Sundance Film Festival: one of the few places a person can see over thirty movies in ten days and still walkaway with a lengthy list of regretful misses. This year was full of positive buzz, from rabid studio purchasing to the general thumbs-up public reactions to Park City's packed slate.
While many of the screened movies have their theatrical destinies set before the final night, the Sundance award ceremony often gives a much needed boost to films across the spectrum. Of course, like any "Best of," they also manage to overlook the true gems.
Here were the big winners of the festival along with a guide to who really should have taken home the awards:
Audience Award: Documentary - Buck, directed by Cindy Meeh
Buck has a special place in Sundance founder Robert Redford's heart - the film chronicles the true life story of Buck Brannaman, the real life Horse Whisperer (the basis for Redford's film). Buck is a heartwarming crowd-pleaser, but we're surprised the even gooier Being Elmo, a look behind one man's quest to become a Muppeteer, didn't sweep up this category. Both are must-sees.
Audience Award: Dramatic - Circumstance, directed and written by Maryam Keshavarz
The Iranian lesbian romance drama debuted to positive reviews and we're all for the win - the subject matter will be a tough enough sell for any distributor consdering picking up the film. We expected Sundance veteran Miranda July to pick this award up for her second feature, The Future, an adorable and emotional tale of a couple on the brink of splitting. While we enjoy July's brand of comedy, spreading the love to Circumstance will certainly help that picture's chances at being seen by a wide audience.
Best of NEXT!: Audience Award - to.get.her, directed and written by Erica Dunton
Critically panned by fest-goers, to.get.her, a drama concerning four teen girls' wild night, took the NEXT! category (designed for projects shot on little to no budget) by surprise. We had two favorites that deserved some the bump from winning this award: Bellflower, an off-beat mix of muscle cars and romance, and The Sound of My Voice, a twisted sci-fi/drama about a documentary team infiltrating an underground cult. Both movies transcended their budget limitations to tell engaging stories - we'll have to see if to.get.her commands that kind of attention.
Directing Award: Documentary - Resurrect Dead: The Mystery of the Toynbee Tiles, directed by Jon Foy.
Resurrect Dead took Jon Foy five years and a significant portion of his own income to complete, but the result is a wild mystery and fun 90-minute ride. It may not be the most expertly directed documentary to play the fest - James Marsh's slick Project Nim or the hilarious Shut Up, Little Man may take that honor - but with so much sweat and blood making its way to the screen (and a thrilling subject matter: the mysterious, sci-fi Toynbee Tiles), Foy is certainly deserved of the prize.
Directing Award: Dramatic - Martha Marcy May Marlene, directed and written by Sean Durkin.
Everyone at the fest thought Sean Durkin's first directorial effort, the terrifying Martha Marcy May Marlene, would take home the top prize, but at this fest the film will have to settle for excellence in directing. There's no doubt Durkin earned it - MMMM is a gracefully paced, unnerving experience, creating a sense of paranoia and dread few of his horror contemporaries could even attempt matching. Thankfully, this one has a distributor and you'll be seeing it soon.
Excellence in Cinematography Award: Dramatic - was presented to Pariah, directed and written by Dee Rees, shot by Bradford Young.
Another fan favorite, Dee Rees' Pariah rejuvenated the tired coming-of-age drama with grounded reality and fully fleshed out characters. Bradford Young's look compliments the feel. Instead of settling for the a gritty, "urban" look of most New York indies, Young's cinematography is diverse and complimentary to the world of the film.
Waldo Salt Screenwriting Award - Another Happy Day, directed and written by Sam Levinson.
Sam Levinson, son of famed director Barry Levinson (Rain Man), debuted with a harrowing feature film centered on a family that just can't get it right. Levinson picked up the screenwriting award for his script chock full of Aaron Sorkin-lite dialogue and Diablo Cody-esque pop culture references. It's not a particularly great film, but there's talent there. We would have loved to see Pariah, The Future, HERE or Terri take the prize, but the world isn't perfect.
Grand Jury Prize: Documentary - How to Die in Oregon, directed by Peter D. Richardson.
Once in awhile, a firm punch to the gut is a necessary wake up call to real world problems and issues. How to Die in Oregon is exactly that, rightfully taking top honors in the documentary category and leaving audiences across the fest bawling soon-to-be-frozen tears. The doc unravels the moral debate over Oregon's law to allow for terminally ill or elderly citizens to terminate their own lives and, as you can imagine, it's a tough one to watch. But for every gasp or sniffle, there's a moment of inspiration of hope - for an hour and a half, you're watching people do exactly what they want to do (legally).
