Reuters, SANTIAGO/WASHINGTON: A strong quake of 6.0 magnitude struck on Sunday about 23 miles south of Concepcion, Chile, at a depth of 10.4 miles, according to the U.S. Geological Survey.
Chile's state emergency office Onemi said there were no reports of damages or injuries and no risk of a tsunami. A spokeswoman said there were partial power cuts in the area, however.
One year ago today, February 27, Chile was hit with a massive, 8.8-magnitude quake and subsequent tsunami that killed more than 500 people and caused some $30 billion in damage.
The worst-hit region was in the south, near Concepcion.
(Reporting by Fabian Cambero; Writing by Hilary Burke, editing by Philip Barbara)
Sunday, February 27, 2011
Tunisia's president appoints new prime minister
AP, TUNIS, Tunisia: Tunisia's interim president chose a former government minister as a new prime minister on Sunday, appealing for a return to calm following new violent protests that have been hobbling this North African country since the ouster of its long-time autocratic leader.
Beji Caid-Essebsi will replace Mohammed Ghannouchi, who resigned earlier Sunday after becoming a major irritant to Tunisians behind the so-called "Jasmine Revolution" that toppled autocratic President Zine El Abidine Ben Ali last month and sparked a wave of upheaval in the Arab world.
The caretaker president, Fouad Mebazaa, made the appointment later Sunday.
As Ben Ali's prime minister for 11 years, Ghannouchi became the emblem of an entrenched old guard that many Tunisians feared were hijacking their revolution.
It was not immediately clear how much the shake-up would mollify the protesters in Tunisia, at a time when its leaders are attempting to rebuild its tourism industry and cope with an influx of Tunisians and others fleeing from violence in neighboring Libya.
The change in the government's leadership follows renewed street protests. Officials said that at least five people have died in violent street protests since Friday.
Ghannouchi had previously vowed to stay on to guide Tunisia until elections could be organized this summer.
As he stepped down, Ghannouchi sought to take the high ground.
"This (resignation) is not a flight from my responsibilities, but to open the way for another prime minister who — I hope — will have more margin for action than I have had, to give hope to the Tunisian people," he said.
"I am not ready to be the man of repression, and I will never be," Ghannouchi said, warning that unspecified forces appeared to be swelling to try to quash the move toward democracy.
Caid-Essebsi is an elderly statesman and lawyer who served in government posts under the Tunisia's two longtime leaders since it gained independence from France in 1956: Habib Bourguiba and Ben Ali.
Ben Ali was driven from power on Jan. 14 and fled to Saudi Arabia following weeks of a deadly popular uprising that has fanned similar upheaval across the Arab world.
Some Tunisians believe that Ben Ali loyalists in the country have sought to sow discord and discredit the movement that brought the former authoritarian leader down.
"There needs to be reconciliation among all Tunisians to show the world that Tunisia is a civilized country," Ghannouchi said. "My resignation will help create this new atmosphere."
The Interior Ministry, in a statement Saturday, blamed "provocateurs" for fomenting violence in otherwise peaceful rallies and for allegedly using young people as human shields in renewed demonstrations.
On Saturday, police and troops backed by tanks used tear gas to disperse hundreds of youths protesting against the caretaker government. Officers were seen chasing some youths through town after the rally ended.
Authorities then ordered a temporarily ban on vehicle and pedestrian traffic on the capital's central Bourguiba Avenue until midnight Sunday — the first of its kind since Ben Ali's downfall.
On Friday, police fired tear gas and warning shots as violence erupted alongside a sit-in that drew tens of thousands of protesters near the seat of the interim government.
Officials said nearly 200 people were arrested over the last two days.
Beji Caid-Essebsi will replace Mohammed Ghannouchi, who resigned earlier Sunday after becoming a major irritant to Tunisians behind the so-called "Jasmine Revolution" that toppled autocratic President Zine El Abidine Ben Ali last month and sparked a wave of upheaval in the Arab world.
The caretaker president, Fouad Mebazaa, made the appointment later Sunday.
As Ben Ali's prime minister for 11 years, Ghannouchi became the emblem of an entrenched old guard that many Tunisians feared were hijacking their revolution.
It was not immediately clear how much the shake-up would mollify the protesters in Tunisia, at a time when its leaders are attempting to rebuild its tourism industry and cope with an influx of Tunisians and others fleeing from violence in neighboring Libya.
The change in the government's leadership follows renewed street protests. Officials said that at least five people have died in violent street protests since Friday.
Ghannouchi had previously vowed to stay on to guide Tunisia until elections could be organized this summer.
As he stepped down, Ghannouchi sought to take the high ground.
"This (resignation) is not a flight from my responsibilities, but to open the way for another prime minister who — I hope — will have more margin for action than I have had, to give hope to the Tunisian people," he said.
"I am not ready to be the man of repression, and I will never be," Ghannouchi said, warning that unspecified forces appeared to be swelling to try to quash the move toward democracy.
Caid-Essebsi is an elderly statesman and lawyer who served in government posts under the Tunisia's two longtime leaders since it gained independence from France in 1956: Habib Bourguiba and Ben Ali.
Ben Ali was driven from power on Jan. 14 and fled to Saudi Arabia following weeks of a deadly popular uprising that has fanned similar upheaval across the Arab world.
Some Tunisians believe that Ben Ali loyalists in the country have sought to sow discord and discredit the movement that brought the former authoritarian leader down.
"There needs to be reconciliation among all Tunisians to show the world that Tunisia is a civilized country," Ghannouchi said. "My resignation will help create this new atmosphere."
The Interior Ministry, in a statement Saturday, blamed "provocateurs" for fomenting violence in otherwise peaceful rallies and for allegedly using young people as human shields in renewed demonstrations.
On Saturday, police and troops backed by tanks used tear gas to disperse hundreds of youths protesting against the caretaker government. Officers were seen chasing some youths through town after the rally ended.
Authorities then ordered a temporarily ban on vehicle and pedestrian traffic on the capital's central Bourguiba Avenue until midnight Sunday — the first of its kind since Ben Ali's downfall.
On Friday, police fired tear gas and warning shots as violence erupted alongside a sit-in that drew tens of thousands of protesters near the seat of the interim government.
Officials said nearly 200 people were arrested over the last two days.
Infant boy the first NZ quake victim laid to rest
AP, CHRISTCHURCH, New Zealand: A 5-month-old boy was laid to rest Monday at the first funeral for the victims of New Zealand's devastating earthquake, as the confirmed death toll rose to 148 and the government considered a nationwide levy to help pay for reconstruction.
Dozens of family and friends gathered at a small chapel in the stricken city of Christchurch for Baxtor Gowland, who was sleeping peacefully at home when he was struck by masonry shaken loose by the magnitude 6.3 quake last Tuesday. He died in a hospital, the family said in a statement read to The Associated Press by the child's great-uncle, Peter Croft.
Inside the chapel, a slideshow of the smiling infant's photographs flashed on a screen, as Sarah McLachlan's song "Angel" echoed throughout the room.
"We have all been thankful of the support and good wishes expressed from New Zealand and around the world," Croft said, his voice shaking with emotion as he read the statement. "However, we would like to think that today is for family and friends so that we can farewell Baxtor with peace and dignity."
