds.

Humayun Ahmed will alive for ever....In our minds...

Popular Bengali fiction writer Humayun Ahmed, 64, has died at a New York hospital after a nine-month battle against colon cancer, bringing the curtains down on a nearly four-decade long illustrious career.

Dr Abdul Momen, the Bangladesh Ambassador to the UN, told bdnews24.com that he had passed away at 11:30pm Thursday Bangladesh time at Bellevue Hospital.

"The doctors have announced him dead moments before," Momen told bdnews24.com at 11:32pm.

Wife Meher Afroz Shaon, younger brother Mohammad Zafar Iqbal and publisher Mazharul Islam were at the Bellevue Hospital at the time of death.

President Zillur Rahman, Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina and Opposition Leader Khaleda Zia have been leading the nation in mourning the novelist, playwright and filmmaker.

Tens of thousands of tributes began to pour in on social networking sites. One Facebook posting predicted: "The tsunami of emotion will hit Bangladesh during his funeral."

Arriving in New York on Sept 14 last year for treatment, he had two major surgeries on his colon since June 12 at Bellevue. He had earlier gone through 12 chemotherapy cycles at the Memorial Sloan-Kettering Cancer Centre.

The writer's condition was stated critical after he had undergone the second surgery on June 21, when doctors detected infection of an unknown virus on his body and were unable to treat it. When news of his critical health first came out, legions of his fans expressed concern.

Humayun was diagnosed with colon cancer during a routine check-up in Singapore last year.

On May 11, the writer had come back home after taking treatment for eight straight months in New York before going for the surgeries. He had spent 20 days at Nuhash Palli, his retreat at Gazipur which the writer had said he missed the most while living abroad.

Born in Mymensingh in 1948, he studied chemistry at the Dhaka University and later taught chemistry in his alma mater.

He left teaching when he became a fulltime writer and filmmaker.

Humayun Ahmed had a meteoric rise in Bangla literature. He penned his first novel, Nondito Noroke while still a student at the DU, gaining immediate popularity and critical acclaim. Equally successful was his second novel, Shankhanil Karagar (The Conch-blue Prison).

Humayun went on to become one of the most prolific writers in Bengali literature, with around 150 novels to his credit. He also wrote science fiction; he was a charismatic creator of such characters as Himu and Misir Ali.

His first television drama was Ei Shob Din Ratri (Tale of our daily lives), followed by Bohubrihi, Ayomoy "The man who would not die", Kothao Keu Nei (Nobody Anywhere). The last drama had such an influence on the people that they took out protest processions after the protagonist of the drama, Baker Bhai, was wrongly convicted and executed. Public prayers and death anniversaries were observed for this fictional character by his fans. His another popular television piece was Nakshatrer Raat (The Night of the Stars), exploring many facets of modern human life and its relationship.

Bohubrihi was one of the most successful productions of Bangladesh Television.

His making was so unique in its manifestation of characters that anybody in the country could tell the maker was none but Humayun by seeing any given sequence or dialogue.

Humayun won the National Film Award in total eight categories, including Best Picture and Best Director, on his debut film, "Aguner Parashmoni", based on the liberation war.

Liberation War and middle-class life crisis often were the themes he liked to work on often. The execution of his father by the Pakistani occupation force had a great impact on his works.

Ahmed also wrote few songs for his own films and plays. Some of the notables are titled as Ami Aaj Bhejabo Chokh Somudrer Joley, Chadni Poshor Ratey and Amaaar Achey Jol.

Winner of Bangla Academy Award in 1981, Ekushey Padak in 1994 and three National Film Awards (Best Story in 1993, Best Film 1994 and Best Script in 1994), Humayun continued writing even when he was being treated in New York.

On Jan 13, the government gave the writer a diplomatic position – Senior Special Adviser -- at the country's Permanent Mission at the United Nations, allowing him certain privileges in the city where he was being treated and living with the family.

The writer is survived by two sons—Ninit and Nishad— with second wife Shaon, and three daughters— Nova, Shila, Bipasha—and son Nuhash with his previous wife Gultekin.

Ever since diagnosed with the cancer, the writer had announced should he win the battle against cancer, he would build a cancer hospital in Bangladesh.

