Saturday, July 2, 2011
Friday, July 1, 2011
NBA lockout could again damage David Stern's league as players and owners face huge labor divide
Mitch Lawrence
While announcing Thursday that his owners had decided to lock out the players, David Stern managed to come up with one piece of good news on an otherwise brutal day for his NBA.
Stern will not resort to going without a shave as long as the two sides can't agree on a new collective bargaining agreement. Pro basketball fans might not remember, but when the commissioner and his owners locked the players out in 1998, he didn't pick up his razor during the 204-day work stoppage.
"I won't be doing that again," he said. "Sorry, it was really ugly."
Aside from having problems with his appearance, Stern has good reason not to start growing a "lockout" beard. The way this one is shaping up, he could be looking like Rip Van Winkle by the time his owners and players reach an agreement.
"We have a huge philosophical divide," Stern said.
Do they ever.
Owners say the current economic system is broken. All it does is assure them of red ink on their books, and they're tired of losing their shirts.
Players counter that the current system is fine, but they think that owners throw away millions with bad signings, as Isiah Thomas made a career doing when he ran the Knicks.
A plague on both their mansions!
But this is why we're in Day 1 of an NBA lockout, why Stern was talking about all the negative fallout that is coming his way.
"I'm not scared," he said. "I'm resigned to the potential damage it can cause to our league."
There was damage in 1999, with the league needing a good two years to rebuild its goodwill with millions of fans. That's where the two sides are headed again, because they haven't found a way to divide $4.2 billion.
"Our differences are mammoth," said Billy Hunter, executive director of the Players Association.
Here's what is particularly troubling, but not surprising: Everybody has known about the great philosophical divide ever since owners and players decided to start negotiating in 2009. Yet, they have done nothing in all this time to get on the same page.
As Stern admitted Thursday, maybe they need to chuck everything they've done so far and just start over when talks resume in perhaps another two weeks.
In case you really thought the two sides were speaking the same language, the players' last offer Thursday put that to rest. This is where Stern got the players, got them good.
Hunter and his guys had already left the building when Stern revealed that their last offer, made in the three-hour negotiating session leading up to the midnight expiration of the CBA, actually would have increased the average salary from $5 million this season to $7 million.
How do you think that will that play in America today?
Do you think that will help the players, who already are considered overpaid and greedy?
Both sides are going to catch hell for this. Not now, when basketball fans can live without the NBA for a few months. There won't be summer leagues now and free agency is getting delayed, but so what?
But fall will eventually roll around, and fans will start wondering how LeBron James is going to recover from his colossal Finals flop. They're going to begin to ponder if Mike Brown is going to be a good fit with Kobe Bryant. Knicks fans will be consumed with whether Mike D'Antoni can teach defense, and whether Carmelo Anthony and Amar'e Stoudemire will try to play that end of the court.
And when those issues begin to be raised when camps would be starting, at the beginning of October, and there's still no agreement, then the players will get the backlash. They always do.
But as for now, it won't hurt the players. That was evident during a surreal scene Thursday in the lobby of a midtown hotel, when Hunter and player president Derek Fisher were met by a mob of reporters, minutes after they left the last, futile negotiating session.
For a few minutes, reporters and fans mixed and that's never a good combination, especially when there's breaking news. Fisher had just said that owners were still insisting on a hard cap and was about to make another point when a fan walked right into the discussion and rudely interrupted.
"Big fan, Derek!" the fan said. "Can I get a picture?"
Fisher, of course, complied. Because he gets it.
Friday, Saturday and next week, the fan will treasure the shot.
But by the start of next season, if there's still no deal, you can bet he'll be using it for a dart board.
NYDailyNews.com
Robert Rosamilio/News
During the last NBA lockout, commissioner David Stern grew a beard. He will not do that again. While announcing Thursday that his owners had decided to lock out the players, David Stern managed to come up with one piece of good news on an otherwise brutal day for his NBA.
Stern will not resort to going without a shave as long as the two sides can't agree on a new collective bargaining agreement. Pro basketball fans might not remember, but when the commissioner and his owners locked the players out in 1998, he didn't pick up his razor during the 204-day work stoppage.
"I won't be doing that again," he said. "Sorry, it was really ugly."
