Saturday, April 17, 2010

GO for: MusicAnother teaser of KARA’s World Cup Song We’re With You

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=5QhsVBVi6IIendofvid
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There has been much anticipation for KARA’s return ever since the announcement that they would be releasing an upbeat song for the upcoming World Cup 2010. That anticipation has increased after two teasers were released two days ago and now we have another today!

You won’t see the KARA girls in this teaser as this is just a joint advertisment by SBS and Samsung, with the latter promoting their new 3D television sets. But you can hear a 40s preview of KARA’s We’re With You song together with a video of the South Korean soccer team, so check it out now.
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Nozomi Sasaki – Three Times the Fun

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=9sAA23CgqKkendofvid
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Looks like Nozomi Sasaki has been busy doing commercials lately. This week, there are three commercials: Rhto Lycee, Lotte Coolish, and Ghanna Chocolate. The Lotte Coolish commercial is quite WTF…but still cute

Thank Tommy for the hot tips (also lkahgd had given me the tip of the first CM shortly after)

Nozomi Sasaki 佐々木希 2010 Rohto Lycee CM

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Kim Yuna dances to Run Devil Run and Abracadabra at Festa On Ice

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=KVN-Jd7xvpMendofvid
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Figure skating queen Kim Yuna performed in front of 10,000 people at the 2010 Festa On Ice.

At the Seoul Songpagu Olympic Park Stadium, the event was held on the 16th. Kim Yuna said, “I got to perform many things this show. This is the first performance (after her gold medal at the 2010 Vancouver Olympics) in Korea. I was happy to be with other skaters.” In total, there were 14 skaters present.

Instead of swaying and sliding to classical music, she went for some fun K-pop songs this time. In one of the performances, she danced to Brown Eyed Girls’ Abracadabra. She also danced to SNSD’s Run Devil Run. She really keeps up with the hottest music, doesn’t she?

The whole theme of the performances was Mission Impossible. She gave it her all and put the most enthusiasm any skater could. She stated that she’s excited for the two more days of performances left.

Her coach promised to perform if she got the gold medal and since she did, he came on to the ice and did a little something as well.














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Shin Se Kyung shows off her curvy body

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=I-LTN739-lMendofvid
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Innocent yet sexy actress Shin Se Kyung showed off her beautiful curves while filming for a CF.

When MBC Section TV went to visit her on the set of a beverage CF filming, they couldn’t help but point out her amazing body which could induce nosebleeds.

Instead of being in a sexy outfit, she was working out in casual work-out attire like any other person. But her flat abs and hot S-line are things girls would die for.


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One million Britons stranded by ash and food shortages expected: Volcano flight chaos to last until next week

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Az24UymS5qwendofvid
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By Michael Seamark and Ray Massey

Stranded: Stacey Barker is stuck in Malaga, Spain, with her husband and children, Yasmin and Harrison. Some holidaymakers have been told they face a ten-day wait to return home. Read about the Barkers' ordeal below


Lockdown over British skies extended until at least 7pm tonight

Qantas cancels all flights to Europe until further notice


One million Britons were stranded abroad last night by the travel paralysis caused by volcanic ash.

The unprecedented air lockdown was extended until at least 7pm tonight, with Qantas cancelling all flights to Europe until further notice, and the chaos and confusion will drift well into next week.

Some holidaymakers in Spain were told they face a ten-day wait for a flight home and the delays - coming at the end of the Easter holiday period - intensified problems caused by the massive Icelandic eruption.


Safety measures: An aircraft maintenance worker covers a jet engine at Belfast City Airport, Northern Ireland, yesterday as a cloud of volcanic ash made its way across Europe


Schoolchildren, and their teachers, will be missing from classrooms on Monday, and Britain faces shortages of air-freighted food as the impact of the vast spume of ash begins to bite beyond air travel.

Fruit and vegetables including lettuce, grapes, spring onions and asparagus may be missing from many supermarket shelves next week and firms specialising in flying in produce from overseas are also warning of higher prices.

