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SEOUL (Reuters) - The U.S. and South Korean militaries will stage their second joint exercise in less than a month from Monday, fuelling tensions with the prickly North and angering regional power China. The annual exercise comes a week after Seoul completed its own drills near a disputed maritime border off the west coast that prompted the North to retaliate by firing a barrage of artillery shells in the same area. Responding with the same rhetoric as it has in the past, the reclusive North said the latest exercise was a "dangerous act to light the fuse of a new war". Pyongyang has often turned to sabre-rattling to make a point but analysts say it is unlikely to risk a full-blown war which would pit it against the combined might of the U.S. and South Korean militaries. But U.S. officials have said further provocations by the North are possible in coming months, especially as Pyongyang tries to build political momentum for the succession to leader Kim Jong-il, expected to ...

US President Barack Obama has staunchly defended controversial plans to build a mosque near Ground Zero in New York. Opponents have protested against the construction of an Islamic cultural centre and mosque several hundred feet away from the site of the Twin Towers. Mr Obama acknowledged "sensitivities" surround the 9/11 site, but said Muslims have the same right to practise their religion "as anyone else". "Our commitment to religious freedom must be unshakeable," Mr Obama said. Continue reading the main story Since a New York developer announced plans to build a 13-storey Islamic community centre and mosque about two blocks from the former World Trade Center site, prominent Republican politicians and a host of conservative pundits have attacked the project. Some relatives of people killed in the terror attacks on the World Trade Center in 2001 are also opposed to the plan. 'Stab in the heart' In a speech at a White House dinner celebrating Rama...

Mercedes reserve driver Nick Heidfeld has been singled out as the preferred choice of development driver by new Formula One tyre supplier Pirelli. The Italian manufacturer will replace Bridgestone as F1's sole supplier from 2011 onwards, and plan to develop their new rubber over the coming months. Heidfeld, who contested 169 grand prix between 2000 and 2009, has spent the 2010 season as the Mercedes team's third driver, but could be set to leave the role to work for Pirelli if the marque have their way. "Before the last race in Abu Dhabi we'll do six tests with an F1 car from 2009," Pirelli's chief of competition Paul Hembery said this week. "We need an extremely experienced but also very fit driver, who can do 500 miles a day and not collapse afterwards. Heidfeld fits this profile very well and would be an ideal candidate." However it remains unclear as to whether Heidfeld will be allowed to take the role on, with the German having been ruled out ea...

Not too far in the future, civilisation as we know it is no more. World wars have ceased, but the fighting and killing goes on. The ravaged world is ruled not by governments, but by powerful mega-corporations. The greatest of them all, Tekken, controls large territories which include the former United States. Within the protective walls of Tekken City, the rich and famous strut the corridors of power. Outside, however, the oppressed civilians are gripped by fear and despair. Living conditions leave much to be desired and resources are scarce. The Jacks, Tekken’s highly-efficient masked robotic security units, patrol the area, capturing and killing the huddled masses at will. In The Anvil, one of the slums outside the walls, Jin (Jon Foo) watches the Jacks kill his mother (Tamlyn Tomita). The young man, who makes a living by running through danger zones (think desolate ruins, bright search lights and whizzing bullets) to deliver contraband, vows to avenge her untimely death. Armed with ...

Gerhard Berger says that nobody would have complained about Michael Schumacher's move on Rubens Barrichello if it happened in his day. Berger, who raced against uncompromisingly hard drivers such as Nigel Mansell, Ayrton Senna, Nelson Piquet and Schumacher himself, says the racing was much tougher back in the 80s and 90s. "We drove harder and more brutally," Berger told Austrian newspaper Tiroler Tageszeitung. "Three times a lap we drove each other into the walls without complaining. This was just part of it. We would have thought nothing of an action like Michael's against Barrichello." Although Berger initially backed Schumacher to add to his tally of seven drivers' titles, he now doubts the German will add to his record haul. "Before the season I would have answered this question with a resounding yes. Today I have to say no. His teammate Nico Rosberg clearly has his nose in front. Michael is trying to counter Nico's youth...