Grand Jury Prize: Dramatic - Like Crazy, directed by Drake Doremus
Like Crazy hit home for many fest-goers, some calling the cross-continent relationship drama the new 500 Days of Summer. That might not be a sell for everyone, but for those who caught the picture, starring Anton Yelchin, Felicity Jones and Jennifer Lawrence, it resonated in a smart, true way. There are a handful of films that would seem fit for a win in this category, but a win for Like Crazy will only help its buzz when Paramount releases it sometime this year.
Indian Naxalites warn deployment of Army would lead to 'civil war' in central India
The banned Communist Party of India (Maoist), who are often referred to as Naxalites in reference to the violent Naxalbari insurrection conducted by radical Maoists in West Bengal in 1967, has accused the Union government of India of preparing to use the Army to wage war on its own people.
In a press release, dated January 22, 2011, Maoist spokesperson Guda Usendi opposed to the establishment of an Army training centre in India's Chhattisgarh state's troubled Narayanpur district, and described the move as a first step towards the eventual deployment of the Indian Army in anti-Maoist operations, reports the Hindu.
"The deployment of the Army would result in the imposition of the Armed Forces Special Powers Act (AFSPA) in Chhattisgarh and lead to a civil war in central India," he said in the press release.
According to the Hindu, in fall 2010, the Indian Army established a sub-area command in Chhattisgarh and unveiled plans to set up a jungle warfare training college, a school for special forces and para-commandos, and a massive (between 600 and 900 sq km) training area in Narayanpur. Narayanpur is one of Chhattisgarh's most sensitive districts and borders the 4000 sq km Abujmard area, a dense un-surveyed forest claimed by the guerrilla forces of the CPI (Maoist).
By acquiring land to establish a training facility on the edge of Maoist-controlled Abujmard, the Army had triggered speculation of a full-scale deployment in the future, the newspaper reports.
The Army has categorically stated that it shall not participate in anti-Maoist operations at present, and that all its facilities in the State are for training purposes only, but the Maoists appear unconvinced.
However, in a press conference on January 14 this year, Chief of Army Staff, General V.K. Singh said that the Army was "neither operating in the area nor seeking protection under the Armed Forces (Special Powers) Act."
The close proximity of the training facility and rebel bases has lead to fears that a Maoist attack on soldiers could draw the Army into the protracted insurgency, the report further states.
Last year, the Maoists killed over 100 troopers of the State and central paramilitary forces in Chhattisgarh alone, including 27 soldiers of the Central Reserve Police Force in Narayanpur district, not far from the proposed Army training centre.
CAN Info Tech 2011 kicks off
he 17th edition of Broadlink CAN Info Tech 2011, a mega ICT event, has formally kicked off at Exhibition Hall, Bhrikuti Mandap in the capital on Tuesday.
Prime Minister Madhav Kumar Nepal inaugurated the six-day long event being organised by Computer Association of Nepal (CAN) with an aim to expedite ICT sector in Nepal.
Participants at the expo include CAN's member associations and national as well as international companies.
Broadlink CAN InfoTech is featuring some 300 stalls related to the latest technologies developed in the ICT realm.
During the event, experts from the country and abroad are imparting information about the electronic education, health, tourism and entertainment through the information conference.
The organisers have expected that around 400,000 people would visit the exhibition.
Among the participants in the expo, hardware sales and maintenance companies makes up 39 percent, power solution companies 1 percent, mobile accessories 8 percent, dealers and distributors 9 percent, ISP service providers 9 percent, printing service providers 3 percent, telecommunication companies 1 percent, training centres and colleges 7 percent and other companies 6 percent, said CAN in its statement.
Tickets for the expo are priced at Rs 50 for general visitors and Rs 30 for students. Likewise, the ticket price for the last day of the event Business Day has been fixed at Rs 100.
Participants at the expo include CAN's member associations and national as well as international companies.
Broadlink CAN InfoTech is featuring some 300 stalls related to the latest technologies developed in the ICT realm.
During the event, experts from the country and abroad are imparting information about the electronic education, health, tourism and entertainment through the information conference.
The organisers have expected that around 400,000 people would visit the exhibition.
Among the participants in the expo, hardware sales and maintenance companies makes up 39 percent, power solution companies 1 percent, mobile accessories 8 percent, dealers and distributors 9 percent, ISP service providers 9 percent, printing service providers 3 percent, telecommunication companies 1 percent, training centres and colleges 7 percent and other companies 6 percent, said CAN in its statement.
Tickets for the expo are priced at Rs 50 for general visitors and Rs 30 for students. Likewise, the ticket price for the last day of the event Business Day has been fixed at Rs 100.