Aside from having problems with his appearance, Stern has good reason not to start growing a "lockout" beard. The way this one is shaping up, he could be looking like Rip Van Winkle by the time his owners and players reach an agreement.
"We have a huge philosophical divide," Stern said.
Do they ever.
Owners say the current economic system is broken. All it does is assure them of red ink on their books, and they're tired of losing their shirts.
Players counter that the current system is fine, but they think that owners throw away millions with bad signings, as Isiah Thomas made a career doing when he ran the Knicks.
A plague on both their mansions!
But this is why we're in Day 1 of an NBA lockout, why Stern was talking about all the negative fallout that is coming his way.
"I'm not scared," he said. "I'm resigned to the potential damage it can cause to our league."
There was damage in 1999, with the league needing a good two years to rebuild its goodwill with millions of fans. That's where the two sides are headed again, because they haven't found a way to divide $4.2 billion.
"Our differences are mammoth," said Billy Hunter, executive director of the Players Association.
Here's what is particularly troubling, but not surprising: Everybody has known about the great philosophical divide ever since owners and players decided to start negotiating in 2009. Yet, they have done nothing in all this time to get on the same page.
As Stern admitted Thursday, maybe they need to chuck everything they've done so far and just start over when talks resume in perhaps another two weeks.
In case you really thought the two sides were speaking the same language, the players' last offer Thursday put that to rest. This is where Stern got the players, got them good.
Hunter and his guys had already left the building when Stern revealed that their last offer, made in the three-hour negotiating session leading up to the midnight expiration of the CBA, actually would have increased the average salary from $5 million this season to $7 million.
How do you think that will that play in America today?
Do you think that will help the players, who already are considered overpaid and greedy?
Both sides are going to catch hell for this. Not now, when basketball fans can live without the NBA for a few months. There won't be summer leagues now and free agency is getting delayed, but so what?
But fall will eventually roll around, and fans will start wondering how LeBron James is going to recover from his colossal Finals flop. They're going to begin to ponder if Mike Brown is going to be a good fit with Kobe Bryant. Knicks fans will be consumed with whether Mike D'Antoni can teach defense, and whether Carmelo Anthony and Amar'e Stoudemire will try to play that end of the court.
And when those issues begin to be raised when camps would be starting, at the beginning of October, and there's still no agreement, then the players will get the backlash. They always do.
But as for now, it won't hurt the players. That was evident during a surreal scene Thursday in the lobby of a midtown hotel, when Hunter and player president Derek Fisher were met by a mob of reporters, minutes after they left the last, futile negotiating session.
For a few minutes, reporters and fans mixed and that's never a good combination, especially when there's breaking news. Fisher had just said that owners were still insisting on a hard cap and was about to make another point when a fan walked right into the discussion and rudely interrupted.
"Big fan, Derek!" the fan said. "Can I get a picture?"
Fisher, of course, complied. Because he gets it.
Friday, Saturday and next week, the fan will treasure the shot.
But by the start of next season, if there's still no deal, you can bet he'll be using it for a dart board.
NYDailyNews.com
All 4 'Voice' coaches to return for season 2
"Voice" coaches Cee Lo Green, Christina Aguilera, Adam Levine and Blake Shelton will be back, NBC confirms.
They're gonna do it again!
All four coaches from "The Voice" — Christina Aguilera, Adam Levine, Cee-Lo Green and Blake Shelton — have signed on for season two of the NBC smash, a source confirms exclusively to Us Weekly.
Aguilera "is very excited" for the next season, an insider close to the singer, 30, tells Us. "It has been an amazing experience for her!" A rep for Green told Us the "Forget You" singer is indeed returning.
On Wednesday's season one finale of the blockbuster singing competition, Javier Colon was crowned the winner after ten weeks of competition. Mentored by Adam Levine, the father of two and Stratford, Conn. native beat out fellow finalist Dia Frampton by just two percent of the vote to win $100,000 and a recording contract.
Season two of "The Voice" gets underway in early 2012.
Copyright 2011 Us Weekly
TODAY Reality TV
Thursday, June 30, 2011
Just who is the queen of pop?
AP file
Who do you love? Lady Gaga and Taylor Swift dominate most of the categories related to pop stardom.