The transport giant Norbert Dentressangle said activity at its perishable air freight handling centre at Heathrow, the UK's largest, was at a standstill. The result will be a three-day shortfall in the supply of products including prepacked fruit salads and flowers.

It said that while there are enough products on shelves and in warehouses to see stores through the weekend, supermarkets will be 'severely impacted' next week.





Spectacular: A satellite image of the volcano under the Eyjafjallajokull glacier in Iceland


Widespread: Ash from the erupting volcano sweeps in an arc across the Netherlands, Germany, Poland, and Russia in this image from NASA yesterday


Some desperate travellers were paying hundreds of pounds for taxis to bring them back via ferries from Ireland or to take them into Europe.

Forecasters say there is no imminent change in the wind direction to blow the vast cloud away from Britain and large swathes of northern Europe.

Day two of the chaos caused by the Mount Eyjafjallokull eruption saw the first reports of volcanic ash settling in the UK, as World Health Organisation officials suggested people consider wearing masks if they venture outside.

And as Transport Secretary Lord Adonis told travellers to expect ' significant disruption' for at least 48 hours, the cost to airlines alone was put at an astonishing £200million a day.

There was one chink of light when air traffic control company Nats lifted flight restrictions for much of Scotland and Northern Ireland. BA said it would operate 'a number of flights' from the U.S. into Scotland overnight. But the restrictions were reinstated after the toxic clouds returned.


Dusty: A car in Iceland drives through the ash from the volcano


Frozen: Ice chunks carried downstream by floodwaters caused by volcanic activity lie on the Markarfljot riverbank in Iceland yesterday


Coating: Researchers at Sheffield Hallam University collected these particles of volcanic ash (seen here under a microscope) which fell on cars in the centre's grounds earlier today

The assessment of the huge scale of the travel disruption came from the Association of British Travel Agents, which said as many as 150,000 people a day will have left the country in the seven days leading up to the blanket ban on air travel.

A spokesman said: 'We estimate there could be as many as a million British people stranded abroad


The majority were stuck in Europe, with Spain particularly popular at this time of year. More than 100 flights were cancelled at Malaga airport on the Costa del Sol. Others are stranded in North America and may have to wait well into next week to return.

Eurocontrol, the organisation in charge of Europe's airspace, said it will hold crisis talks on Monday as more countries closed down national airspace and the volcanic ash cloud continued its south-eastern sweep 35,000 feet above the continent. Only 12,000 to 13,000 European flights operating yesterday instead of the 29,500 anticipated.

Pilots have reported smelling sulphur dioxide, a gas released by volcanoes, in cockpits, and scientists said traces of volcanic dust on the ground had been found in Sunderland, Sheffield, Glasgow, Aberdeen and Lerwick.

The World Health Organisation said Europeans should try to stay indoors if ash starts falling from the sky.

A spokesman said the microscopic ash was potentially dangerous because inhaled particles can reach the lungs and cause respiratory problems. There is a heightened risk for those with asthma and respiratory diseases.

For the second day running, travellers unable to fly scrambled for alternative transport.

Eurostar's 58 services were full yesterday, with more than 46,000 passengers on its trains. The company denied charges of ' profiteering' after customers found they could not book £58 tickets online and, when they phoned to book, were told they were no longer available and charged more than £200.

Eurostar said it did operate a system where prices rise and fall according to demand and supply, but added: 'We are not profiteering.'

Many more took ferries to reach the Continent. P&O Ferries said it was unable to accept any further foot-passenger bookings before Monday 'as a result of the unprecedented surge in demand due to the airline crisis'.

Coach company Eurolines increased its services, while minicab company Addison Lee received requests for journeys to cities as far away as Paris, Milan, Amsterdam and Zurich.

A group of stranded businessmen and doctors - who needed to get home to see their patients - paid a taxi £700 to take them from Belfast to London after they were stranded.

Experts at accountants KPMG say the cost to airlines alone is racking up at £200million a day. More than 500,000 passengers a day normally fly in and out of the UK on around 5,300 flights. The cost to them from extra delays and hotel bills is likely top £1billion.