Kirats to be allowed to bury their dead in Bankali forest until another arrangement is made
Kathmandu: Following strong protests by people of Kirat community on Monday against the government's decision to forbid non-Hindu Christians and ethnic Kirats to conduct burial in the Sleshmantak forest, Prime Minister Madhav Kumar Nepal has directed the Pashupati Area Development Trust (PADT) to allow Kirat community to bury their dead in the area until an alternative arrangement is made.
The prime minister gave this direction after holding meeting with representatives from the Kirat community on Monday afternoon. He also assured that a taskforce would be formed on Tuesday to find an alternative graveyard for Kiratis.
Earlier on Monday, police had arrested over a dozen demonstrators of Kirat community including three lawmakers at places including Gaushala and Pashupatinath temple area while they were staging demonstration demanding that the people of the community be allowed to conduct traditional burial ceremony in the Babnkali area of Sleshmantak forest.
UCPN (Maoist) lawmaker Sudhan Rai informed Nepalnews from the Gaushala police post that several demonstrators including two other lawmakers from the community, Raj Kumar Rai of CPN-UML and Parmila Rai of Nepali Congress, were arrested from the demonstration.
Police had to resort to force to control the crowd agitated after being denied burial righs in the forest. Police had to baton charge and fire teargas shells to disperse the crowd. In the process many demonstrators were injured and had to be taken to the hospital for treatment.
Since Sunday, people from Kirat community have been protesting against PADT's decision to forbid them from conducting a burial in Sleshmantak forest. The community has threatened of massive agitation if the biased decision is not revoked soon.
Relatives of Jash Ram Rai, 40, who died of blood cancer at Teku Hospital in the capital, staged a sit-in protest outside PADT's office on Sunday after they were not allowed to bury him in the forest which Hindus believe to be "sacred". This despite the fact that people from the community have been burying their dead in the forest since many decades.
They later clashed with the security personnel mobilized to enforce the government's directive that has made them the lated victim of PADT's bias along with Christian community.
On Saturday also, the Kirat community, who bury their dead as per their ancient tradition despite being Hindus, clashed with the police after being forbidden to conduct a burial of Udayapur native Oshin Rai in the forest.
However, aggrieved relatives were allowed to bury Oshin after leaders representing the Kirat community exerted pressure on the authorities.
Saying non-Hindus are not allowed to bury their dead in the Sleshmantak forest, PADT has already ordered the demolition of all non-Hindu graves in the forest. Hindus like 'Sanyasis' are still allowed to bury their dead in the forest.
Both the Kirat community and minority Christian community have asked the government to allow them to conduct burial in the forest until another arrangement is made for them (by providing land elsewhere) to bury their dead.
Christian community has even warned they would parade their dead in front of the prime minister's office unless granted a burial site of their own.
NC president Koirala nominates nine for CWC members
Nepali Congress (NC) president Sushil Koirala has nominated nine persons for the post of Central Working Committee (CWC) members Monday evening in a bid to thwart Sher Bahadur Deuba camp’s pressure to forward Deuba as the party’s prime ministerial candidate.
President Koirala nominated new CWC members, most of them loyal to him, to have a comfortable majority in the CWC if a situation of voting comes to decide the next prime ministerial candidate.
Those nominated include Bhim Bahadur Tamang, defeated in the race for president in the general convention, Bimalendra Nidhi and Narhari Acharya, defeated in the race for general secretary and Padhma Narayan Chaudhary, defeated in the race for treasurer.
Likewise, president Koirala has nominated Krishna Tamrakar, Dil Bahadur Gharti, Pharmullah Mansoor, Gopal Raj Pahadi and Leela Koirala as CWC members. The nominations need to be approved by elected CWC.
NC president Koirala made the nominations even as his previous proposal to nominate Ram Chandra Paudel as vice president and Krishna Sitaula as general secretary has still not been approved.
Although the NC statute requires the president to make all nominations within two months of the general convention, only one member, Sher Bahadur Deuba, has been nominated as CWC member.
The nominations have been put off due to internal row in the party.
The elected CWC has 64 members with a president, a general secretary and a treasurer. The president nominates a vice president and a general secretary from among the elected CWC members and 21 CWC members from among the general convention representatives.
 |
| NC's President Sushil Koirala (File photo) |
Those nominated include Bhim Bahadur Tamang, defeated in the race for president in the general convention, Bimalendra Nidhi and Narhari Acharya, defeated in the race for general secretary and Padhma Narayan Chaudhary, defeated in the race for treasurer.
Likewise, president Koirala has nominated Krishna Tamrakar, Dil Bahadur Gharti, Pharmullah Mansoor, Gopal Raj Pahadi and Leela Koirala as CWC members. The nominations need to be approved by elected CWC.