The question of who the "queen of pop" may be is typically a question of momentary dominance. Want to make a decision based on album sales? Then Taylor Swift might be your queen. Does capturing attention by donning a meat dress do something for you? Then Gaga's probably your girl.
The mag ranked brick-and-mortar sales and digital tracks, YouTube play and airplay, social networking as well as awards -- among many other elements -- to find out just who is the queen of pop.
VOTE Now!
Toyota recalls 110,000 hybrid cars on safety concerns
The world's biggest carmaker Toyota is to recall more than 110,000 hybrid vehicles over concerns about a problem with the power supply circuit.
The Japanese carmaker said the recall involves the Highlander hybrid and Lexus RX400h models globally.
The vehicles could stop suddenly because of an electrical problem leading to a blown fuse, the company said in a statement.
Toyota has recalled almost 12 million vehicles in the past 18 months.
The latest recalls are taking place mainly in the US, Japan and Europe, with some in Canada, Australia and South Korea, Toyota said.
The company said it was "working on obtaining the necessary replacement parts" and would get in touch with customers to get their vehicles inspected soon.
"The recalls that we announced cover all known problems regarding the component concerned," Toyota spokesperson Paul Nolasco told the BBC.
"We apologise for the inconvenience caused to our customers and hope to be able [to fix the problem] as soon as possible," he added.
- "There might have been seepages in terms of quality standards” -
Vivek Vaidya Frost & Sullivan
While the recall is likely to raise further questions about Toyota's quality controls, analysts said the carmaker is trying to ensure that it nips the problem in the bud.
"The good news is, they are not allowing it to become a full-blown crisis," said Vivek Vaidya at research group Frost & Sullivan.
He said there had been instances in the past of Toyota saying there were no issues with its vehicles when customers and safety regulators were reporting faults.
He said Toyota was trying to avoid getting into a similar situation again.
Reliability vs. localisation:
The recall is the latest in a series of setbacks for Toyota, which has recalled more than 12 million vehicles in the past 18 months.
Analysts say the quest for rapid expansion had led to cracks appearing in the company's quality control system.
As Toyota grew from a Japanese brand to the biggest carmaker in the world, it needed to boost its production in order to meet the increased demand for its cars.
Toyota has recalled millions of vehicles globally in the past 18 months due to safety concerns
That resulted in the company setting up factories in various parts of the world to ramp up production - factories analysts say may not have been able to maintain Toyota's high standards.
"There might have been seepages in terms of quality standards," said Mr Vaidya.
As a result, its reputation for quality and reliability has taken a hit, especially in America where it was the only major carmaker to see sales fall in 2010.
"They have lost their reputation. There is no point hiding or denying it," Mr Vaidya added.
Losing steam:
The problems for Toyota have been compounded further by the earthquake and tsunami in Japan.
Destruction caused by the twin disasters saw the carmaker suspend production, not only at its domestic plants but also at overseas factories.
As a result, earlier this month Toyota warned that its profits for the current financial year would fall by a third.
Analysts said the carmaker is now in danger of losing its position as the world's biggest carmaker.
"According to the various projections that we have, chances are very high that General Motors may regain its number one slot," Mr Vaidya said.
"They are on the up in the US and are doing very well in China and have revamped their line-up in other key markets like India.
"They are the only company that can challenge Toyota."
BBC News
Text messages 'help smokers quit' - by James Gallagher: Health reporter, BBC News
Two-thirds of UK smokers say they want to stop Supportive text messages can double the chance of someone successfully quitting smoking, according to UK researchers.
Just over 10% of 2,900 smokers who received encouraging texts such as "you can do it" had quit after six months, but only 4.9% of a similar number who did not have the same support gave up.
The study, published in The Lancet, called for texts to be included in services to help people kick the habit.
Other scientists said a text service could be offered globally.
According to government statistics two-thirds of UK smokers say they want to stop.
This study looked at 5,800 of them. Supportive texts were sent to 2,915 of the smokers for six months. The rest received only messages thanking them for taking part.
They were sent five texts a day for the first five weeks and then three a week for the next 26 weeks.
Participants could also text back for specific advice when they had cravings or had lapsed back into smoking.
Sample text messages
"To make things easier for yourself, try having some distractions ready for cravings and think up some personal strategies to help in stressful situations""This is it! - QUIT DAY, throw away all your fags. TODAY is the start of being QUIT forever, you can do it!"