And while airlines are re-booking and refunding customers, critics accused insurance firms of dragging their feet in deciding whether they would compensate travellers or invoke catchall 'Act of God' clauses to escape a pay-out.


Face of the volcano: A radar image shows the crater of Eyjafjallajokull in southeast Iceland which has caused the cloud of volcanic ash to spread over Europe


From Gatwick to Spain to New York...the British families stranded by ash

Ruined: Kelly Williams, centre, and Barry Stephens were due to fly to Antigua to get married


This was not the wedding photo Kelly Williams and Barry Stephens had hoped for.
The couple have been stranded at Gatwick since yesterday morning and look set to miss their dream wedding in Antigua in the Caribbean.

Miss Williams, a fitness instructor from Leicester, said: 'When they told me the plane had been cancelled I burst out crying. I've planned this for three years.

'I'd heard about the volcanic clouds so I was worried we might have problems flying out. But I never thought the flight would be cancelled. I am gutted.'

The 29-year-old, who posed for a photo with Mr Stephens, 28, and their other guests at Gatwick, said they were now trying to find another venue.

'We are going on a three-week European cruise so I am ringing round all the places we stop,' she said. 'I suppose we will have one hell of a wedding day story.'


Extra hotel costs

'Trip of a lifetime': Chris and Sam Capes are stranded in New York


Chris and Sam Capes flew to America for the trip of a lifetime over Easter.

But the couple and their three-year-old son, Isaac, who were supposed to return home with KLM on Thursday, are now stranded in New York until Tuesday at the earliest.

Mr Capes, a 34-year-old civil servant, said: 'I know there are worse places to be stranded but we have work commitments and need to get home.

'Of all the things that could have delayed our flight we never expected a volcanic eruption to ruin our plans.'

The couple, pictured on their wedding day, organised their road trip around America themselves and are having to foot the extra hotel costs themselves.

Mrs Capes, 33, a beauty therapist from Chester, said: 'I am self-employed so every day I'm away I'm losing money. We've had a fantastic time in America, but this is just a bitter end to our holiday of a lifetime.'

Stranded in Spain
Stacey and Darren Barker and their two children have been told they will be stuck in Spain for the next week following the closure of UK airports.

They had been due to fly from Malaga to Manchester with easyJet at lunchtime yesterday after a week-long break on the Costa del Sol.

However, the airline has told the family they will not get a flight until Friday. Mr Barker, 35, who owns a bakery in Sheffield, is desperate to get back to work, while their daughter Yasmin, six, should be returning to school on Monday.

Mrs Barker, 28, pictured with Yasmin and son Harrison, two, said: 'I don't understand why it has to take so long. A week is an awfully long time.

'People might think we're lucky to have an extra week's holiday but in reality it's disastrous for us. Darren runs his own business so we're losing money every day that we're here.'
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Friday, April 16, 2010

Lady Gaga goes batty in bizarre winged outfit... as she breaks YouTube records with 1bn views

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=gItfvwkD8-sendofvid
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By Daily Mail Reporter

Batty: Lady Gaga in a bizarre winged outfit with Japanese singer-songwriter Ayumi Hamasaki on a Japanese TV show last night


Lady Gaga wore her most batty costume ever for an appearance on Japanese TV.


*** Scroll down to watch Video ***


The star donned a pair of plastic batwing shoulders and a lace cat suit as she appeared on TV Asahi's Music Station variety show.

It came as she broke YouTube records, with her channel becoming the first to record the one billion viewers. The popularity of hits such as Telephone and Poker Face have pushed her above channels such as The Twilight Saga at 980 million views.

The star, who performed her hit single Telephone on last night's TV show, said both outfits were by Japanese designers.

'Everything I'm wearing is Japanese,' the 21-year-old said.

'The catsuit is by Somarta and the shoulders are by Yuima Nakazato.'


Totally Gaga: the popstar makes a grand entrance


Gaga said it was important to her to find individual fashions from the countries she performs in.

'The most important thing for me is to be supporting young designers and fashion,' she said.