NC president Koirala made the nominations even as his previous proposal to nominate Ram Chandra Paudel as vice president and Krishna Sitaula as general secretary has still not been approved.
Although the NC statute requires the president to make all nominations within two months of the general convention, only one member, Sher Bahadur Deuba, has been nominated as CWC member.
The nominations have been put off due to internal row in the party.
The elected CWC has 64 members with a president, a general secretary and a treasurer. The president nominates a vice president and a general secretary from among the elected CWC members and 21 CWC members from among the general convention representatives.
Prez seeks India’s help for peace
KATHMANDU, JAN 31 - Hailing India as one of the best models of liberal democracy in action in any third world country, President Dr. Ram Baran Yadav, who is on an official trip to India, on Monday sought Indian support for the completion of the peace and constitution drafting processes.The president, who arrived in New Delhi after his his visit to West Bengal and Andhra Pradesh states, was addressing a gathering organised by the Nepal Democracy Solidarity Committee, India.
“We are committed to the success and sustenance of the historic political development and peace process and writing a new constitution guaranteeing rule of law, pluralist democracy, human rights, and fundamental freedom of our people. At this crucial juncture, we look forward to greater support and understanding from our friends and well-wishers like India,” he said.
The president also talked about an election under the new constitution. He said, “I do count upon cooperation from you all in mobilising support and encouraging the Nepalese peace process to conclude the writing of a democratic constitution and holding of an election under the new constitution.”
He also hailed India’s rapid growth, saying that as a close neighbour, Nepal can significantly benefit in terms of increased cooperation in trade, investment, tourism promotion and development of physical infrastructure. “In this pursuit, parliamentarians and political leaders from both the countries need to work closely to chart new strategies and roadmap for future areas of cooperation between our two countries.”
Hailing the “excellent” Nepal-India bond, the president also talked about its future prospects, saying that he has “a firm belief that the areas of future cooperation between our two countries will be further broadened and deepened for mutual benefit of our people.”
“India’s cooperation has been vital in almost all walks of our socio-economic life. Most of our development infrastructures were created with the help of India. Our
people and the government are thankful to India for such spontaneous co-operation,” he said.
Liverpool land Luis Suarez in £22.7m deal with Ajax
Liverpool have completed the signing of Uruguayan striker Luis Suarez from Dutch club Ajax in a five-and-a-half year deal worth about £22.7m.
"Luis Suarez has completed his transfer to Liverpool in a deal that will keep him at Anfield until 2016," a club statement read. Suarez, 24, will wear the coveted number seven shirt, made famous by his boss Kenny Dalglish.
The striker scored 49 goals in 48 games for Ajax in the Eredivisie last season.
Ajax, who told Liverpool to return with a "respectful" bid after rejecting their initial offer of £12.7m, will make a £16.3m profit on a player they bought from Dutch outfit Groningen in 2007.
 | PHIL MCNULTY'S BLOG Will Suarez be a partner for Fernando Torres or a replacement? And how will he adapt to the Premier League? |
But BBC Sport blogger Tim Vickery suggested that Liverpool have invested wisely.
"If I had £23m in my bank account I wouldn't have too many qualms about spending it on Suarez," Vickery told BBC Radio 5 live.
"Everybody wins. Ajax played the transfer game poker very well. Liverpool have paid top whack but they have got a striker who can play across the line."
During his spell with the Amsterdam club, Suarez scored 111 goals in 159 appearances. His scoring ratio for Uruguay is one goal in every three internationals, having scored 10 times in 30 games, including three goals in last summer's World Cup.
The Uruguayan has just finished serving a seven-match ban for biting PSV Eindhoven's Otman Bakkal on the shoulder in a league match in November.
"I can understand Luis wanting to go to Liverpool. It's a beautiful club but then it has to be satisfying for both parties," said Ajax manager Frank de Boer.
Suarez is the first major signing for Liverpool owners New England Sports Ventures (NESV) since it bought the club in October 2010.
But the news comes as Liverpool are on the brink of losing star striker Fernando Torres to Chelsea, who are working to seal a deal for the Spaniard before the January transfer window closes at 2300 GMT on Monday.
Suarez was at the centre of controversy when he was sent off in Uruguay's World Cup quarter-final against Ghana for handling the ball on the line to keep out Dominic Adiyiah's goalbound header in the last minute of the game.
Ghana missed the subsequent spot-kick and were beaten in a penalty shoot-out - with Suarez celebrating from the sidelines.
Earlier this month Suarez, who has scored seven goals in the Dutch league this season, spoke of his desire to play in the Premier League.
"I used to think that English football was not my style," the Uruguayan, who turned 24 on Monday, told the Sunday Times. "But I saw Carlos Tevez play at Boca and Corinthians and I never imagined that he would play in the Premier League.