Awards

• Lekhak Shibir Prize (1973)
• Bangla Academy Award (1981)
• Shishu Academy Award
• Jainul Abedin Gold Medal
• Michael Madhusudan Medal (1987)
• Bacsas Prize (1988)
• Humayun Qadir Memorial Prize (1990)
• National Film Award (Best Story 1993, Best Film 1994, Best Dialogue 1994)
• Ekushe Podok (1994)
• ShellTec Award (2007)^[12]

Works

Films

Name of Film	Director	Story
Shonkhonil Karagar	No	Yes
Aguner proshmoni	Yes	Yes
Srabon megher din	Yes	Yes
Dui Duari	Yes	Yes
Chondrokotha	Yes	Yes
Noi no. Bipod shonket	Yes	Yes
Amar Ache Jol	Yes	Yes
Nirontor	No	Yes
Priotomeshu	No	Yes
Daruchini Dip	No	Yes
Shamol Chaya	Yes	Yes
Ghetuputra Kamola	Yes	Yes

Notable television dramas

• Akdin Hothat
• Abong Einstein
• Aj Jorir Biye
• Aj Robibar / Serial
• Akti Oloukik Vromon Kahini
• Ai Boishakhe
• Ai Borshai
• Ai Shob Din Ratri / Serial
• Amra Tin Jon / Sequel
• Ayomoy / Serial
• Antorar Baba
• Angti
• Badol Diner Prothom Kodom Ful
• Badla Diner Gaan
• Bank Draft
• Bhoot Bilash
• Bibaho
• Bon Kumari
• Bon Batashi
• Brihonnola
• Bohubrihi / Serial
• Bonoo
• Bua Bilash
• Chader Aloy Koyekjon Jubok
• Cherager Doitto
• Chipa Voot
• Chele Dekha
• Chor
• Choitro Diner Gaan
• Chondro Grohon
• Chondro Karigor
• Chondro Grosto
• Durotto
• Dui Du Konay Char
• Eka
• Eki Kando
• Enayet Alir Sagol
• Goni Shaheber Shesh Kichudin
• Gondho
• Griho Shukh Private Limited
• Gunin
• Habiber Shongshar
• Hablonger Bazar
• Hamid Miar Ijjot
• Himu / Sequel
• Iblish
• Jahir Karigor
• Jibon Japon
• Josnar Fool
• Joota Baba
• Jootar Baksho
• Joituri
• Jomunar Jol Dekhte Kalo
• Jol Torongo
• Jolay Bhasha Podmo
• Kala Koitor / Serial
• Kakaru
• Khoab Nogor
• Kothao Keo Naei / Serial
• Konay Dekha
• Kuhok
• Majhe Majhe Tobo Dekha Pai
• Megh Boleche Jabo Jabo / Serial
• Missed Call
• Mofiz Miar Choritro
• Montri Mohodoyer Agomom
• Natto Mongoler Kotha
• Nim Ful
• Nogoray Doitto
• Nitu Tomake Valobashi / 2 Episodes
• Nuruddin Shorno Podok
• Ochin Ragini / 3 Episodes
• Onushondhan
• Openti Bioscope
• Oporanho
• Otoppor Shuvo Bibaho
• Paap
• Pathor
• Project Himalaya
• Podmo
• Pushpo Kotha
• Rumali / Serial
• Rupkotha
• Rupar Ghonta
• Rupali Ratri / 3 Episodes
• Shonar Kolosh
• Shobai Geche Bonay
• Showkot Shaheber Gari Kena
• Rubiks Cube
• Rupali Nokhkhotro / 3 Episodes
• Shopno Abong Shopno Bhongo
• Shomudro Bilash Private Limited
• Suri
• Tara Tin Jon / Sequel
• Tritio Noyon
• Turuper Tash
• Vejabo Chokh Shomudrer Jolay
• Wang Pi
• Zinda Kobor
• 24 Carat Man

Death

After a nine-month struggle against colorectal cancer, he died in Bellevue Hospital in New York on the 19th of July, 2012 at 11.30 PM BST. After 12 sessions of chemotherapy, he had undergone a successful operation on June, 2012. He also had a tumor in his liver which was successfully removed. But after the operation, he got infected with an unknown virus which quickly spread through his body. Shortly after, he was transferred to ICU after losing consciousness and it was there that he was pronounced dead.

Books

In English

• 1971: A Novel. Dhaka, Bangladesh: Mowla Bros.. 1993. ISBN 9789844100138.
• In Blissfull Hell. Dhaka, Bangladesh: Somoi Prokashan. 1993. ISBN 9789844580459.
• Gouripur Junction. Dhaka, Bangladesh: Anyaprokash. 2007. ISBN 9789848684382. 

We will never forget you......