'When we designed the Monster Ball all the clothes we are using were designed by young designers - and of course it's a strong memorable image for the fans.'

Gaga is in the middle of Far East dates on her Monster Ball tour. After performing twice in Osaka the star will now perform three dates in Tokyo.


Hello Japan: Gaga, real name Stefani Germanotta, is in Japan as part of her Monsters Ball world tour
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Massive meteor lights up the skies over the United States and shakes thousands of homes with a sonic boom

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=9zUczi9x9MYendofvid
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By Daily Mail Reporter

The bright light of the meteor is captured on camera over Wisconsin


A huge meteor has lit up the skies over the midwestern United States causing a sonic boom that rattled homes and could be heard for hundreds of miles.

The large fireball blazed across over Wisconsin, Iowa, Illinois, and Missouri, turning the night to 'green-tinged' day.

It was visible for around 15 minutes from around 10pm on Wednesday, moving from west to east in the northern sky.


*** Scroll down to see video ***


The massive fireball flashed from west to east over the northern skies


It carries on eastwards, leaving a massive flash in the green-tinged skies


Some dramatic footage of the incident was captured accidentally on a police video camera from the dashboard of a squad car in Iowa.

A US National Weather Service said: 'Well before it reached the horizon, it broke up into smaller pieces and was lost from sight.

'Several reports of a prolonged sonic boom were received from areas north of Highway 20, along with shaking of homes, trees and various other objects including wind chimes.'


This black and white photo from a rooftop webcam at the University of Wisconsin-Madison captures the massive flash the meteor made in the night sky


Astronomer Mark Hammergren thinks the meteoroid, the space rock that cause the meteor, may have been up to 6ft wide and weighed roughly a thousand pounds.

'One of the misconceptions about bright meteors is that they're due to very tiny objects,' said Hammergren, of the Adler Planetarium in Chicago, told National Geographic News.

'If something is bright enough to light up the sky like daytime and cause sonic booms throughout the entire area, it's big. It was major, if it was daytime, people would have undoubtedly seen smoke trails.'

Before it hit the ground, the meteor would have broken up into dozens or hundreds of pieces, each about the size of a football or smaller, mostly over Wisconsin. No injures or damage have been reported.
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Dramatic moment red shirt leader escapes after he is roped from roof as Thai security forces surround hotel

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=jkgPHJtH9_kendofvid
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By Mail Foreign Service

Escape: Arisman Pongruangrong is lowered down to waiting supporters from a Bangkok hotel after security forces tried to arrest him


An anti-government protest leader made a dramatic escape from the roof of a hotel after Thai security forces had surrounded it this morning.

In the latest blow to the Thai government, Arisman Pongruangrong managed to evade arrest after being lowered to the ground by rope to waiting supporters below.

The government had announced on national television 30 minutes before his escape that security officers were surrounding the hotel to arrest Mr Pongruangrong and other 'red-shirt' leaders holed up inside.

Authorities have tried without success to end a month-long sit-in by thousands of protesters in some of Bangkok's most popular shopping and tourist districts.

At least 24 people were killed last week when troops tried to clear one group of protesters.

The failed arrests are another signal that the government is willing to risk further confontation with the red shirt protesters, who are campaigning to oust Prime Minister Abhisit Vejjajiva, dissolve Parliament and hold new elections.

Mr Pongruangrong, a charismatic pop-singer-turned-activist, said after his escape: 'From now on your mission is to hunt down Abhisit... this is war between the government and the Red Shirts.'

The protest leader is wanted by police for leading an invasion of the Parliament building by hundreds of supporters on April 7 which forced politicians to climb a back wall to escape.

He also led the storming of a summit last year in the beach resort of Pattaya which forced the conference to be cancelled.


Clashes: The red shirt protesters are calling for new elections and have occupied parts of Bangkok over the last few weeks


Fled: The Thai government had announced on national television that they had surrounded the hotel to arrest several red shirt leaders


With the rope looped around his waist, a visibly nervous Mr Pongruangrong slid down from a third-storey ledge of the hotel into a waiting crowd of cheering supporters.