"Quick result! Carbon monoxide has now left your body!"
"Day4=Big day - cravings still strong? Don't worry tomorrow will be easier! Keep your mind & hands busy."
"Cravings last less than 5 minutes on average. To help distract yourself, try sipping a drink slowly until the craving is over."
"Don't feel bad or guilty if you've slipped. You've achieved a lot by stopping for a while. Slip-ups can be a normal part of the quitting process. Keep going, you can do it!"
Saliva tests for cotinine, which is made when nicotine is broken down by the body, were taken to determine if people had really given up.
After six months, 10.7% of those receiving texts had quit - double the proportion among those doing it on their own.
Dr Caroline Free, who led the txt2stop trial at the London School of Hygiene and Tropical Medicine, said: "Text messages are a very convenient way for smokers to receive support to quit.
"People described txt2stop as being like having a friend encouraging them or an angel on their shoulder.
"It helped people resist the temptation to smoke."
The World Health Organization says nearly six million die each year because of smoking, mostly in low and middle-income countries.
Dr Derrick Bennett and Dr Jonathan Emberson, both from the University of Oxford, said text messages could be used to help people around the world.
"The lessons learned from the txt2stop trial could... not only provide a new approach to cessation in high-income and middle-income countries, but could also provide a useful starting point for implementing behavioural change in resource-poor settings."
It has also been suggested similar text messages could be used to help people modify other behaviour.
BBC News HEALTH
Wednesday, June 29, 2011
'America Ferrera Ties the Knot!' - by Kelly Fisher
'Ugly Betty' is officially off the market!
America Ferrera married her longtime love Ryan Piers Williams over the weekend.
According to PopSugar, the wedding also served as a mini cast reunion for the former ABC show. Ferrera's 'Ugly Betty' co-star Vanessa Williams loaned out her Chappaqua house in upstate New York for the nuptials, while castmember Judith Light officiated the ceremony.
The couple were married "an intimate setting amongst close friends and family," her rep told PEOPLE. "The bride wore a dress by Amsale's Christos label and Fred Leighton earrings."
Other stars in attendance at the celebration included Rebecca Romijn (another 'Betty' star!) and husband Jerry O'Connell, as well as Ferrera's 'Sisterhood of the Traveling Pants' co-stars Alexis Bledel, Amber Tamblyn, and Blake Lively -- though her rumored beau Leonardo DiCaprio was missing from the celebration.
According to PopSugar, the wedding also served as a mini cast reunion for the former ABC show. Ferrera's 'Ugly Betty' co-star Vanessa Williams loaned out her Chappaqua house in upstate New York for the nuptials, while castmember Judith Light officiated the ceremony.
The couple were married "an intimate setting amongst close friends and family," her rep told PEOPLE. "The bride wore a dress by Amsale's Christos label and Fred Leighton earrings."
Other stars in attendance at the celebration included Rebecca Romijn (another 'Betty' star!) and husband Jerry O'Connell, as well as Ferrera's 'Sisterhood of the Traveling Pants' co-stars Alexis Bledel, Amber Tamblyn, and Blake Lively -- though her rumored beau Leonardo DiCaprio was missing from the celebration.
Ferrera and Williams became engaged last June after over three years of dating. The pair met at the University of Southern California when Williams, who now owns a production company, cast Ferrera in a student film.
Since 'Ugly Betty' ended its four year run in 2010, Ferrera was most recently seen on the small screen in a recurring role on the CBS drama, 'The Good Wife.' She'll also lend her voice in the upcoming animated film, 'How to Train Your Dragon 2.'
PopEater.com
Alicia Keys celebrates 10th anniversary of debut
FILE - In this June 26, 2011 file photo, singer Alicia Keys arrives at the BET Awards…
By NEKESA MUMBI MOODY - AP Music Writer
NEW YORK (AP) — Music critics are invited to see burgeoning singer-songwriters almost every day. But when a request came across this writer's desk to see a young singer-songwriter at an intimate showcase 10 years ago, it carried with it high expectations.