"When I see the way that Tevez plays there I think I can be a big name in England. It's because of the energy, and the spirit they put into the game in England. Now, I think it's a kind of football that suits me."
North Korea has more secret nuclear sites - UN report
UN experts believe North Korea has at least one hidden nuclear site, according to leaks of a UN report.
The report relies on evidence from US scientist Siegfried Hecker who visited a secret site in November last year.
He told the UN's panel of experts that the centrifuges he saw probably came from other hidden facilities, say reports quoting unnamed diplomats.
The panel's report, which has not yet been published, was handed to the Security Council last week.
North Korean officials showed Mr Hecker, from Stanford University, an apparently fully functional uranium enrichment plant at the Yongbyon complex in November.
The UN's panel of experts, which assesses the sanctions regime against Pyongyang, was asked to produce the report after Mr Hecker briefed the Security Council on his visit.
Diplomats told Bloomberg that their report concluded that centrifuges and other equipment at the Yongbyon reactor had previously operated at one or more secret locations.Another diplomat told Reuters: "There's no way they could have outfitted the centrifuge facility between 2009 and now without there being additional secret sites."
According to the diplomats - who were not identified because the report has not yet been published - Mr Hecker told the panel it was unlikely that the North could have manufactured all of the equipment.
He said it was more likely that they had imported some materials and assembled them in at least one secret location, before moving them to Yongbyon.
The panel's report recommends tightening sanctions to include asset freezes and travel bans on nuclear officials, according to leaks from diplomats.
The report is expected to be made public later in the week.
Last December, US officials also expressed concern that the North could have more secret facilities, after a briefing by Mr Hecker.
Egypt braces for massive protest
A massive demonstration is due to be held in Cairo as protesters step up their efforts to force President Hosni Mubarak from power.Egypt's powerful army has vowed it will not used force against the protesters.
Meanwhile, new Vice President Omar Suleiman says he will hold cross-party talks on constitutional reform.
Mr Mubarak reshuffled his cabinet on Monday to try to head off the protests, replacing the widely despised Interior Minister Habib al-Adly.
But correspondents say that the army's statement has been a major blow for President Mubarak, and appears to have encouraged protesters.
The BBC's Middle East editor Jeremy Bowen, in Cairo, says that the feeling that change is coming in Egypt is getting stronger. Too much has happened too quickly to go back to the way things were before, he says.
At least 100 people have been killed across the country since protests began a week ago following an internet campaign and partly inspired by the ousting of President Zine al-Abidine Ben Ali in Tunisia last month.
Egypt has since cut off internet in the country and text messaging services have been disrupted.
Google announced late on Monday that it is operating a special service to allow people in Egypt to send Twitter messages by dialing a phone number and leaving a voicemail.
'Overwhelming atmosphere' Some protesters defied the curfew and continued to camp out in Tahrir Square through the night, saying they will stay there until Mr Mubarak's 30-year-long rule ends.
One of them, Tarek Shalabi, told the BBC that groups were camped out in tents or sleeping out in the square, and described the atmosphere as "overwhelming".
"We're here because we want to make a statement. We're not going until Mubarak steps down," he said.
He said a stage had been set up where people could go up and make speeches, read out poetry or sing or chant political slogans. "It has a festive feel to it," he said.
"We all have one thing in common. We all hate the current regime," he said.
Another demonstrator, 45-year-old lawyer Ahmed Helmi, said: "The only thing we will accept from him is that he gets on a plane and leaves".
On Monday, the Egyptian army said it respected the "legitimate rights of the people".
In its statement, carried on Egyptian media, the military said: "To the great people of Egypt, your armed forces, acknowledging the legitimate rights of the people... have not and will not use force against the Egyptian people."
Our correspondent says the announcement is absolutely critical because it takes away a huge measure of uncertainty from the mind of any potential demonstrator.
Whatever happens next, this will change the Middle East, our correspondent adds.
'Legitimate'
In his statement, Mr Suleiman said the president had ordered new government policy to be outlined "in the next few days".
The review would include "clear and definite policies" to tackle unemployment, poverty, corruption and the cost of living, the statement said. There would also be new elections in some districts where there was evidence of irregularities in last November's parliamentary poll.
Meanwhile, the US state department has despatched a special envoy to Cairo, former ambassador to Egypt Frank Wisner.
Concerns have also grown about the economy, as global oil prices on Monday topped $100 (£62) a barrel amid fears of the ongoing unrest.
Zara Phillips wedding: Ceremony at Edinburgh church
The Queen's granddaughter Zara Phillips has married England rugby player Mike Tindall at a ceremony in Edinburgh.The Queen and Duke of Edinburgh were among those at the wedding in Canongate Kirk on a sunny Royal Mile.