Moscow, Russia (CNN) -- Russia will start loading a nuclear reactor in Iran with fuel next week, moving the project closer to being complete, both nations said Friday. The August 21 arrival of fuel at the Bushehr facility, which Iran says will create atomic energy but other nations fear could be used for nuclear weapons, marks a key step toward its completion, Russia said. "This event will symbolize that the period of testing is over and the stage of physical start-up has begun," said Sergei Novikov, spokesman for Russia's Federal Atomic Energy Agency. The head of that agency will visit Iran next week, said the semi-official Fars News Agency. A Russian group is already in Iran to make the necessary arrangements for his arrival. The reactor in the western Iranian port city of Bushehr will be operational by the third week of September, Fars said, though Novikov said the plant will not be ready to produce energy for another six months. "All the installations and tests a...

RIM has updated its BlackBerry Curve line with a feature-rich yet affordable mobile device called the BlackBerry Curve 3G (9300). The device sports RIM's much-loved full-Qwerty keyboard, an optical trackpad, BlackBerry Messenger, a removable battery, GPS, WiFi, a 320 x 240-pixel LCD display, and a 2-megapixel camera. The BlackBerry Curve 3G can be upgraded to RIM's newest operating system, BlackBerry 6. The device is set to be released in the United States and Europe this month. As yet no prices have been announced. - Relaxnews source- http://techcentral.my

Christina Ricci is not only making her first Broadway appearance, but she’s also debuting a brand new look. Before hitting the stage this fall for Time Stands Still, Ricci chopped off her long, luscious locks in favor of a wispy chin-grazing bob. “For the play they wanted this and it was time to make a drastic change,” Ricci explained to PEOPLE at The Blackberry Torch Launch Party in Los Angeles Wednesday night. “It feels good.” The pint-sized actress, who also brightened her bob with chestnut highlights, likes to mix it up. “I change my hair pretty much every six months,” said Ricci, “I’m one of those people that I like to change constantly, like I go blonde, dark, short, long. I can’t stop changing I like it.” Not that Ricci won’t be craving long hair in the future, saying “I’m getting extensions soon.” Tell us: What do you think of Christina’s new do? –Michelle Ward source- http://www.people.com

LONDON: Steven Gerrard concedes his England team are not among football’s elite and has urged fans to lower their expectations. A dismal World Cup campaign which ended in a 4-1 second-round thumping by Germany highlighted to Gerrard that England aren’t the world power they consider themselves to be. “It’s you guys, not me, who say how good we are,” the England captain told a media briefing on Tuesday. “At the moment, we’re not up with the best. We went out in the last 16 ... are you guys going to lower the expectations?” Going into the tournament, coach Fabio Capello had declared that England were capable of reaching the final after winning nine out of 10 qualifiers. In reality, though, Capello knew something that he’s only just acknowledged: England were too mentally and physically fatigued to end their 44-year World Cup title drought. Gerrard thinks the English public shouldn’t burden the team with the expectation that they will return from Ukraine and Poland with the 2012 European t...

Brazil's government has ordered its air force to officially record any sighting of unidentified flying objects. A government decree said all military and civilian pilots as well as air traffic controllers should register any UFO sightings with the national aerospace defence command. The information will be stored in the national archives in Rio de Janeiro. It will be made available to researchers, including those seeking evidence of extraterrestrial life. Anything unusual that is seen, photographed or video filmed in Brazil's air space will now have to be reported and catalogued. But the air force said it would limit itself to collecting information, and would not be chasing UFOs. "Air force command does not have a specialized structure to carry out scientific experiments on these phenomena and will limit itself to recording any events" the air force said in a statement. Out there somewhere? There have been several reports of UFOs in Brazil in recent decades. In 1986,...

Russian F1 Driver Petrov Backed to Retain Place at Renault Russia’s first and only Formula One driver Vitaly Petrov has been given the nod of approval to retain his place at Renault in 2011 from team bosses despite numerous higher profile candidates being linked with his seat. International, the 10th of August 2010: Following his superb fifth placed finish in the recent Hungarian Grand Prix, Russian F1 driver Vitaly Petrov is said to be “doing the right things” in order to assure his place at Renault with a view to the 2011 championships. Despite the increased attention on Renaults 2nd driver position, with likes of Kimi Raikkonen and Nick Heidfeld being mentioned, Petrov’s outstanding displays this season and his 12th place standing on the drivers championship, the best of all the rookies, has pleased team bosses. Following his best finish (5th) in Hungary, Renault team principal Eric Boullier explained, “You don’t take a decision on one race result, but if he starts to shine like thi...