Authorities have named just eight victims of last week's disaster — Gowland and another infant among them.
Superintendent David Cliff said Monday that the death toll had reached 148, based on the number of bodies recovered from the rubble. Officials say the task of identifying the dead is slow and difficult, and that unidentified bodies are included on a list of people considered missing, which currently numbers around 200.
Cliff said "grave fears" are held for about 50 of those counted as missing, signaling the final death toll could be around 200.
The multinational team of more than 600 rescuers scrabbling through wrecked buildings in the decimated central area of the city last pulled a survivor from the ruins at mid-afternoon Wednesday, making it six days without finding anyone alive.
Police have said up to 120 people may have been killed in the downtown CTV building, where dozens of foreign students, mostly Japanese and Chinese, from an international language school were believed trapped. And up to 22 people may be buried in rubble at Christchurch Cathedral, most of them believed to be tourists climbing the bell tower for its panoramic views of the southern New Zealand city.
Prime Minister John Key was meeting with his Cabinet on Monday to discuss an aid package for an estimated 50,000 people who will be out of work for months due to the closure of downtown.
Key said measures being considered include an extra levy on all householders under New Zealand's compulsory quake insurance system to raise the estimated $4 billion needed to cover an insurance shortfall.
The package, to be announced later Monday, would also likely include wage subsidies and cash grants to Christchurch residents to ensure businesses have cash flow and can continue to operate.
Engineers and planners say the city's decimated central area may be completely unusable for months to come and that at least a third of the buildings must be razed and rebuilt. The government has said that virtually all services conducted in the downtown area will have to operate from elsewhere during the rebuilding period.
Officials estimated that one in three of the central business district's buildings were severely damaged in the quake and will have to be demolished.
"It's quite clear that a lot of buildings are going to have to come out of the CBD, so where a building is condemned it will need to be taken down," Key told TV One on Monday.
He said he expected much higher building code standards for new buildings so they will be able to withstand very strong earthquakes.
___
Associated Press writers Steve McMorran in Christchurch, New Zealand, and Ray Lilley in Wellington, New Zealand, contributed to this report.
Dozens of family and friends gathered at a small chapel in the stricken city of Christchurch for Baxtor Gowland, who was sleeping peacefully at home when he was struck by masonry shaken loose by the magnitude 6.3 quake last Tuesday. He died in a hospital, the family said in a statement read to The Associated Press by the child's great-uncle, Peter Croft.
Inside the chapel, a slideshow of the smiling infant's photographs flashed on a screen, as Sarah McLachlan's song "Angel" echoed throughout the room.
"We have all been thankful of the support and good wishes expressed from New Zealand and around the world," Croft said, his voice shaking with emotion as he read the statement. "However, we would like to think that today is for family and friends so that we can farewell Baxtor with peace and dignity."
Authorities have named just eight victims of last week's disaster — Gowland and another infant among them.
Superintendent David Cliff said Monday that the death toll had reached 148, based on the number of bodies recovered from the rubble. Officials say the task of identifying the dead is slow and difficult, and that unidentified bodies are included on a list of people considered missing, which currently numbers around 200.
Cliff said "grave fears" are held for about 50 of those counted as missing, signaling the final death toll could be around 200.
The multinational team of more than 600 rescuers scrabbling through wrecked buildings in the decimated central area of the city last pulled a survivor from the ruins at mid-afternoon Wednesday, making it six days without finding anyone alive.
Police have said up to 120 people may have been killed in the downtown CTV building, where dozens of foreign students, mostly Japanese and Chinese, from an international language school were believed trapped. And up to 22 people may be buried in rubble at Christchurch Cathedral, most of them believed to be tourists climbing the bell tower for its panoramic views of the southern New Zealand city.
Prime Minister John Key was meeting with his Cabinet on Monday to discuss an aid package for an estimated 50,000 people who will be out of work for months due to the closure of downtown.
Key said measures being considered include an extra levy on all householders under New Zealand's compulsory quake insurance system to raise the estimated $4 billion needed to cover an insurance shortfall.
The package, to be announced later Monday, would also likely include wage subsidies and cash grants to Christchurch residents to ensure businesses have cash flow and can continue to operate.
Engineers and planners say the city's decimated central area may be completely unusable for months to come and that at least a third of the buildings must be razed and rebuilt. The government has said that virtually all services conducted in the downtown area will have to operate from elsewhere during the rebuilding period.
Officials estimated that one in three of the central business district's buildings were severely damaged in the quake and will have to be demolished.
"It's quite clear that a lot of buildings are going to have to come out of the CBD, so where a building is condemned it will need to be taken down," Key told TV One on Monday.
He said he expected much higher building code standards for new buildings so they will be able to withstand very strong earthquakes.
___
Associated Press writers Steve McMorran in Christchurch, New Zealand, and Ray Lilley in Wellington, New Zealand, contributed to this report.
'Free Libya' chants heard in city near capital
AP, ZAWIYA, Libya: With residents shouting "Free, free Libya," anti-government rebels who control this battle-scarred city nearest to the capital deployed tanks and anti-aircraft weapons Sunday to brace for an attack by troops loyal to Moammar Gadhafi. The Obama administration offered "any type of assistance" to Libyans seeking to oust the longtime leader.
Politicians in the opposition stronghold of Benghazi set up their first leadership council to manage day-to-day affairs, taking a step toward forming what could be an alternative to Gadhafi's regime.
In the capital Tripoli, where Gadhafi is still firmly in control, state banks began handing out the equivalent of $400 per family in a bid to shore up public loyalty.
"The Libyan people are fully behind me," Gadhafi defiantly told Serbian TV, even as about half of the country was turning against him and world leaders moved to isolate him. "A small group (of rebels) is surrounded ... and it will be dealt with."
Gadhafi has launched by far the bloodiest crackdown in a wave of anti-government uprisings sweeping the Arab world, the most serious challenge to his four decades in power. The United States, Britain and the U.N. Security Council all slapped sanctions on Libya this weekend.
A day after President Barack Obama branded Gadhafi an illegitimate ruler who must leave power immediately, U.S. Secretary of State Hillary Rodham Clinton kept up pressure for him to step down and "call off the mercenaries" and other troops that remain loyal to him.
"We are just at the beginning of what will follow Gadhafi. ... But we've been reaching out to many different Libyans who are attempting to organize in the east and as the revolution moves westward there as well," Clinton said. "I think it's way too soon to tell how this is going to play out, but we're going to be ready and prepared to offer any kind of assistance that anyone wishes to have from the United States."
Two U.S. senators said Washington should recognize and arm a provisional government in rebel-held areas of eastern Libya and impose a no-fly zone over the area — enforced by U.S. warplanes — to stop attacks by the regime.
Gadhafi's son, Seif al-Islam, in an interview with U.S. television, insisted that his father won't relinquish power and that Libya had not used force or airstrikes against its own people.
There were no reports of major violence or clashes on Sunday, although gunfire was heard after nightfall in Tripoli.
The regime, eager to reinforce its view that Libya is calm and under its control, took visiting journalists to Zawiya, 30 miles (50 kilometers) west of the capital of Tripoli on Sunday. The tour, however, confirmed that anti-government rebels control the center of the city of 200,000 people, with army tanks and anti-aircraft guns mounted on pickup trucks at the ready.