Hundreds of well-wishers lined the streets for Scotland's first royal wedding in almost 20 years.
Prince Charles and Camilla, Prince William and Catherine, and Prince Harry were also attending the ceremony and reception at Holyroodhouse.
The Reverend Neil Gardner welcomed guests up the Royal Mile, including the Queen and Duke of Edinburgh.
The bride's dress, an ivory silk and satin gown, was designed by Stewart Parvin, one of the Queen's favourite couturiers. This was accompanied by a veil, tiara and Jimmy Choo shoes.
The doors of the Canongate Kirk were closed to the press and public, but hundreds of well-wishers gathered in Edinburgh's Old Town to watch the arrival and departure of the Royal Family.
After the ceremony the couple emerged arm-in-arm, stood on the steps to the entrance to the 17 Century kirk and shared a kiss.
The newlyweds arrived back at the palace as the Royal Scots Association pipe band played.
Among the crowds who turned out for the day was Jackie Rushton, 48, from Yorkshire, who told BBC Scotland: "I just love anything to do with the Royal Family, I'm a big fan, I have great respect for them."
Another well-wisher, Margaret Kittle, 76, travelled from Winona in Canada to see the wedding.
She said: "I've come to all the royal weddings since Princess Anne and Mark Phillips' wedding.
"I like to come to the weddings and all the royal occasions that I can, because the Queen is queen of Canada."
Other guests included Prince Andrew and his daughters, Princess Beatrice and Princess Eugenie.
The private afternoon ceremony will be followed by a reception at the Palace of Holyroodhouse.
The couple hosted a pre-wedding party on the royal yacht Britannia, which is moored in Leith, on Friday night.
They had previously attended a rehearsal for the ceremony at the kirk with the bride's parents, Princess Anne and Captain Mark Phillips.
 |
| It is Scotland's first royal wedding in almost 20 years |
Princess Anne's second marriage, to Timothy Laurence, was the last Scottish royal wedding in 1992.
Zara, 30, will keep her maiden name when she marries. It is understood this is because of her sporting career in equestrianism.
Mr Tindall, from Otley in Yorkshire, plays for club side Gloucester and has been capped more than 60 times for his country.
He invited some of England's best-known rugby players to the wedding.
He and best man Iain Balshaw were part of England's winning 2003 rugby World Cup squad in Australia, where the couple were introduced by Zara's cousin Prince Harry.
Lothian and Borders Police said they had been working with the Palace and Edinburgh City Council to ensure the event's smooth running.
Supt Ivor Marshall, who is the Silver Commander responsible for overseeing security arrangements, said the kirk's location, close to both the Scottish Parliament and the Palace of Holyroodhouse, yet set on the busy tourist hub of the Royal Mile, presented unique challenges.
India 'Slutwalk' sex harassment protest held in Delhi
A rally has taken place in India's capital inspired by the "Slutwalk" protests held in a number of countries.
 |
| Most of the marchers in Delhi were soberly dressed |
The protest is to challenge the notion that the way a woman looks can excuse sexual abuse or taunting - "Eve teasing" as it is known in India.
Hundreds took part in Delhi, though there was little of the skimpy dressing that has marked protests elsewhere.
The protests originated in Canada after a policeman said women could avoid rape by not dressing like "sluts".
'It's our lives'The BBC's Mark Dummett in Delhi says the organisers are trying to challenge the mindset that the victims of sexual violence are to blame for the crimes committed against them.
He says Delhi can be a very difficult city for women, with sexual harassment commonplace, and rapes and abduction all too frequent.
And according to a recent survey, India remains one of the most dangerous countries in the world for women.
One protester told our correspondent: "Every girl has the right to wear whatever she wants, to do whatever she wants to do with her body. It's our lives, our decisions, unless it's harming you, you have no right to say anything."
Another protesters said: "There are a lot of problems for women in Delhi because a lot of women do face sexual harassment and just a couple of weeks ago the chief of police of Delhi said that if a women was out after 0200 she was responsible for what happens to her, and I don't think that's the right attitude."
Most of the marchers in Delhi were soberly dressed in jeans and T-shirts or traditional shalwar kameez.
India recorded almost 22,000 rape cases in 2008, 18% up on 2004, the National Crime Records Bureau says.
Bhutan spreads happiness to UN
 |
| Lhatu Wangchuk admits his vision is Utopian, but should be worked on |
Bhutan has put the politics of happiness on the UN's agenda.
This week the General Assembly adopted a non-binding resolution that aims to make happiness a "development indicator".
Bhutan's ambassador Lhatu Wangchuk told the BBC the next step was to help UN members better understand the concept.