More torrential rain is sweeping towards the region of north-west China hit by a massive landslide, forecasters warn. More than 700 people are now known to have died and more than 1,000 people are still missing in the remote mountainous area of Gansu province. The BBC's Chris Hogg in Gansu says three days of torrential rain are due. Meanwhile, specialists in epidemic prevention have been sent to the area as fears of disease spread. At least three villages in remote Zhouqu county were levelled by an avalanche of mud and rocks triggered by rain on Saturday. Now rescue teams fear the fresh rain could not only hinder work to find survivors but also trigger fresh landslides. "We are expecting very heavy rain for later today, please don't spend too long in town," Reuters news agency quoted a policeman at a checkpoint on the outskirts of Zhouqu as saying. Up to 90mm of rain was forecast for Friday, the National Meteorological Centre reported, saying the chance of more landsl...

The design of the all-new Suzuki Kizashi is exciting and fresh. I would say the exterior looks more European than Japanese because of the elegant body lines. While driving the Kizashi around town, I could see several bystanders struggling to see what car it was. Inside, you will find comfortable seats, easy-to-use controls and excellent fit and finish. The engine is peppy and delivers decent gas mileage (I achieved 24 mpg on regular unleaded gas in mixed driving) thanks to the smooth continuously variable transmission. And there is plenty of room in the trunk to stow gear for weekend retreats with the family. –Joe Chulick The Suzuki Kizashi is not a cheap car, but then again it's not too expensive, either. The one we drove had push-button start, an all-wheel-drive system available at the touch of a button, a reasonably spacious interior and trunk, and an interior that you would be happy to own for a long time. Sadly, the dashboard is made from the same ugly plastic that Honda puts ...

Adrian Sutil has played down Force India's chances of repeating the team's surprising Belgian Grand Prix result of 2009. Giancarlo Fisichella secured pole position at the demanding Spa circuit last year and narrowly missed out on victory, finishing second behind Kimi Raikkonen's Ferrari. And although Sutil himself qualified on the front row before finishing fourth and setting the fastest lap at Monza two weeks later, the German does not fancy his team's chances this time around. "Last year we had an incredible car there, it was a big advantage. We don't have that advantage anymore," Sutil told the Indian media. "Still, we should be able to score a lot of points in the coming races. We have a very good chance in Spa and Monza." Team-mate Tonio Liuzzi was slightly more optimistic about the team's chances and thinks a podium is again a possibility. "I think we will be again pretty competitive," Liuzzi told AUTOSPORT. "To match las...

Penny Lancaster is pregnant with her and husband Rod Stewart's second child. Penny Lancaster is pregnant. The 39-year-old model is expecting her and husband Rod Stewart's second child together. They already have a four-year-old son, Alastair. A statement released by the couple to Hello! magazine read: 'Penny and Rod were lucky enough to be celebrating more than just their third wedding anniversary in June, as the news came that Penny was pregnant with their second child. 'We were thrilled and delighted to be able to tell Alastair that he was going to be the big brother to a little baby, expected just before mummy's 40th birthday.' An additional statement from Penny's agents Nicholas Young and Veronica Pieters at Crawfords said: 'Everyone in the office is overjoyed at this wonderful news. Penny is such a lovely person and a brilliant mum and we wish her, Rod and Alastair all the very best.' The baby is due just weeks after Rod celebrates his 66th birt...

BEIJING — This year, China will leapfrog Japan to become the second-biggest economy on Earth, behind only the USA, many economists predict. Next month, China starts broadcasts on CNN and other networks of an image-boosting commercial featuring stars such as basketballer Yao Ming and China's first astronaut, Yang Liwei. Back at ground level, though, in what remains a developing country, China's people and government are struggling to deal with a series of natural disasters that some environmentalists believe are the deadly, man-made consequences of favoring economic growth over environmental protection. The latest tragedy occurred early Sunday when heavy rain triggered landslides that blocked a river in Zhouqu County, an ethnically Tibetan area in northwestern Gansu province, forcing floodwater to sweep through the county seat. By 2 p.m. Monday, 337 people had died and 1,148 were missing, the state-run Xinhua News Agency reported. Premier Wen Jiabao flew to the region Sunday. ...