Hundreds of people chanted "Gadhafi out!" in central Zawiya, a key city close to an oil port and refineries. It also is the nearest population center to Tripoli to fall into rebel hands.
The charred hulks of cars littered the city, many buildings were pockmarked by bullets, and most streets were blocked by felled palm trees or metal barricades. Police stations and government offices have been torched, and anti-Gadhafi graffiti — labeling him a "mass murderer" — was everywhere. In the main square, an effigy of the leader hung from a light pole with the words "Execute Gadhafi" on its chest.
"To us, Gadhafi is the 'Dracula' of Libya," said Wael al-Oraibi, an army officer in Zawiya who decided to join the rebels in large part after Gadhafi used mercenaries from sub-Saharan Africa against residents of the city.
The mood in Zawiya was generally upbeat, with chants of "Free, free Libya," although the anticipation of a renewed attempt to retake the city was causing some anxiety among the rebels.
"We are all wanted," said one rebel at the square who did not want to give his name for fear of reprisals. "Zawiya in our hands is a direct threat to Tripoli."
On Zawiya's outskirts were pro-Gadhafi forces, also backed by tanks and anti-aircraft guns.
About 20 miles (30 kilometers) west of Zawiya, some 3,000 pro-Gadhafi demonstrators gathered on the coastal highway, chanting slogans in support of the Libyan leader.
Rebels and defecting army forces largely consolidated control of Zawiya on Thursday, after an army unit loyal to Gadhafi opened fire on a mosque where residents — some armed with hunting rifles — had been holding a sit-in. The square has become the burial site of six of 11 rebels killed by pro-Gadhafi forces who failed to retake the town that day. Residents reported several skirmishes between both sides since then.
At least six checkpoints controlled by troops loyal to Gadhafi stood on the road from Tripoli to Zawiya. Each one was reinforced by at least one tank, with troops who concealed their faces with scarves.
Before Zawiya fell to rebel forces, Gadhafi had scolded its residents on Thursday, saying they were in league with terror mastermind Osama bin Laden.
"Shame on you, people of Zawiya. Control your children," he said.
"They are loyal to bin Laden," he said of those involved in the uprising. "What do you have to do with bin Laden, people of Zawiya? They are exploiting young people. ... I insist it is bin Laden."
In Libya's second-largest city of Benghazi, politicians said Sunday they are setting up a council to run day-to-day affairs in the eastern half of the country under their control. It was seen as the first attempt to create a leadership body that could eventually form an alternative to the Gadhafi government.
Former Justice Minister Mustafa Abdel-Jalil, who defected from the Gadhafi regime, said Saturday he was setting up a provisional government.
But a prominent human rights lawyer, Abdel-Hafidh Ghoga, held a news conference to shoot down the claim, saying instead that politicians in the east were establishing the transitional council only to manage daily life in the rebel-controlled areas until Gadhafi falls.
Gadhafi blasted sanctions against his country and vowed to stay in power, telling Serbia's private Pink TV in a telephone interview that "the Libyan people are still behind me."
"Currently in Libya there are no incidents, now everything is quiet," Gadhafi said.
His son, Seif al-Islam, again denied in a TV interview that the Libyan regime used force or airstrikes against its own people.
"Show me a single attack. Show me a single bomb," he told ABC's "This Week." "The Libyan air force destroyed just the ammunition sites. That's it."
Human rights groups and European officials have put the death toll since unrest began in Libya nearly two weeks ago at hundreds — perhaps thousands — although it has been virtually impossible to verify the numbers.
The British-educated Seif al-Islam is the most visible of Gadhafi's children and has been acting as a spokesman for the regime.
"The whole south is calm. The west is calm. The middle is calm. Even part of the east," he said.
Asked about Obama's call for his father to step down, he said: "It's not an American business, that's No. 1. Second, do they think this is a solution? Of course not."
As for the U.S. freeze of Libyan assets, he said: "First of all, we don't have money outside. We are a very modest family and everybody knows that."
Libya's Foreign Ministry said it regretted the U.N. Security Council resolution, saying it was based on "untrue media reports."
Gadhafi loyalists remain in control of Tripoli, where most stores were closed and long lines formed outside the few banks open for business.
Residents thronged to the banks after state TV promised each family 500 Libyan dinars (about $400), plus the equivalent of about $100 credit for phone service. State TV also said families also will be entitled to 60,000 Libyan dinars (about $49,000) in interest-free loans to buy apartments.
State TV showed video of people handing over identity documents to bank tellers, who processed the information. Some people, however, said they only got vouchers when banks ran out of money.
Libya's Central Bank said in a statement on state TV that payments will be made for the next few days. "Give banks a chance to secure the needed liquidity in its branches at the suitable time," it said.
One resident said Tripoli's calm may be deceptive.
"The situation is being constructed to look natural, but it is not," said a 40-year-old Tripoli businessman who did not want to be named for fear of reprisals. "People are scared and they are waiting for the fall of the regime. People are scared to go out or to gather because some areas have been taken over by armed groups loyal to the regime."
Another Tripoli resident, a 21-year-old Libyan-American who only wanted to be identified by her first name, Rahma, said the city was deserted Sunday. "No one is driving around, no one is out in the streets."
Her aunt, she said, went out and came back to tell the rest of the family that there were pro-regime checkpoints across the city.
A doctor in Libya's third-largest city of Misrata, 125 miles (200 kilometers) east of Tripoli, said residents retrieved two more bodies of those killed in fighting with pro-Gadhafi forces near the city's air base Friday. That raised the death toll from fighting to 27. About 30 people who took part in the battle remain unaccounted for, said the doctor who spoke on condition of anonymity because he feared reprisals.
U.N. Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon was due in Washington on Monday to discuss with Obama other possible measures that could be taken against the Libyan government.
U.S. Sens. John McCain and Joseph Lieberman said on CNN's "State of the Union" that the U.S. and its allies should enforce a no-fly zone over Libya to prevent the military from again firing on civilian protesters from the air. Lieberman said Washington should arm the provisional government in rebel-held areas of eastern Libya "to fight on behalf of the people of Libya against a really cruel dictator."
The White House had no immediate comment.
British and German military planes landed in Libya's desert, rescuing hundreds of oil workers and civilians stranded at remote sites over the weekend, while thousands of other foreigners were still stuck in Tripoli by bad weather and red tape. The secret military missions signal the readiness of Western nations to disregard Libya's territorial integrity when it comes to the safety of their citizens.
Thousands of Egyptian and Chinese expatriates, meanwhile, continued to stream out of Libya on its western border with Tunisia into camps near the frontier.
In Ukraine, a nurse believed to have a close relationship with Gadhafi was reported to have deserted Gadhafi after his crackdown. Halyna Kolotnytska, 38, arrived in Kiev early Sunday on a plane that evacuated 122 Ukrainians and 68 foreign nationals from Libya.
A U.S. diplomatic cable released last year said the eccentric 68-year-old leader is deeply attached to Kolotnytska, describing her as a "voluptuous blonde" who always travels with Gadhafi because only she "knows his routine," and it suggested the two may be romantically involved.
