Friday, April 5, 2013

Deadly building collapse in Mumbai


Rescue workers look for trapped people after building collapses in Thane, Mumbai, India. 4 April 2013Rescue workers brought in to search for survivors in the spotlight


At least 27 people died after a building under construction near the Indian city of Mumbai police say.


Many more are trapped under the seven-story building in Thane, Indian media report quoting officials feared.


Four floors of the unauthorised building were occupied by families, a police spokesman told AFP news agency.


Building collapses are common in India. Poor construction material and practices are often to blame.


"A part of a seven-storey under-construction building collapsed suddenly at around 6: 30 am," a police official in Thane, Maharashtra, India, told AFP.


Rescue efforts continued into the night.


At least 13 people died In December as part of a half-built building in the Wagholi area of Maharashtra collapsed.


Last september, at least six people were killed when a building collapsed in Pune city of Maharashtra.

Tribute paid to American critic Ebert

Roger Ebert and Martin Scorsese in Cannes May 2009Ebert the death was ' an incalculable loss ' Scorsese said in a tribute to his "good friend"

Hollywood actors and directors have paid tribute to American film critic Roger Ebert that age 70 has died after a long battle with cancer.

Director Martin Scorsese, which produces a documentary about Ebert, said it ' incalculable loss '.

Oscar-winning actor Samuel L Jackson called the critic "the real deal" in his tribute tweet to his "good friend".

Steven Spielberg, who Ebert praised for his "talent and his flexibility", said it was "the end of an era".

Actor and Director Mel Gibson called the writer "a gentle soul" who was a "film historian and lover of art" than a critic.

' I was looking for opinions and thoughts are often out and he was always extremely generous with his time, "he said in a statement.

Ebert's top 10 movies of all time

  • Aguirre, Wrath of God-Werner Herzog (1972)
  • Apocalypse Now-Francis Ford Coppola (1979)
  • Citizen Kane-Orson Welles (1941)
  • La Dolce Vita-Federico Fellini (1960)
  • The General-Buster Keaton (1926)
  • Raging bull-Martin Scorsese (1980)
  • 2001: a space Odyssey-Stanley Kubrick (1968)
  • Tokyo Story-Yasujiro Ozu
  • The tree of life-Terrence Malick (2011)
  • Vertigo-Alfred Hitchcock (1958)

Ebert, who also wrote 1970 film Beyond the Valley of the dolls, earned the respect of the film industry during his 46 years reviewed movies for the Chicago Sun-Times.

Oscar host Seth MacFarlane tweeted: "one of the few critics who actually films had written. His opinion important always for me. "

In his statement, Scorsese tribute to his "best friend".

"Roger was always supported, he was always there for me when I needed the most, when it really counted," he said.

"At the beginning, when every word of encouragement precious; and again, when I was at the lowest EBB of my career, there he was, just as encouraging, just as many supportive.

"We all knew that this moment was coming, but that doesn't make the loss less heartbreaking. I'll miss him — my dear friend. "

There was more praise for the writer on Twitter with directors like Cameron Crowe and Ron Howard, Wes Craven, Darren Aronofsky lead the mass outpouring of affection.

"We lost a passionate and broad minded force for cinema in all genres, shapes sizes" Howard said.

Aronofsky recalled his first review of Ebert as a "career highlight".

While Craven tweeted: "Roger Ebert gave my first movie, last House on the left, the only positive review. Anyone taunted it, but he saw in the merit. "

Actor and Director Robert Redford called Ebert "one of the great champions of the freedom of artistic expression" in his statement.

"His personal passion for cinema was limitless, and that is sure to be his legacy for generations to come," he added.

Actor Steve Martin tweeted link to the balcony from which Ebert used to film his review show with co-host Gene Siskel: "Goodbye Mr Ebert. We had fun. The balcony is closed. "

S-Korea warships ' to keep track of missiles '

A North Korean soldier looks through binoculars at the truce village of Panmunjomon April 4, 2013.Tension between the two Koreas is at the highest level in years

South Korea has deployed two warships with missile-defense systems, reports say, a day after the North moved apparently a rocket to the East Coast.

Military officials told South Korean media that the two warships would be deployed on East and west coasts.

Seoul has sought to downplay the North's latest move, saying they can prepare for a missile test.

In recent weeks the North has ramped up its rhetoric and specific threats to focus on American territory.

One of the objectives that named by Pyongyang was the Pacific island of Guam, which hosts an American military base.

The United States on Thursday confirmed that it would deploy a missile-defense system to Guam in response to the threats.

"The movements we make are designed to ensure and to ensure the American people and our allies that we can defend the United States," said State Department spokeswoman Victoria Nuland.

Nikkei hits highest level since 2008

New Year opening ceremony at the Tokyo Stock ExchangeThe Tokyo Stock Exchange has a strong year so far

Japan's stock market rose to a nearly five-year high on Friday after the central bank the boldest stimulus measures unveiled yet.

The main Nikkei 225 index climbed more than 4% to 13, 225.62, the highest level since August 2008.

On Thursday said the Bank of Japan to raise the country's money supply the double of inflation.

Economists believe that more than a decade of deflation in Japan contributed to a stagnant economy.

Doctor warned Holmes ' was a danger '

Colorado shooting suspect James Holmes and his public defenders Tamara Brady and Daniel King are pictured in a courtroom sketch during a hearing in Centennial, Colorado 1 April 2013James Holmes (Centre) offered to plead guilty, but prosecutors rejected

A psychiatrist who's husband accused of killing 12 massacre in Colorado in July before police had treated cinema warned he was a danger to the public.

New released documents that show Dr. Lynne Fenton told police of threatening text messages that James Holmes sent after he stopped attending counselling Court.

Mr Holmes, 25, has been charged with multiple counts of murder at the attack during a Prime Minister of a Batman movie.

Prosecutors have rejected a guilty plea and seek the death penalty.

The process had planned for August, but a judge has pushed it back until February 2014.

Burned accounts

In an affidavit taken after the shooting and unsealed on Thursday, University of Colorado Denver police officer Lynn Whitten told investigators that Dr Fenton had contacted her in June.

Dr Fenton followed a legal claim to the report of a specific threat to the authorities, according to the document.

MS Whitten said the psychiatrist was making the report "as a result of murderous statements [Mr Holmes] had made" and that Dr. Fenton said he sent threatening text messages to her after he stopped attending counseling sessions.

Arlene and James Holmes leave a hearing on 1 April James Holmes parents have participated in some sessions Court

Mr Holmes was a graduate student in Neuroscience at the University of Colorado in Denver but was retires from his studies on in the absence of an important exam.

Earlier reports said that Dr. Fenton had told campus authorities about Mr Holmes, but not that they had made a report of specific threats.

A warrant also unsealed on Thursday described a package sent to Dr Fenton before the massacre, apparently by Mr Holmes. It included a Brown laptop labeled "of life" that officials believe like a diary, as well as partially burned $ 20 bills.

The documents were previously sealed, but a new judge overseeing the case ordered them released in response to requests from the media organizations.

Separately, Judge William Sylvester has removed themselves from the case after prosecutors announced they would seek the death penalty.

Judge Sylvester said en route that the case would take so much time, that he is not of his administrative duties as Chief Judge of a busy four-county district could carry.

The district judge Carlos Samour took the case on Monday.