He clambered on top of a van to give a short speech to announce the red shirts had seized two police officers as hostages to ensure his safety.

He said: 'I would like to thank all of the people who saved me - you have helped save democracy.'

A second red shirt leader was seen climbing out of a hotel window and down a tree. It is unknown if he escaped.

Thousands of red shirts, mostly from rural areas, have congregated in Bangkok since March 12.

Clashes on Saturday left 24 people dead and more than 800 injured in the worst political violence in nearly two decades.

Earlier today, Deputy Prime Minister Suthep Thaugsuban accused 'terrorist elements' of infiltrating the red shirt organisation to orchestrate Saturday's violence.

He said: 'The terrorists within the demonstrators used war weapons.

'I would like to ask innocent protesters to leave the demonstration area, in order to avoid being used as human shields.

'The government from now on would like to carry out decisive legal measures against the red shirt leaders.'
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Out and proud: Ricky Martin embraces sexuality with confident new video

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=yFvUM9tRCk8endofvid
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New beginnings: Ricky Martin signals a new chapter in his life by appearing completely naked in a promotional video


After finally revealing the truth about his sexuality Ricky Martin is clearly keen to start a fresh chapter in his life.

And clearly empowered by his recent decision to live an openly gay life, in his first video since coming out , singer Ricky doesn't hold anything back.

In a candid video promoting his comeback concert tour, he appears completely naked save for a few well-placed digital tattoos.


Tattoo you: In the candid promotional video, he appears completely naked save for a few well-placed digital tattoos


After finally revealing the truth about his sexuality Ricky Martin is clearly keen to start a fresh chapter in his life.

And clearly empowered by his recent decision to live an openly gay life, in his first video since coming out , singer Ricky doesn't hold anything back.

In a candid video promoting his comeback concert tour, he appears completely naked save for a few well-placed digital tattoos.
By Daily Mail Reporter

Double vision: Ricky sent out a link to the risque video - My Skin Talks - to his followers on Twitter


The soft focus video features a minimalist soundtrack, and jerky camera work, which acts a metaphor for Ricky's reawakening.

The singer is seen slumbering on a white lit floor, as the camera pans over his body.

It sees him naked in various positions, with tattoo-like effects emerging on his skin with inspirational messages in Spanish such as 'find yourself', 'forgive' and 'change your life'. And slowly his body restarts jerkily coming to life.

Ricky sent out a link to the risqué video - a promo for his new tour Black & White - to his followers on Twitter.


Tattoo-like effects emerging on his skin with inspirational messages in Spanish such as 'find yourself', 'forgive' and 'change your life'


At one stage his crotch area has to be covered by a 'shadow'.

In his tweet he told fans the 2-minute video, called My Skin Talks, was directed by his friend Dago Gonzales.

The pop heart-throb ended years of speculation about his sexuality when he announced that he was gay.

Martin, who had always dodged questions about his sexuality, told fans the birth of his surrogate twin sons in August 2008 and writing his memoirs made him decide to come out.


In the nude: Ricky bared all in the risque video which signifies his rebirth as an artist


Ricky near his Miami home with twins Matteo (left) and Valentino last year

The Livin' La Vida Loca singer posted a statement on his official website: 'I am proud to say that I am a fortunate homosexual man. I am very blessed to be who I am.'

The Puerto Rican star admitted 'fear and insecurity' made him keep quiet about his sexuality but told of his 'happiness' at finally revealing who he is.

Martin, 38, posted: 'To keep living as I did up until today would be to indirectly diminish the glow that my kids where [sic] born with.'

The singer began his career with boy band Menudo and broke out as a solo artist and teen idol in the 1990s in Spanish-speaking countries.

He released his first, English-language album in 1999, the self-titled Ricky Martin, which saw two major hits, Livin' La Vida Loca and She's All I Ever Had.