The Segodnya daily cited Kolotnytska's daughter Tetyana as saying that her mother was out of danger and planned to return to Ukraine in the near future.
The paper said Kolotnytska moved to Libya nine years ago. She worked at a hospital before Gadhafi hired her.
"He is employing other Ukrainian women as nurses as well. Mom is one of them," Tetyana was quoted as saying. "For some reason, he doesn't trust Libyan women with that."
___
Associated Press reporters Paul Schemm in Benghazi, Libya, Bradley Klapper in Washington, Anita Snow at the United Nations, Maria Danilova in Kiev, Ukraine, and Ben Hubbard and Bassem Mroue in Cairo contributed to this report.
Politicians in the opposition stronghold of Benghazi set up their first leadership council to manage day-to-day affairs, taking a step toward forming what could be an alternative to Gadhafi's regime.
In the capital Tripoli, where Gadhafi is still firmly in control, state banks began handing out the equivalent of $400 per family in a bid to shore up public loyalty.
"The Libyan people are fully behind me," Gadhafi defiantly told Serbian TV, even as about half of the country was turning against him and world leaders moved to isolate him. "A small group (of rebels) is surrounded ... and it will be dealt with."
Gadhafi has launched by far the bloodiest crackdown in a wave of anti-government uprisings sweeping the Arab world, the most serious challenge to his four decades in power. The United States, Britain and the U.N. Security Council all slapped sanctions on Libya this weekend.
A day after President Barack Obama branded Gadhafi an illegitimate ruler who must leave power immediately, U.S. Secretary of State Hillary Rodham Clinton kept up pressure for him to step down and "call off the mercenaries" and other troops that remain loyal to him.
"We are just at the beginning of what will follow Gadhafi. ... But we've been reaching out to many different Libyans who are attempting to organize in the east and as the revolution moves westward there as well," Clinton said. "I think it's way too soon to tell how this is going to play out, but we're going to be ready and prepared to offer any kind of assistance that anyone wishes to have from the United States."
Two U.S. senators said Washington should recognize and arm a provisional government in rebel-held areas of eastern Libya and impose a no-fly zone over the area — enforced by U.S. warplanes — to stop attacks by the regime.
Gadhafi's son, Seif al-Islam, in an interview with U.S. television, insisted that his father won't relinquish power and that Libya had not used force or airstrikes against its own people.
There were no reports of major violence or clashes on Sunday, although gunfire was heard after nightfall in Tripoli.
The regime, eager to reinforce its view that Libya is calm and under its control, took visiting journalists to Zawiya, 30 miles (50 kilometers) west of the capital of Tripoli on Sunday. The tour, however, confirmed that anti-government rebels control the center of the city of 200,000 people, with army tanks and anti-aircraft guns mounted on pickup trucks at the ready.
Hundreds of people chanted "Gadhafi out!" in central Zawiya, a key city close to an oil port and refineries. It also is the nearest population center to Tripoli to fall into rebel hands.
The charred hulks of cars littered the city, many buildings were pockmarked by bullets, and most streets were blocked by felled palm trees or metal barricades. Police stations and government offices have been torched, and anti-Gadhafi graffiti — labeling him a "mass murderer" — was everywhere. In the main square, an effigy of the leader hung from a light pole with the words "Execute Gadhafi" on its chest.
"To us, Gadhafi is the 'Dracula' of Libya," said Wael al-Oraibi, an army officer in Zawiya who decided to join the rebels in large part after Gadhafi used mercenaries from sub-Saharan Africa against residents of the city.
The mood in Zawiya was generally upbeat, with chants of "Free, free Libya," although the anticipation of a renewed attempt to retake the city was causing some anxiety among the rebels.
"We are all wanted," said one rebel at the square who did not want to give his name for fear of reprisals. "Zawiya in our hands is a direct threat to Tripoli."
On Zawiya's outskirts were pro-Gadhafi forces, also backed by tanks and anti-aircraft guns.
About 20 miles (30 kilometers) west of Zawiya, some 3,000 pro-Gadhafi demonstrators gathered on the coastal highway, chanting slogans in support of the Libyan leader.
Rebels and defecting army forces largely consolidated control of Zawiya on Thursday, after an army unit loyal to Gadhafi opened fire on a mosque where residents — some armed with hunting rifles — had been holding a sit-in. The square has become the burial site of six of 11 rebels killed by pro-Gadhafi forces who failed to retake the town that day. Residents reported several skirmishes between both sides since then.
At least six checkpoints controlled by troops loyal to Gadhafi stood on the road from Tripoli to Zawiya. Each one was reinforced by at least one tank, with troops who concealed their faces with scarves.
Before Zawiya fell to rebel forces, Gadhafi had scolded its residents on Thursday, saying they were in league with terror mastermind Osama bin Laden.
"Shame on you, people of Zawiya. Control your children," he said.
"They are loyal to bin Laden," he said of those involved in the uprising. "What do you have to do with bin Laden, people of Zawiya? They are exploiting young people. ... I insist it is bin Laden."
In Libya's second-largest city of Benghazi, politicians said Sunday they are setting up a council to run day-to-day affairs in the eastern half of the country under their control. It was seen as the first attempt to create a leadership body that could eventually form an alternative to the Gadhafi government.
Former Justice Minister Mustafa Abdel-Jalil, who defected from the Gadhafi regime, said Saturday he was setting up a provisional government.
But a prominent human rights lawyer, Abdel-Hafidh Ghoga, held a news conference to shoot down the claim, saying instead that politicians in the east were establishing the transitional council only to manage daily life in the rebel-controlled areas until Gadhafi falls.
Gadhafi blasted sanctions against his country and vowed to stay in power, telling Serbia's private Pink TV in a telephone interview that "the Libyan people are still behind me."
"Currently in Libya there are no incidents, now everything is quiet," Gadhafi said.
His son, Seif al-Islam, again denied in a TV interview that the Libyan regime used force or airstrikes against its own people.
"Show me a single attack. Show me a single bomb," he told ABC's "This Week." "The Libyan air force destroyed just the ammunition sites. That's it."
Human rights groups and European officials have put the death toll since unrest began in Libya nearly two weeks ago at hundreds — perhaps thousands — although it has been virtually impossible to verify the numbers.
The British-educated Seif al-Islam is the most visible of Gadhafi's children and has been acting as a spokesman for the regime.
"The whole south is calm. The west is calm. The middle is calm. Even part of the east," he said.
Asked about Obama's call for his father to step down, he said: "It's not an American business, that's No. 1. Second, do they think this is a solution? Of course not."
As for the U.S. freeze of Libyan assets, he said: "First of all, we don't have money outside. We are a very modest family and everybody knows that."
Libya's Foreign Ministry said it regretted the U.N. Security Council resolution, saying it was based on "untrue media reports."
Gadhafi loyalists remain in control of Tripoli, where most stores were closed and long lines formed outside the few banks open for business.
Residents thronged to the banks after state TV promised each family 500 Libyan dinars (about $400), plus the equivalent of about $100 credit for phone service. State TV also said families also will be entitled to 60,000 Libyan dinars (about $49,000) in interest-free loans to buy apartments.
State TV showed video of people handing over identity documents to bank tellers, who processed the information. Some people, however, said they only got vouchers when banks ran out of money.