Backed by music mogul Clive Davis, Alicia Keys was billed as a cross between Lauryn Hill and Whitney Houston — a gritty, cornrow-wearing R&B singer who was a brilliant, classically trained pianist with both a stunning voice and beauty. She was going to be big. Bigger than big. Grammy Awards and multiplatinum sales were more than hoped for, they were expected.
Keys delivered on the all hype when her debut, "Songs in A Minor," was released in 2001. The album established the 20-year-old as one of the most influential artists of her generation. But looking back, Keys says she didn't expect the album would make her a superstar.
"This had been a lot of years of me struggling to put out any music, and there had been multiple times where we were like, 'Oh, it's gonna happen, it's gonna happen,' and it didn't. So in a lot of ways in my mind, I think maybe I was protecting myself," she recalled.
Now, the 30-year-old Keys can celebrate. The album is being rereleased this week with special editions that include previously unreleased tracks and video footage. Keys, who married music producer Swizz Beatz and gave birth to a son last year, will also perform songs from the album at a concert at New York's Beacon Theatre on Thursday.
Singer Alicia Keys, right, poses with her wax likeness at an unveiling at Madame...
The Associated Press: Had you been thinking about the anniversary?
Keys: I didn't even really realize it, somebody else kind of brought it up to me. ... (But) as I started thinking of it, and we started talking about it, I knew there were tons of songs from that time that I didn't put out. I didn't do anything with (them) because it wasn't right for the time, but I thought, 'How crazy would it be to go back and listen to them and figure out which were ones that I'd love people to hear.' There are songs that I did when I was 16, 17. It's really, really cool.
AP: In the video that accompanies the rerelease, you talk about how you weren't the refined girl people expected. What were the adjustments that you had to make over the years, and how have you changed?
Keys: I was straight off the streets of Harlem and Hell's Kitchen. ... I'm a real New York girl. So I think that was kind of a bit of a shock for people, especially back then, to see a real New York girl, and here I was doing all of these interviews. ... When I look back at them, I'm like, 'Damn, Alicia, you could have been a little gentler.' I just had a certain kind of roughness to me. That was just because that's the way I associated with people at the time, that's the way that I spoke. ... I remember reading a couple of things where they literally kind of criticized the way that I used my hands, or the way that I spoke, or say that I was whatever because I spoke a certain way. There were a lot of judgments, I think, that definitely made me conscious about how to start to maybe be a little bit more aware of how I was coming off ... but I'm still the same me.
AP: How have you musically evolved?
Keys: (What) I really learned about music is that you don't understand it. That's the part about it. There really is no formula ... it's all about a gift, it's like a moment, and you don't know when that moment is going to come. ... (Also) I've been able to be more experimental and just more open and more driven to do things that are new and different from me, because as an artist, you just always want to do things that are like unique and new and fresh. You don't ever want someone to say, 'Oh yeah, that's that same thing that she does.' For me, I want it to always be new.
AP: How has marriage and motherhood changed you?
Keys: It's made me so much stronger, it's made me so much more powerful. First of all, I'm having more fun than I've ever had in my whole life. I'm happier than I've ever been in my whole life. And I also realize more the importance of time, and I realize the importance of really, really making sure that you dedicate certain times to the people that you love. Back when I was younger, I was so focused on doing whatever it takes to get noticed, or getting a chance to have my music be heard by people, I didn't recognize how much time was valuable. ... It helps me make more clear and concise choices.
AP: Do you miss your cornrows? That was your signature look.
Keys: I do miss my braids so much. ... Sometimes I'm like, 'I'm gonna throw them back in!'
____
Online:
http://www.aliciakeys.com/
____
Nekesa Mumbi Moody is the music editor for The Associated Press.
Follow her at http://www.twitter.com/nekesamumbi @nekesamumbi
YAHOO News
Tuesday, June 28, 2011
Hugh Hefner's new girlfriend a Canadian Playmate
LOS ANGELES (Reuters) - Meet Hugh Hefner's new girlfriend, almost the same as the old one.
Two weeks after the Playboy founder was dumped by Miss December 2009 just before their wedding, Hefner said on Monday that he was now dating Miss November 2010.
The 85-year-old magazine mogul moved on to Shera Bechard after Crystal Harris had second thoughts about becoming the third Mrs. Hugh Hefner.