Since then, Martin has been a star in both North America and South America.
Jarrett Barrios, the president of the U.S.-based Gay and Lesbian Alliance Against Defamation (GLAAD), welcomed what he called Martin's 'openness and honesty'.
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Full version of ZE:A’s All Day MV released

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=4NxBLZ8kWA8endofvid
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Having begun promotional activities for their comeback song All Day last week, boy band ZE:A captured the hearts of even more fangirls with their new music and look.

Released on the 26th, their MV was said to have been inspired by the classic film Friends, which features a brawl between high school gangsters.

A full version of ZE:A’s All Day MV was released out of the blue, although it should be a pleasant surprise for fans who wish to see more of ZE:A, particularly Han Ga In look-a-like Dongjun. The full MV, which is a whopping 10 minutes long, provides a better understanding of the plot that the original version may have left out. It is only after the first four minutes or so that the actual song is heard.

Considering the ridiculous regulations for MVs lately, ZE:A’s MV could potentially be banned for broadcast too, not for fighting in the middle of the road, but walking on it (see: 7:30 and 7:44). Perhaps KBS should let this one slide, or else ZE:A and their dads a handful of other gangster friends will come charging after them.
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Now volcanic ash cloud grounds flights until 7pm... and disruption could last up to SIX MONTHS

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=hAOMZh26xFgendofvid
[starttext]
By Michael Seamark, Ray Massey and Sean Poulter

Menacing: A volcanic ash cloud rises over Iceland yesterday


Hundreds of thousands of passengers stranded after unprecedented lockdown

Chaos set to cost airline industry alone £30million a day

Vast cloud will cover Britain until at least noon... and Iceland volcano still
erupting

Insurers accused of invoking 'act of God' clause to dodge compensation payouts

People with breathing conditions urged to stay indoors


Dark and menacing, this is the giant cloud of volcanic ash that continues to paralyse air travel in Britain.

As Britain awoke to a second day of chaos, health officials warned those with conditions such as asthma to stay indoors.

In an awesome demonstration of nature's power, every plane will be grounded until the wind stops blowing debris towards us from a volcano 700 miles away in Iceland.

Already, all non-emergency air travel has been cancelled until 7pm tonight.

Some experts said there could be disruption for six months from the 'invisible menace' which covers northern Europe. The unprecedented lockdown has already caused the greatest chaos to air travel Britain has ever seen

No jet planes can fly except in emergency because the dust causes their engines to fail.

The day of volcanic ash saw:

All UK airports and many across northern Europe closed

Hundreds of thousands of frustrated passengers stranded - and alternative ways home swamped

A row amid claims that insurers may invoke an 'act of God' clause to avoid £20million compensation

A multi-million-pound bill in lost business for British industry.


I see red: One upside of the ash that saw flights cancelled across Britain was a stunning sunset, seen casting a red glow over Heathrow airport


Last night the vast cloud appeared to be growing and threatened to prolong travel paralysis for millions for days to come.

The Met Office said the cloud would cover Britain until midday today at the earliest. Air traffic controllers ruled out any flights until at least 7pm as a precaution and said the situation remained 'under review'.

Stay indoors, frail warned
The Health Protection Agency said the ash will cause itchy eyes, a runny nose, sore throat or dry couth when the particles land.

Those with from bronchitis, emphysema and asthma were advised to stay inside because the ash could seriously inflame their conditions.

The ash, which will drift down from the north of the country, was predicted to appear as a dusty haze and may smell of sulphur, rotten eggs or strongly acidic.

A spokesman for the HPA said: 'Any health effects are likely to be short term.'


Reports from Iceland said the eruption spewing ash into the atmosphere from Eyjafjallokull showed no sign of abating after almost two days of activity.


A spokesman for the Icelandic Met Office said: 'It is likely that the production of ash will continue at a comparable level for some days or weeks. But where it disrupts travel, that depends on the weather. It depends how the wind carries the ash.'

Even if the current eruption subsides within days, it may not be the end of the travel chaos that the volcano can cause.

It last erupted in the 19th century and Bill McGuire, professor at the Aon Benfield UCL Hazard Research Centre, based at University College London, said if the volcano continued erupting for more than 12 months, as it did the last time, periodic disruptions to air traffic could continue.