He admitted some were sceptical when Bhutan started lobbying for the resolution 10 months ago. But ultimately it won 66 co-sponsors, including the UK.
The idea is based on Bhutan's model of GNH, or Gross National Happiness, which measures quality of life by trying to strike a balance between the material and the spiritual.
The resolution invites member states to draw up their own measures of happiness and contribute them to the UN's development agenda.
"It's basically an approach," said Mr Wangchuk. "Our initial idea was to bring the concept of happiness to the consciousness of the UN membership… because we know that GDP indicators are inadequate to address human needs."
But given the conflicts that divide so many member states, isn't one country's happiness often another's unhappiness?
Mr Wangchuk maintained that wars and disputes do not indicate happiness or otherwise. They are caused by the egos and interests of leaders, he said.
He admitted his vision is Utopian, but "if you don't have a dream you'll have nothing to work on".
Asked if he thought UN diplomats were a happy bunch, he said many were overworked and needed to make better use of their time, one of Bhutan's happiness indicators.
"I tell them they must have sleeping time, time with their families," he said.
Iranian sentenced to blinding for acid attack pardoned
 |
| Ameneh Bahrami said she had reprieved the man "for my country" |
An Iranian man who was ordered to be blinded for carrying out an acid attack on a woman has been pardoned by his victim, state television has said.
Ameneh Bahrami had demanded qisas, a rarely used retributive justice under Sharia law, but the report said she had foregone that right at the last minute.
A court had backed Ms Bahrami's demand in 2008 that Majid Movahedi be blinded.
He attacked Ms Bahrami in 2004 after she had refused his offer of marriage, leaving her severely disfigured.
Rights group Amnesty International had lobbied against the sentence, calling it "cruel and inhuman punishment amounting to torture".
Mother's praiseThe state television website reported: "With the request of Ameneh Bahrami, the acid attack victim, Majid (Movahedi) who was sentenced for 'qisas' was pardoned at the last minute."
The Isna news agency quoted Tehran prosecutor Abbas Jafari Dolatabadi as saying: "Today in hospital the blinding of Majid Movahedi was to have been carried out in the presence of an eye specialist and judiciary representative, when Ameneh pardoned him."
Isna quoted Ms Bahrami as saying: "I struggled for seven years with this verdict to prove to people that the person who hurls acid should be punished through 'qisas', but today I pardoned him because it was my right.
"I did it for my country, since all other countries were looking to see what we would do."
Ms Bahrami was quoted on Iranian TV as saying: "I never wanted to have revenge on him. I just wanted the sentence to be issued for retribution. But I would not have carried it out. I had no intention of taking his eyes from him."
Mr Dolatabadi told Isna that Ms Bahrami had demanded "blood money", or compensation, for her injuries.
He praised her "courageous act" of pardon, adding: "The judiciary was serious about implementing the verdict."
Ms Bahrami said she had never received any money from the man's family, saying she was seeking only compensation for medical fees, which she put at 150,000 euros ($216,000: £131,000).
She said: "He wont be freed. He has a sentence, which he has to serve for 10-12 years of which he has done seven. Unless the full compensation is paid, he won't be freed."
Isna quoted Ms Bahrami's mother as saying: "I am proud of my daughter... Ameneh had the strength to forgive Majid. This forgiveness will calm Ameneh and our family."
Afghanistan: Suicide attack in Lashkar Gah 'kills 11'
 |
| The attack targeted the gate of the police headquarters in Lashkar Gah |
Ten Afghan policemen and a child have been killed in a suicide attack in the southern Afghan city of Lashkar Gah, officials say.
The attacker targeted the gate of the police headquarters in the city, the capital of Helmand province.
The Taliban said it had carried out the attack, which also wounded 12 people.
Responsibility for Lashkar Gah was recently handed to Afghan forces as part of a plan to return all security to local forces by the end of 2014.
High-profile raidsThe attack reportedly targeted a joint Afghan police and army patrol at the compound.
Daoud Ahmadi, spokesman for the Helmand provincial governor, said that in addition to those killed nine policemen and three civilians were injured.
Taliban spokesman Qari Yousef Ahmadi told Agence France-Presse news agency the group had carried out the attack.
Helmand remains a flashpoint of the Taliban insurgency and has cost the lives of more foreign troops than any other province.
Lashkar Gah is one of seven initial areas for which security has been handed to Afghan forces as part of the gradual transition of control from the Nato-led Isaf.
Sunday's attack follows a series of high-profile Taliban raids.
On 27 July, the mayor of Kandahar, Ghulam Haidar Hameedi, was killed in a suicide attack.