Libya's Central Bank said in a statement on state TV that payments will be made for the next few days. "Give banks a chance to secure the needed liquidity in its branches at the suitable time," it said.
One resident said Tripoli's calm may be deceptive.
"The situation is being constructed to look natural, but it is not," said a 40-year-old Tripoli businessman who did not want to be named for fear of reprisals. "People are scared and they are waiting for the fall of the regime. People are scared to go out or to gather because some areas have been taken over by armed groups loyal to the regime."
Another Tripoli resident, a 21-year-old Libyan-American who only wanted to be identified by her first name, Rahma, said the city was deserted Sunday. "No one is driving around, no one is out in the streets."
Her aunt, she said, went out and came back to tell the rest of the family that there were pro-regime checkpoints across the city.
A doctor in Libya's third-largest city of Misrata, 125 miles (200 kilometers) east of Tripoli, said residents retrieved two more bodies of those killed in fighting with pro-Gadhafi forces near the city's air base Friday. That raised the death toll from fighting to 27. About 30 people who took part in the battle remain unaccounted for, said the doctor who spoke on condition of anonymity because he feared reprisals.
U.N. Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon was due in Washington on Monday to discuss with Obama other possible measures that could be taken against the Libyan government.
U.S. Sens. John McCain and Joseph Lieberman said on CNN's "State of the Union" that the U.S. and its allies should enforce a no-fly zone over Libya to prevent the military from again firing on civilian protesters from the air. Lieberman said Washington should arm the provisional government in rebel-held areas of eastern Libya "to fight on behalf of the people of Libya against a really cruel dictator."
The White House had no immediate comment.
British and German military planes landed in Libya's desert, rescuing hundreds of oil workers and civilians stranded at remote sites over the weekend, while thousands of other foreigners were still stuck in Tripoli by bad weather and red tape. The secret military missions signal the readiness of Western nations to disregard Libya's territorial integrity when it comes to the safety of their citizens.
Thousands of Egyptian and Chinese expatriates, meanwhile, continued to stream out of Libya on its western border with Tunisia into camps near the frontier.
In Ukraine, a nurse believed to have a close relationship with Gadhafi was reported to have deserted Gadhafi after his crackdown. Halyna Kolotnytska, 38, arrived in Kiev early Sunday on a plane that evacuated 122 Ukrainians and 68 foreign nationals from Libya.
A U.S. diplomatic cable released last year said the eccentric 68-year-old leader is deeply attached to Kolotnytska, describing her as a "voluptuous blonde" who always travels with Gadhafi because only she "knows his routine," and it suggested the two may be romantically involved.
The Segodnya daily cited Kolotnytska's daughter Tetyana as saying that her mother was out of danger and planned to return to Ukraine in the near future.
The paper said Kolotnytska moved to Libya nine years ago. She worked at a hospital before Gadhafi hired her.
"He is employing other Ukrainian women as nurses as well. Mom is one of them," Tetyana was quoted as saying. "For some reason, he doesn't trust Libyan women with that."
___
Associated Press reporters Paul Schemm in Benghazi, Libya, Bradley Klapper in Washington, Anita Snow at the United Nations, Maria Danilova in Kiev, Ukraine, and Ben Hubbard and Bassem Mroue in Cairo contributed to this report.
`Chilli' ponders fertile question in season finale
AP, LOS ANGELES: Chilli explores fertile territory on the finale of her reality show, "What Chilli Wants," deciding whether to freeze her eggs for the chance at future motherhood.
"What Chilli Wants," which wraps its second season on VH1, followed the Grammy-winning TLC singer's effort to find Mr. Right. But if she doesn't find him right now, she may in the future, leading her to ponder preserving the option of a child as she turns 40.
Her birthday is Sunday, the night the finale airs. Chilli, who has one son, said she's glad to have the chance to "educate women on their options when it comes to having children."
The prospective romances in Chilli's life this season included boxer Floyd Mayweather, race car driver Raphael Matos and model Lasse Larson.
"What Chilli Wants," which wraps its second season on VH1, followed the Grammy-winning TLC singer's effort to find Mr. Right. But if she doesn't find him right now, she may in the future, leading her to ponder preserving the option of a child as she turns 40.
Her birthday is Sunday, the night the finale airs. Chilli, who has one son, said she's glad to have the chance to "educate women on their options when it comes to having children."
The prospective romances in Chilli's life this season included boxer Floyd Mayweather, race car driver Raphael Matos and model Lasse Larson.
Johnson-led Purdue routs Michigan State 67-47
AP, EAST LANSING, Mich: JaJuan Johnson had 20 points, 17 rebounds and seven blocks to help No. 8 Purdue beat Michigan State 67-47 on Sunday.
The Boilermakers (24-5, 13-3 Big Ten) have won six straight to surge into contention for the conference title.
They took control with a 16-5 run midway through the first half and turned the road game into a rout with a 19-4 run in the second half that gave them a 57-35 lead.
Purdue's E'Twaun Moore scored 17 and Lewis Jackson had 16 points.
The Spartans (16-12, 8-8) had won two straight and three of four to improve their shot at playing in a 14th straight NCAA tournament, but can't afford to fare poorly this week at home against last-place Iowa and on the road against rival Michigan before the Big Ten tournament.
Michigan State's Kalin Lucas scored 15 of his 23 points in the first half and didn't get much help.
The Boilermakers (24-5, 13-3 Big Ten) have won six straight to surge into contention for the conference title.
They took control with a 16-5 run midway through the first half and turned the road game into a rout with a 19-4 run in the second half that gave them a 57-35 lead.
Purdue's E'Twaun Moore scored 17 and Lewis Jackson had 16 points.
The Spartans (16-12, 8-8) had won two straight and three of four to improve their shot at playing in a 14th straight NCAA tournament, but can't afford to fare poorly this week at home against last-place Iowa and on the road against rival Michigan before the Big Ten tournament.
Michigan State's Kalin Lucas scored 15 of his 23 points in the first half and didn't get much help.
Monmouth basketball coach Dave Calloway resigns
AP, PISCATAWAY, N.J: Dave Calloway has resigned under pressure as Monmouth University's basketball coach after 14 seasons.
Athletic Director Marilyn McNeil informed Calloway on Sunday that the university planned to hire a new coach after the Hawks suffered their fifth straight losing season and missed the Northeast Conference tournament.
Monmouth has posted a 48-105 record over the past five seasons, including 30-60 in the conference.
"It wasn't my choice," Calloway said in a telephone interview with The Associated Press Sunday afternoon.
Calloway, who led Monmouth to the NCAA tournament in 2001, '04 and '06, knew his job at the West Long Branch school was in jeopardy after the Hawks finished a 9-21 season with a loss to Sacred Heart on Saturday.
"Everything has been great," Calloway said. "I feel very, very fortunate. I am in a good place. I enjoyed my experience there. I think I got more out of it than they got out of me. They paid for my education. I got my Masters there. They paid for that. They paid me to do this and I loved doing it.
"Coaching at Monmouth has been terrific," Calloway added. "You always like to win more. I have nothing but good things to say about the university and everybody involved. This is just how the business works. They made a decision. I was never going to be the coach at Monmouth forever."