Bechard, a 27-year-old French-Canadian model and fledgling actress, moved into the Playboy Mansion in April. In addition to being the magazine's centerfold last November, she will also be Miss November 2011, Hefner said on Twitter.
The Roy Orbison and "Seinfeld" fan likes men "who are open to exploring their sexuality with me" and "make me laugh so hard I hyperventilate," according to her profile in last year's issue.
Harris, 25, is on the cover of the current issue, billed as "Mrs. Crystal Hefner." It went to press before the break-up, but Hefner was able to rush out "runaway bride" stickers to affix to newsstand copies.
Harris said she got jitters about living a tightly regimented life among dozens of attractive young women at the Playboy mansion, and left Hefner days before their scheduled June 18 wedding.
Initially heartbroken, Hefner has taken a more philosophical stance, saying last weekend that "staying single is probably for the best."
(Reporting by Dean Goodman, editing by Jill Serjeant)
YAHOO News - Reuters
New Orleans police go on trial over Katrina shooting
Defence lawyers say officers did the best they could in the chaos after the storm
Two unarmed residents were killed and four others wounded in the incident on the Danziger Bridge.
Prosecutors say the officers decided to "shoot first and ask questions later" and then tried to cover up the crimes.
Defence lawyers say their clients feared for their lives and were justified in using deadly force.
Most of New Orleans was flooded by the hurricane and there was widespread looting and violence in the storm's aftermath.
Prosecutor Bobbi Bernstein said police plotted to plant a gun, fabricate witnesses and falsify reports to cover up what they had done.
He said they tried to use the chaotic conditions created by the hurricane as an excuse for gaps in their investigation.
"They lied because they knew they committed a crime," Mr Bernstein said.
"They lied because they knew police officers were not allowed to shoot first and ask questions later."
Charges 'fiction':
Former officer Robert Faulcon, Sgt Robert Gisevius, Sgt Kenneth Bowen and officer Anthony Villavaso are charged with the shootings that killed James Brissette, 17, and Ronald Madison, 40.
Retired Sgt Arthur Kaufman is charged with the alleged cover-up.
Paul Fleming, lawyer for Mr Faulcon, said the officers "did the best they could".
"These men are innocent," he said. "These five had one thing in common - they stayed."
Frank DeSalvo, lawyer for Mr Bowen, called the government's case a work of "fiction".
The shootings happened on the morning of 4 September 2005, less than a week after Katrina made landfall.
BBC News
Citigroup banker pleads not guilty to $19.2m theft
Gary Foster has pleaded not guilty to charges that he stole $19.2m from Citigroup
A former Citigroup banker has pleaded not guilty to charges that he stole $19.2m in the "ultimate inside job". Prosecutors say Gary Foster, a 35-year old former vice president at Citigroup, moved the money from two separate accounts at the bank to his own account at JP Morgan Chase.
The offence is said to have taken place between May 2009 and December 2010.
Mr Foster, who left the bank in January this year, faces 30 years in prison if convicted.
The alleged 18-month fraud went unnoticed until a recent internal audit at the treasury department of the bank.
A Citigroup investigator then alerted the authorities, according to an affidavit from the Federal Bureau of Investigation.
Mr Foster is said to have made eight separate transfers of up to $3.9m (£2.5m) by putting in fake contract and deal account numbers before transferring them to his personal account.
US attorney for the Eastern District of New York, Loretta Lynch, said in a statement: "The defendant allegedly used his knowledge of bank operations to commit the ultimate inside job."
Citigroup said in a statement: "We are co-operating fully to ensure Mr Foster is prosecuted to the full extent of the law."
No date has been set for the next hearing in the case. Mr Foster has been released on $800,000 bail.
BBC News
Greece gripped by general strike over austerity package
Click to play
The BBC's Jon Sopel: "The overwhelming smell is one of tear gas"
Thousands of protesters have gathered outside parliament in Athens and public transport in the capital has largely ground to a halt.
The rally started peacefully, but small groups of protesters later clashed with police, who used tear gas.
PM George Papandreou has said that only his 28bn-euro (£25bn) austerity plan would get Greece back on its feet.
If the government fails to win support for the austerity measures, the EU and IMF could withhold 12bn euros of loans and Greece could run out of money in weeks.
The general strike has halted most public services, banks are closed and hospitals are operating on skeleton staff.