He added: 'A lot depends on the wind. I would expect this shutdown to last a couple of days. But if the eruption continues - and continues to produce ash - we could see repeated disruption over six months or so.'


Patient: A couple use their suitcase as a makeshift bench as they wait for news of their flight at Newcastle Airport yesterday


Fed up: Young passengers wait for information about flight cancellations in Terminal 5 at Heathrow Airport yesterday. The disruption could continue for days, experts have warned


Even without further groundings, the knock-on effect of the initial disruption will take days to clear with planes, passengers and crew all in the wrong place.

In a blanket move - worse even than in the aftermath of the 9/11 terror atrocity - air traffic controllers were forced to completely close British airspace at midday yesterday as the volcano pumped massive clouds of ash thousands of feet into the air.

The huge dust cloud, unseen from the ground, slowly drifted across northern Europe at the height that jets cruise across the skies.

The volcanic ash contains tiny particles of rock and even glass which, when sucked into an aircraft's jet engine, can potentially cause them to fail.

While skies above the UK remained clear but eerily quiet, runways emptied and planes were grounded, the air lockdown - the first in living memory - meant misery for millions.

More than 500,000 passengers a day fly in and out of the UK on around 5,300 flights and hundreds of thousands of travellers were left stranded abroad as they planned to return from their Easter breaks.

Airports across the UK became deserted as airlines told passengers to stay at home.

The travel chaos spread across mainland Europe, with airspace closed in Norway, Sweden, Finland and Denmark and all northbound flights from France and Spain cancelled. The closing of UK skies led to a rush for seats on Eurostar, bus and train operators and ferries.

Millions face losing their holidays or the prospect of punishing bills as a result of the airport shutdown.

Those who booked flights as part of holidays they organised themselves are being offered a refund of their ticket price, but there is no right to compensation.


Grounded: Flights from all UK airports were cancelled yesterday after a plume of ash-filled smoke made its way across from Iceland


Choking: The smoke is blown across the skies above houses in Iceland yesterday


Airlines were yesterday clinging to a small-print get-out clause in EU law that means they are not liable where cancellation is 'caused by extraordinary circumstances which could not have been avoided'.

Many airlines will allow people to transfer their booking to the next available flight without extra charge. However seats are scarce and this could be days away.

The net result is that people who have lost their flights face being hit with big penalty charges associated with any hotel and car hire bookings that they cannot take up.

In theory, airlines should step in and help people who are stranded overseas because their return flights have been cancelled. This means providing hotel accommodation, meals and telephone calls until a new flight has been arranged.

However, it could be days before their airline finds them a flight home because most seats are fully booked around the Easter holidays.

As passengers scrambled to find other means of leaving the UK, Gordon Brown said the suspension of flights was a temporary decision and would be reviewed 'at all times'.

But he added: 'Safety is the first and predominant consideration, and if any travelling public are inconvenienced I apologise for that, but it is important that everybody's safety comes first.'

Nobody was able to beat the flying ban. Those caught up included the Duchess of Cornwall, who had been due to fly from Aberdeen to London, and LibDem Treasury spokesman Vince Cable, who had to cancel election campaigning in Scotland.

There was one upside, however, with weather experts predicting that the particles in the atmosphere could cause some spectacular sunsets over the coming days.
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Thursday, April 15, 2010

Rain gives us Love Song and Hip Song on M! Countdown

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=fJYVdEpHy1cendofvid
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After the release of his special album, singer Rain officially launched his live comeback. Now one of Korea’s top original megastars returns to a second week of live promotions!

Watch as Rain shows you how it should be done on stage with Love Song and Hip Song.




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Brown Eyed Girls to hold concert with T-Pain & Bruno Mars in San Francisco!

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=QsMlBdBRVikendofvid
[starttext]
Kpop is really taking the West Coast by storm for next few months – MYX has announced that the Brown Eyed Girls will be hitting up San Francisco, California on May 22 for MYX Mash 2010 with T-Pain and Bruno Mars!