Calloway always had a sense of humor. When he first took the Hawks to the NCAA tournament in 2001, Monmouth was seeded No. 16 and drew No. 1 seed Duke for its first game.
Calloway predicted that the winner of the game would win the NCAA title. He was right: Duke won.
"Dave has the utmost integrity and has represented the University well in every kind of forum," McNeil said in a statement. "His time here at Monmouth made all of us better and it is bittersweet to see the Calloway era end."
President Paul Gaffney said the university will conduct a national search for Calloway's replacement, adding that he's been offered a post with the school's administration.
Calloway said he still wants to coach.
"I have enjoyed coaching and would love to be able to help somebody else out," Calloway said. "Whether there will be another opportunity this year or in the future of running another program again. I would like that. I learned a lot in life and in this business, that's for sure."
Calloway played for the Hawks before starting his coaching career there as a graduate assistant in 1991. He became a full-time assistant a few months later and assumed the top spot in January 1998 following Wayne Szoke's resignation.
Athletic Director Marilyn McNeil informed Calloway on Sunday that the university planned to hire a new coach after the Hawks suffered their fifth straight losing season and missed the Northeast Conference tournament.
Monmouth has posted a 48-105 record over the past five seasons, including 30-60 in the conference.
"It wasn't my choice," Calloway said in a telephone interview with The Associated Press Sunday afternoon.
Calloway, who led Monmouth to the NCAA tournament in 2001, '04 and '06, knew his job at the West Long Branch school was in jeopardy after the Hawks finished a 9-21 season with a loss to Sacred Heart on Saturday.
"Everything has been great," Calloway said. "I feel very, very fortunate. I am in a good place. I enjoyed my experience there. I think I got more out of it than they got out of me. They paid for my education. I got my Masters there. They paid for that. They paid me to do this and I loved doing it.
"Coaching at Monmouth has been terrific," Calloway added. "You always like to win more. I have nothing but good things to say about the university and everybody involved. This is just how the business works. They made a decision. I was never going to be the coach at Monmouth forever."
Calloway always had a sense of humor. When he first took the Hawks to the NCAA tournament in 2001, Monmouth was seeded No. 16 and drew No. 1 seed Duke for its first game.
Calloway predicted that the winner of the game would win the NCAA title. He was right: Duke won.
"Dave has the utmost integrity and has represented the University well in every kind of forum," McNeil said in a statement. "His time here at Monmouth made all of us better and it is bittersweet to see the Calloway era end."
President Paul Gaffney said the university will conduct a national search for Calloway's replacement, adding that he's been offered a post with the school's administration.
Calloway said he still wants to coach.
"I have enjoyed coaching and would love to be able to help somebody else out," Calloway said. "Whether there will be another opportunity this year or in the future of running another program again. I would like that. I learned a lot in life and in this business, that's for sure."
Calloway played for the Hawks before starting his coaching career there as a graduate assistant in 1991. He became a full-time assistant a few months later and assumed the top spot in January 1998 following Wayne Szoke's resignation.
Logins leads Canisius over Loyola (Md.) 75-58
AP, BUFFALO, N.Y: Greg Logins scored 26 points, going 8 of 10 from 3-point range, to lead Canisius over Loyola (Md.) 75-58 on Sunday in the regular-season finale for both teams.
The Golden Griffins (15-14, 9-9 Metro Atlantic Athletic Conference) trailed by as many as 11 points in the first half but cut it to six, 32-26, at halftime.
Canisius then scored eight of the first 10 points of the second half to tie it at 34 on Logins' 3-pointer with 16:30 to play. The Greyhounds (15-14, 10-8) went back on top, 40-39, less than 2 minutes later, but wouldn't lead the rest of the way.
Another Logins' 3-pointer put the Golden Griffins up for good, 45-42, with 11:59 remaining.
Elton Frazier added 18 points for Canisius, which earned the sixth seed and a first-round bye in the conference tournament. It's the first bye for Canisius since 1999.
Rudolph had 14 points and 10 rebounds for Loyola.
The Golden Griffins (15-14, 9-9 Metro Atlantic Athletic Conference) trailed by as many as 11 points in the first half but cut it to six, 32-26, at halftime.
Canisius then scored eight of the first 10 points of the second half to tie it at 34 on Logins' 3-pointer with 16:30 to play. The Greyhounds (15-14, 10-8) went back on top, 40-39, less than 2 minutes later, but wouldn't lead the rest of the way.
Another Logins' 3-pointer put the Golden Griffins up for good, 45-42, with 11:59 remaining.
Elton Frazier added 18 points for Canisius, which earned the sixth seed and a first-round bye in the conference tournament. It's the first bye for Canisius since 1999.
Rudolph had 14 points and 10 rebounds for Loyola.
Albany (N.Y.) defeats Maine 81-77 in overtime
AP, ORONO, Maine: Mike Black scored a career-high 26 points, including two 3-pointers during a key overtime run, to lead Albany (N.Y.) to an 81-77 win over Maine on Sunday in the regular-season finale for both teams.
The Great Danes (16-15, 9-7 America East Conference) trailed 68-66 before scoring seven straight during a 10-2 run. Black hit his second 3-pointer of the extra period to cap the run with Albany ahead 76-70.
The Great Danes were 4 of 7 from the field and 5 of 6 from the free-throw line in overtime in their fourth-straight win.
Logan Aronhalt added 17 points, Tim Ambrose 14 and Luke Devlin and Ralph Watts chipped in 10 each for Albany. Blake Metcalf had 12 rebounds and Devlin 10 for the Great Danes, who outrebounded Maine 41-29.
Gerald McLemore and Troy Barnies scored 15 points each for the Black Bears (15-14, 9-7), who led 65-61 with less than a minute left in regulation.
The Great Danes (16-15, 9-7 America East Conference) trailed 68-66 before scoring seven straight during a 10-2 run. Black hit his second 3-pointer of the extra period to cap the run with Albany ahead 76-70.
The Great Danes were 4 of 7 from the field and 5 of 6 from the free-throw line in overtime in their fourth-straight win.
Logan Aronhalt added 17 points, Tim Ambrose 14 and Luke Devlin and Ralph Watts chipped in 10 each for Albany. Blake Metcalf had 12 rebounds and Devlin 10 for the Great Danes, who outrebounded Maine 41-29.
Gerald McLemore and Troy Barnies scored 15 points each for the Black Bears (15-14, 9-7), who led 65-61 with less than a minute left in regulation.
Californication Season 4 Episode 8: Lights, Camera, A...
Californication Season 4 Episode 8 can be watched on Sunday, February 27, 2011 at 9:00pm EST on Showtime TV channel.
Title of the brand new episode is: Lights, Camera, A... Synopsis of the episode is: Hank takes a gig rewriting dialogue; Marcy tells Stu she is pregnant.