Two weeks earlier, President Hamid Karzai's influential half-brother, Ahmad Wali Karzai, was killed in the same city.
Syrian unrest: 'Many deaths' as army attacks Hama
Syrian tanks have stormed the northern city of Hama, killing at least 45 civilians, a leading rights group says.
Hama has been in a state of revolt and virtually besieged for the past month.
Earlier, a doctor confirmed that 24 people had been killed and residents reported "intense gunfire" as Syrian forces moved in from several sides.
The army is signalling that it will not tolerate large-scale unrest ahead of the month of Ramadan, when protests are expected to grow, correspondents say.
Activists say more than 1,500 civilians and 350 security personnel have been killed across Syria since protests began in mid-March.
The protests show no sign of letting up despite a government crackdown that has brought international condemnation and sanctions.
Centre of protestsAccording to activists on the ground, troops and tanks began their multi-pronged assault at dawn, smashing through hundreds of barricades erected by locals to reach the centre of Hama.
"[Tanks] are firing their heavy machineguns randomly and overrunning makeshift road blocks," a doctor in Hama told Reuters by phone, with machinegun fire in the background.
He said the death toll was rising rapidly, adding that three of the city's hospitals had received 24 bodies - 19, three and two respectively.
Speaking in London, Rami Abdel Rahman of the Syrian Observatory for Human Rights said the latest toll, based on his contacts with Syrian doctors, was 45 dead and several more wounded.
Residents of northern Hama told Reuters that tank shells were falling at the rate of four a minute there. They also confirmed deaths in the area.
Electricity and water supplies had been cut, they said, in a tactic regularly used by the military when storming towns to crush protests.
Security forces snipers were reported to have taken up positions on high buildings, the BBC's Jim Muir reports from Beirut in neighbouring Lebanon.
One local activist said that five tanks had been abandoned by their crews in two parts of town, and that protesters had attacked and burnt down three police stations, our correspondent says.
One resident, who has been speaking to others around Hama, told the BBC World Service that the three main hospitals were overwhelmed with more than 200 wounded people.
"They are treating people in the halls of the hospitals. A lot of injured people [have been] taken to homes and doctors are treating them there," he told the World Today programme.
He said the protesters had done nothing to provoke the military action.
"For three months, Hama has had huge demonstrations. More than 250 people have been killed, and nothing, no shot has come out from Hama people. Just barricades and stones and wood, that's all," he said.
"It's just a 100% civilian uprising."
Hama was the scene of the suppression of an uprising against President Assad's father in 1982. The city has seen some of the biggest demonstrations of the recent unrest.
Mass arrestsElsewhere on Sunday, three people were killed by security forces at Harak in the southern Deraa region, and six in the eastern city of Deir al-Zour and, rights campaigner Rami Abdel Rahman said.
On Saturday, troops shot dead three people who threw stones at a military convoy sent to quash the near-daily protests in Deir al-Zour, he said.
A total of 20 people were killed and 35 wounded on Friday as hundreds of thousands of protested in cities across Syria, rights groups said.
More than 500 people were arrested in a single operation in the Qadam neighbourhood of the capital Damascus, they added.
Since the start of the unrest, more than 12,600 have been arrested and 3,000 others are reported missing.
The government blames armed Islamist gangs for the unrest, but correspondents say the protests appear largely peaceful, with only isolated cases of residents arming themselves against the military assault.
Most foreign media is banned from the country, making it difficult to verify reports.
‘Slim chances of peace process conclusion’
KATHMANDU:
UCPN(Maoist) Chairman Pushpa Kamal Dahal said on Saturday that chances of concluding peace process and promulgation of a new constitution appears slim.
Addressing a gathering of the families of disappeared people at party headquarters Parisdanda, Dahal opined that opposition parties Nepali Congress and CPN-UML are not serious about completing the twin tasks.
“The political scenario of country is not showing the sign of promulgation of new constitution,” a participant quoted Dahal as saying in the meeting. Though the parties are getting closer to consensus on the disputed issues on integration, many issues relating to constitution writing process is yet to settled.
He said other parties are backtracking from their position after the Maoist party became united. “New constitution will be drafted only if Maoist gives up its agenda, which is not possible,” Maoist leader Eakraj Bhandari quoted Dahal as saying in the meeting. Maoist Vice-chairman Mohan Baidya urged the cadres to prepare for revolt as the chances of promulgation of a pro-people constitution has been over-exhausted.
The families of disappeared people demanded relief package from the party and government for their children, threatening to take to the streets against the party unless their demands are met.
They also urged party leadership to be serious about the promulgation of a new constitution and early completion of peace process. Dahal assured them that the parties would form transitional justice mechanism soon.
Subscribe to:
Posts (Atom)