“MYX, the only Asian American music channel on TV is bringing the Brown Eyed Girls to the SF Bay Area for their biggest concert in North America,” an MYX representative told us earlier today. “The show is called MYX Mash and it will star T-Pain, the Brown Eyed Girls, and Bruno Mars.”

For those of you that aren’t up-to-date on the in’s and out’s of the American music scene, T-Pain and Bruno Mars are ranked very high in terms of mainstream popularity, so this concert means a lot of exposure for the Brown Eyed Girls. We’ve seen the addictive Abracadabra dance replicated all over the world; let’s hope that the Brown Eyed Girls will receive a similar reception with this event!


This isn’t the first time that the Brown Eyed Girls will be performing in America – they also visited New York City last September to perform at the Chuseok Festival as well as the Circle Nightclub.

Tickets go on sale this Friday, April 16, so get ready to claim your spot for this highly anticipated event! Visit myx.tv for more details on this concert, and stay tuned as we reveal more updates on this event!
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Wednesday, April 14, 2010

FBI launch investigation as shocking footage of police beating a student provokes outrage across the U.S.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=at1q3lIpK3cendofvid
[starttext]
By Paul Thompson

Brutal: John McKenna, circled, lays on the ground as the three officers stand over him in Maryland


A shocking video of police beating a student has provoked outrage across America and led to a probe by the FBI into alleged police brutality.

John McKenna is still recovering from his injuries after three officers clad in riot gear assaulted him with batons as he offered no resistance.

The 21-year-old was beaten unconscious and needed eight staples put into a gaping wound on his skull.


Unprovoked? The 21-year-old student stands in front of mounted police before he is bundled to the floor


Despite not provoking police, he was told he was arrested and told not to make a fuss about his injuries as the officers involved would have to fill out more paperwork.

The video of McKenna's beating was captured by a remote CCTV camera and has been played extensively on U.S. TV.

The FBI are also to launch an investigation into the horrific beating which U.S.

commentators said had echoes of the Rodney King beating in Los Angeles in 1991.

The acquittal of the officers involved led to rioting across LA resulting in the deaths of 53 people and $1billion in damage to property.

The latest incident occurred after a basketball match between the University of Maryland and Duke University on March 3.

Riot police were out in force on the streets of Maryland after reports of trouble and on the video McKenna can be seen approaching a mounted policeman.


Unaware: The officers later filed a report claiming McKenna had suffered minor injuries thanks to the police horses


It is not known what was said, but as McKenna backs against a wall with his arms by his side three officers armed with batons and riot shields rush at the first year student.

He is knocked to the ground as the three officers run into him and proceed to rain down blows on his limp body.

McKenna was arrested and put in the back of a police van before being taken to hospital for treatment to his injuries.

His lawyer claimed that the arresting report by the officers said the student had "struck those officers and their horses, causing minor injuries".

The police statement described McKenna's injuries as minor and caused when he was "kicked by the horses".

It also claims that McKenna was inciting a crowd


Investigation: John McKenna was left unconscious with a gash in his forehead after the beating - the FBI are now investigating the incident


Chris Griffiths, McKenna's lawyer, claimed the abuse continued out of shot of the CCTV camera.

'On the way to the jail, officers removed the bandages from his head and said, "Look, if you want to go home tonight, don't complain about your injuries"', he told the U.S. TV show Good Morning America.

The charges against McKenna have since been dropped.

Prince George's County Police Chief Roberto Hylton has handed one of the officers who's been identified on the tape a paid suspension and launched an investigation into the incident.

The FBI have also launched an inquiry into the incident.
'I was outraged,' said Hylton. 'I was very disappointed at the conduct that I saw on the part of my officers on the video tape.'

Hylton said that other officers involved in the beating will likely be fired, but McKenna's family thinks the punishment for some officers should be even tougher.

In a statement the family said: 'Some of these characters ought to go to jail, some ought to be booted off the force, and the remainder should be properly trained to discover that force is not always necessary, and brutality is always wrong.'

Students at the University of Maryland claimed police had been looking for trouble and picked on innocent bystanders.
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