Californication is an American comedy-drama that premiered on Showtime on August 13, 2007. The show was created by Tom Kapinos. The protagonist, Hank Moody (David Duchovny), is a troubled novelist whose move to California, coupled with his writer's block, complicates his relationships with his long time girlfriend Karen (Natascha McElhone) and daughter Becca (Madeleine Martin). Californication's other main characters are Charlie Runkle (Evan Handler), Marcy Runkle (Pamela Adlon), and Mia Cross (Madeline Zima). The show has been nominated and won several awards, including winning one Emmy Award (nominated for two others) and one Golden Globe Award (nominated for three others). Californication has aired for three complete seasons. Due to strong ratings for the third season premiere, Showtime renewed the show early for a fourth season. Season four began filming in April 2010 and premiered January 9, 2011 at 9:00PM ET (8PM CT.). On January 14, 2011, the show was renewed for a fifth season.
The series revolves around Hank Moody, a nihilistic novelist plagued by personal demons. He blames his longtime writer's block on a variety of reasons, ranging from the hedonism of Los Angeles to the departure of his girlfriend Karen. Hank constantly deals with the consequences of his inability to say "no" to drugs, sex and alcohol, while trying to show his family that he can be a good, responsible, caring father to Becca and a monogamous partner to Karen.
The show was renewed for a second season on September 7, 2007. The season 1 finale, titled "The Last Waltz", originally aired on Showtime on October 29, 2007. Season 2 began filming in April 2008, and was underway as of June 2008. The premiere episode of season 2 aired September 28, 2008. The first season was released on DVD in the US on June 17, 2008. Showtime renewed Californication for a third season, which premiered on Sunday September 27, 2009 at 10PM.
The Amazing Race: Unfinished Business Season 18 Episode 2
The Amazing Race: Unfinished Business Season 18 Episode 2 can be watched on Sunday, February 27, 2011 at 8:00pm EST on WCBS (CBS) TV channel.
Title of the brand new episode is: I Never Looked So Foolish in My Whole Entire Life (Outback). Synopsis of the episode is: The teams travel through Australia dressed as kangaroos; tempers flare when a racer reverts to old habits; exhaustion brings one team to tears.
The Amazing Race is an American reality game show in which teams of two or four race around the world against other teams, with the first-place team winning $1,000,000. As the original version of the Amazing Race franchise, the CBS program has been running since 2001 and is currently in its eighteenth season, which is the first season broadcast in high-definition.
The show was created by Elise Doganieri and Bertram van Munster, who, along with Jonathan Littman, serve as executive producers. The show is produced by Earthview Inc. (headed by Doganieri and van Munster), Bruckheimer Television for CBS Television Studios and ABC Studios (a subsidiary of The Walt Disney Company). For all seasons, the series is hosted by veteran New Zealand television personality, Phil Keoghan.
The series has won the first seven Primetime Emmy Awards for Outstanding Reality-Competition Program awarded since the category was created in 2003. Although it has moved around several prime time time slots since its inception, the program has averaged about 10 million viewers per season.
The Amazing Race is a reality television competition, typically between eleven teams of two, in a race around the world. The race cycle is divided into a number of legs, normally twelve; each episode generally covers the events of one leg. Each leg ends with a Pit Stop, where teams are given a chance to rest and recover before starting the next leg twelve hours later. The first team to arrive at a Pit Stop is often awarded a prize such as a trip, while the last team is normally eliminated from the race. Some legs are non-elimination legs, where the last team to arrive may be penalized in the following leg. Some races have featured double-length legs, where there is no rest period at the Pit Stop and teams continue to race. The final leg of each race is run by the last three remaining teams, and the first to arrive at the final destination wins the show's price, one million dollars. The average length of each race is approximately 25 to 30 days.
During each leg, teams follow clues from Route Markers—boxes containing clue envelopes marked in the race's red, yellow, and white colors—to determine their next destination. Travel between destinations includes commercial and charted airplanes, boats, trains, taxis, buses, and rented vehicles provided by the show, or may have the teams simply travel by foot. Teams are required to pay for all expenses while traveling from a small stipend (on the order of one hundred dollars) given to them at the start of each leg. Any money left unspent can be used in future legs of the race. The only exception is air travel, where teams are given a credit card to purchase economy-class fares.
Clues may directly identify locations, or may contain more cryptic riddles such "Travel to the westernmost point in continental Europe" that teams must figure out. Clues may also describe a number of tasks that teams must complete before continuing to race. As such, teams are generally free and sometimes required to engage locals to help in any manner to decipher clues and complete tasks. Tasks are typically designed to highlight the local culture of the country they are in.
CSI: Miami Season 9 Episode 14: Stoned Cold
CSI: Miami Season 9 Episode 14 can be watched on Sunday, February 27, 2011 at 10:00pm EST on WCBS (CBS) TV channel. Title of the brand new episode is: Stoned Cold. Synopsis of the episode is: The team suspects that a nerd is responsible for stoning to death a high-school bully.
CSI: Miami (Crime Scene Investigation: Miami) is an American police procedural television series, which premiered on September 23, 2002 on CBS. The series is a spin-off of the veteran series CSI: Crime Scene Investigation.
The pilot episode was first broadcast in United States on May 9, 2002 as an episode of CSI and nine seasons have been aired in the United States. The series is produced in partnership with the Canadian media company Alliance Atlantis and CBS Television Studios.
On May 19, 2010, CBS renewed the show for a ninth season and will now air on Sundays at 10:00 PM ET/PT. Also, the ninth season aired the 200th episode of this series.
CSI: Miami is filmed primarily in the United States. Indoor scenes are shot at Raleigh Manhattan Studios in Manhattan Beach, California.
The majority of all outdoor scenes are filmed in Long Beach, California, as well as portions of Manhattan Beach and Redondo Beach.
Beach areas of Downtown Long Beach are often used for other outdoor scenes: Marina Green Park, Rainbow Lagoon Park. The newly constructed high-rise condos there give the pretense of being in Miami.
Very few location shots are filmed in Miami-Dade County, Florida.
The sculptured walkway paying tribute to the old Pike Roller Coaster can be seen in the background in the episodes "Wrecking Crew" and "Under The Influence." Footage from the Biscayne Courthouse, visible prominently in the episode "Recoil", among others, was filmed at the Water Garden Park in Santa Monica, at 34.028728,-118.471331.
Other locations of Long Beach are used such as the Naples district, where its canals and upscale homes with large boat docks and palm trees give a feel of Miami.
The building that's used in exterior shots of the Miami-Dade Police Department crime lab is actually the Federal Aviation Administration Federal Credit Union headquarters located at 14600 Aviation Boulevard, Hawthorne, California.
Inspired by the top-rated series CSI: Crime Scene Investigation, CSI: Miami follows a South Florida team of forensic investigators/police officers who use both cutting-edge scientific methods and old-fashioned police work to solve crimes. Horatio Caine heads the team of investigators while working crimes in the steamy tropical surroundings and cultural crossroads of Miami. Horatio's team probes cases similar to those of their Las Vegas counterparts, but the Miami CSI team are also police officers as well as forensic investigators.
Good Luck Charlie Season 1 Episode 29: Something's Fishy
Good Luck Charlie Season 1 Episode 29 can be watched on Sunday, February 27, 2011 at 8:00pm EST on Disney Channel
Title of the brand new episode is: Something's Fishy. Synopsis of the episode is: Teddy is miserable after taking a job dressing as a sea creature.