MOVIES Choice Movie: Action Adventure - Sherlock Holmes Choice Movie Actor: Action Adventure - Channing Tatum, G.I. Joe: The Rise of Cobra Choice Movie Actress: Action Adventure - Rachel McAdams,Sherlock Holmes Choice Movie: Sci-Fi - Avatar Choice Movie: Liplock - Robert Pattinson and Kristen Stewart, The Twilight Saga: New Moon Choice Movie: Fight - Mia Wasikowska vs. The Jabberwocky, Alice in Wonderland Choice Movie: Hissy Fit - Miley Cyrus, The Last Song Choice Movie: Chemistry - Kristen Stewart and Robert Pattinson, The Twilight Saga: New Moon Choice Movie: Male Breakout - Liam Hemsworth, The Last Song Choice Movie: Female Breakout - Taylor Swift, Valentines Day Choice Movie: Male Scene Stealer - Kellan Lutz, The Twilight Saga: New Moon Choice Movie: Female Scene Stealer - Ashley Greene, The Twilight Saga: New Moon Choice Movie Actor: Sci-Fi - Sam Worthington, Avatar Choice Movie Actress: Sci-Fi - Zoe Saldana, Avatar Choice Movie: Fantasy - The Twilight Saga: New Moon Choice Movie ...

The Twilight Saga has dominated the Teen Choice Awards picking up the biggest haul of the night. The vampire romance franchise won a total of 11 prizes at the ceremony, which was held at the Los Angeles Gibson Amphitheatre. California Gurls singer Katy Perry hosted the event and underwent several costume changes throughout the night, appearing at one point as a prom queen. Twilight's awards included Choice Movie: Liplock for Robert Pattinson and Kristen Stewart's kiss in The Twilight Saga: New Moon and Choice Movie: Chemistry. Taylor Lautner - who plays werewolf Jacob Black in the films - picked up the Choice Fantasy: Movie Actor, and Choice Male: Summer Movie Star: Female accolades respectively. Twilight was not the only vampire drama to dominate the event. Hit series The Vampire Diaries scooped seven awards in the television category, and the show's leading couple Paul Wesley and Nina Dobrev won the Choice Actor and Choice Actress statuettes in the TV Fantasy/Sci-Fi categ...

LONDON (AP) - England goalkeeper Paul Robinson announced his international retirement on Sunday hours after being recalled to the squad, disrupting Fabio Capello's plans for Wednesday's friendly against Hungary. Capello planned to use the match to usher in a new era following England's woeful World Cup. He will now have only two goalkeepers to choose from after deciding not to replace the 30-year-old Blackburn keeper. Robinson, who was England's No. 1 at the 2006 World Cup, did not want to be behind Joe Hart and Ben Foster in the pecking order. "As a professional who wants every chance to play football, I do not see myself as No. 3 or 4 goalkeeper," Robinson said. "I find that role very frustrating. I haven't had the opportunity to be anything other than this in recent years." Robinson missed the cut for South Africa having not played for England since 2007. He was brought back into the fold on Saturday after Capello decided to drop 40-year-old D...

In her new movie The Switch, Jennifer Aniston plays a woman who decides to get pregnant in a non-traditional way – with a "turkey baster," she jokes in the film. During a press conference at the Four Seasons Hotel in Beverly Hills on Sunday, the actress defended her character's leap into single motherhood by using a sperm donor. "Women are realizing it more and more knowing that they don't have to settle with a man just to have that child," Aniston, 41, said. "Times have changed and that is also what is amazing is that we do have so many options these days, as opposed to our parents' days when you can't have children because you have waited too long." When asked about the repercussions of raising a child without a father, Aniston said she believes all types of families can raise healthy kids. "The point of the movie is what is it that defines family? It isn't necessarily the traditional mother, father, two children and a dog named ...

LOS ANGELES (CBSAP) Sandra Bullock is the latest star to get a restraining order against an alleged stalker. A Los Angeles judge has granted Bullock a restraining order against Thomas James Weldon, who has a history of stalking the actress and allegedly had traveled cross-country to try to meet her. The order issued Friday requires him to refrain from trying to contact her for the next three years. The Academy Award-winning actress has previously held restraining orders against Weldon. The current order also covers Louis Bardo Bullock, a baby boy who the actress is in the process of adopting, and the children of ex-husband Jesse James. Bullock's attorney, Ed McPherson, says Weldon was committed indefinitely to a state mental hospital in Wyoming on Tuesday. Earlier this week, actor Leonardo DiCaprio was granted a restraining order against a Canadian woman who is accused of slashing him with a broken beer bottle several years ago at a Hollywood party. She fled to Canada and recently ...