Good Luck Charlie is an original Disney Channel television sitcom, which premiered April 4, 2010. The series was created by Phil Baker and Drew Vaupen, who wanted to create a program that would appeal to entire families, as opposed to children only. It revolves around a Denver family, the Duncans, as they try to adjust to the birth of their fourth child, Charlotte "Charlie" Duncan (Mia Talerico). In each episode, Teddy Duncan (Bridgit Mendler) creates a video diary containing advice for Charlie about their family and life as a teenager. Teddy tries to show Charlie what she might go through in the video diary so she can always know how to figure things out when she get's older.
Among other decisions, executives included adult-centric scenes and changed the series title from Oops to Love, Teddy and finally to Good Luck Charlie in order to ensure the series would appeal to all family members. Good Luck Charlie premiered on Disney Channel in the United States on April 4, 2010. It premiered in Canada, the United Kingdom and Ireland on May 14, 2010, and in Australia and New Zealand on July 23, 2010.
Good Luck Charlie was renewed for a second season, with production beginning in August 2010 with a season premiere on February 20, 2011. A feature-length Christmas Disney Channel Original Movie based on the series will begin production in March 2011 for a winter 2011 premiere. Also announced for season two is a crossover episode with Shake It Up titled "Charlie It Up".
The series centers on the Duncan family, who are still adjusting to the birth of their fourth child, Charlie Duncan (Mia Talerico). When parents Amy (Leigh-Allyn Baker), a nurse, and Bob (Eric Allan Kramer), an exterminator, return to work, they ask their three older children — PJ (Jason Dolley), Teddy (Bridgit Mendler), and Gabe (Bradley Steven Perry) — for help raising their little sister. At the same time, Teddy, PJ, and Gabe try to deal with school and typical social challenges in their life.
The events of each episode become material for a video diary Teddy is making for her younger sister. Teddy hopes the videos will provide useful advice for Charlie after they have both grown up and Teddy has moved out. Also at the end of each video, she states, "Good luck Charlie."
Big Love Season 5 Episode 7: Til Death Do Us Part
Big Love Season 5 Episode 7 can be watched on Sunday, February 27, 2011 at 9:00pm EST on HBO TV channel.
Title of the brand new episode is: Til Death Do Us Part. Synopsis of the episode is: Bill believes a wedding will help reseal his commitment to his wives; Nicki takes full advantage of her special day; Alby makes a power play; Lois resists Barb's vision of her future; Cara Lynn brings a guest to the theater; Heather changes her mind.
Big Love is an American television drama on HBO about a fictional fundamentalist Mormon family in Utah that practices polygamy. Big Love currently stars Bill Paxton, Jeanne Tripplehorn, Chloë Sevigny, Ginnifer Goodwin, Douglas Smith, Grace Zabriskie, Mary Kay Place, Matt Ross, and Cassi Thomson.
The series premiered in the United States on March 12, 2006 following the sixth-season premiere of the HBO series The Sopranos. As of 2010, four seasons comprising 43 episodes have aired. HBO has announced the show will end after its fifth season, which started airing January 16, 2011.
The show was co-created by Mark Olsen and Will Scheffer, who also serve as executive producers. Olsen and Scheffer spent almost three years researching the premise of the show, with the intent of creating a fair portrayal of polygamy in America without being judgmental. The series' current theme song is "Home" by the band Engineers. During the first three seasons, "God Only Knows" by The Beach Boys played during the opening titles. The musical score for the series is composed by Anton Sanko. Mark Mothersbaugh composed music for the first season, while David Byrne was in charge of music during the second season.
West Ham v Liverpool Premier League Match on Feb 27
Sweat and tears provided the catalyst for West Ham's unprecedented comeback at West Brom, and the Hammers must sustain that Olympian effort in their quest for survival.
The pressure to remain in the top flight is intensified by their proposed move to Stratford after the 2012 London Games. It looked as if West Ham would fold under the strain when they trailed 3-0 at fellow strugglers West Brom, but a heartfelt half-time rallying cry by captain Scott Parker inspired the team to claw back the deficit and move off the foot of the table.
While Parker could yet prove to be West Ham's miracle worker, Liverpool have most certainly found their own. They are unbeaten in their last eight matches under Kenny Dalglish, and European qualification is now an achievable prospect.
Nonetheless, Liverpool still have to play four of the sides above them. It's a tough-looking run of games for West Ham too - five of their next eight league fixtures are against teams currently in the top six.
Venue: Upton Park Date: Sunday, 27 February Kick-off: 1330 GMT
Coverage: Watch live on Sky Sports 1 and highlights on Match of the Day 2; listen on BBC Radio 5 live, local radio and Absolute Radio; text commentary on BBC Sport website and mobiles.
Thomas Hitzlsperger will make his first league appearance for West Ham, having scored on his debut in Monday's FA Cup win over Burnley.
Matthew Upson (Achilles) is unlikely to feature, and Victor Obinna might miss out with a foot problem.
Liverpool manager Kenny Dalglish has played down suggestions that Andy Carroll will be fit to make his debut.
Steven Gerrard could return from a groin injury, but Daniel Agger, Glen Johnson and Martin Kelly are doubts.
West Ham
Doubtful: Obinna (foot)
Injured: Collison & Kurucz (both knee), Dyer (thigh), Keane (calf), Stanislas (hernia), Upson (Achilles)
Liverpool
Doubtful: Agger (unknown), Carroll (thigh), Gerrard (groin), Johnson (Achilles), Kelly (groin/thigh)
Injured: Aurelio (thigh), Shelvey (knee)
The pressure to remain in the top flight is intensified by their proposed move to Stratford after the 2012 London Games. It looked as if West Ham would fold under the strain when they trailed 3-0 at fellow strugglers West Brom, but a heartfelt half-time rallying cry by captain Scott Parker inspired the team to claw back the deficit and move off the foot of the table.
While Parker could yet prove to be West Ham's miracle worker, Liverpool have most certainly found their own. They are unbeaten in their last eight matches under Kenny Dalglish, and European qualification is now an achievable prospect.
Nonetheless, Liverpool still have to play four of the sides above them. It's a tough-looking run of games for West Ham too - five of their next eight league fixtures are against teams currently in the top six.
Venue: Upton Park Date: Sunday, 27 February Kick-off: 1330 GMT
Coverage: Watch live on Sky Sports 1 and highlights on Match of the Day 2; listen on BBC Radio 5 live, local radio and Absolute Radio; text commentary on BBC Sport website and mobiles.
Thomas Hitzlsperger will make his first league appearance for West Ham, having scored on his debut in Monday's FA Cup win over Burnley.
Matthew Upson (Achilles) is unlikely to feature, and Victor Obinna might miss out with a foot problem.
Liverpool manager Kenny Dalglish has played down suggestions that Andy Carroll will be fit to make his debut.
Steven Gerrard could return from a groin injury, but Daniel Agger, Glen Johnson and Martin Kelly are doubts.
West Ham
Doubtful: Obinna (foot)
Injured: Collison & Kurucz (both knee), Dyer (thigh), Keane (calf), Stanislas (hernia), Upson (Achilles)
Liverpool
Doubtful: Agger (unknown), Carroll (thigh), Gerrard (groin), Johnson (Achilles), Kelly (groin/thigh)
Injured: Aurelio (thigh), Shelvey (knee)
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