Limited clashes have broken out between riot police and protesters on the fringes of the largely peaceful rally in the central Syntagma Square, with police firing tear gas to keep protesters back. Small fires appear to have been started by the protesters.
Some protesters have started throwing stones and bottles at the police in one corner of the square, TV images show.
Airports are shutting for hours at a time, with air traffic controllers walking out between 0800 and 1200 (0500-0900 GMT) and 1800 and 2200 (1500-1900 GMT). A number of flights were also cancelled at Athens international airport.
What went wrong in Greece?
- Greece's economic reforms, which led to it abandoning the drachma as its currency in favour of the euro in 2002, made it easier for the country to borrow money.
In Athens, the metro is the only form of public transport which will work "so as to allow Athenians to join the planned protests in the capital", metro drivers said.
More than 5,000 police officers were due to be deployed in the centre of Athens as the protesters marched towards parliament.
Protesters have blockaded the port of Pireus, near Athens, which links most Greek islands with the mainland.
"The situation that the workers are undergoing is tragic and we are near poverty levels," said Spyros Linardopoulos, a protester with the PAME union at the blockade.
"The government has declared war and to this war we will answer back with war."
The unions are angry that the government's austerity programme will impose taxes on those earning the minimum wage, following months of other cuts which have seen unemployment rise to more than 16%.
At the scene: 
From the middle of the morning, they began to march into the city centre, thousands of unionists who think spending cuts and tax rises are just too severe.
It was good-natured at first, but there is real anger bubbling beneath the surface.
Small groups of protesters dressed in black began clashing with riot police. Tear gas and stun grenades were used, and Molotov cocktails have been thrown.
Running battles have been breaking out in the streets around parliament.
It was good-natured at first, but there is real anger bubbling beneath the surface.
Small groups of protesters dressed in black began clashing with riot police. Tear gas and stun grenades were used, and Molotov cocktails have been thrown.
Running battles have been breaking out in the streets around parliament.
Some protesters have said they will encircle the parliament building to prevent MPs from entering. The austerity package and implementation law must be passed in separate votes on Wednesday and Thursday.
Polls suggest that between 70% and 80% of Greek people oppose the austerity plan."We're opposed to what they're trying to do to us," said bank worker Kali Patouna. "We know very well that these measures will be our tombstone. They will have extreme consequences for workers and for everyone on all social levels."
If the measures are passed, the next instalment of Greece's 110bn-euro bail-out will be released by the European Union and International Monetary Fund.
European officials will also start to finalise the details of a second bail-out - worth an estimated 120bn euros - designed to help Greece pay its debts until the end of 2014.
The BBC's Chris Morris in Athens says defeat for the government this week would send ripples of anxiety right across the eurozone, with Greece facing the prospect next month of becoming the first member state to default on its debts.
Greece: Crucial dates
- June 29: Greek parliament to vote on a new austerity package
- July 3: Eurozone deadline. EU will sign off latest bail-out payment to Greece - 12bn euros - if austerity package has passed
- July 15: Default deadline: Without the 12bn euros it needs to make debt repayments, Greece will default
Mr Papandreou has warned that failure to secure the new loans would mean that national coffers could be empty within days.
The new Finance Minister, Evangelos Venizelos, acknowledged that the cuts were "unfair", but said they were absolutely necessary.
But the main opposition leader, Antonis Samaras of the New Democracy party, said the thinking behind the austerity package was flawed and that tax rates should be lowered rather than raised in order to stimulate the economy.
The outcome of the debate is uncertain. Mr Papandreou faces opposition from within the governing Panhellenic Socialist Movement (Pasok), with two MPs saying they may oppose the bill.
The party has a slim majority, with 155 seats out of 300 in parliament.
BBC News
Monday, June 27, 2011
'4 honors for Chris Brown at music-heavy BET Awards'
AP – Chris Brown performs at the BET Awards on Sunday, June 26, 2011, in Los Angeles. (AP Photo/Matt Sayles)
LOS ANGELES – The BET Awards honor various arts, but Sunday's ceremony was all about the music.
There were more performances than awards during the 3 1/2-hour show at the Shrine Auditorium, where singer Chris Brown and rappers Lil Wayne, Rick Ross and DJ Khaled did double-duty, each taking the stage twice to perform.
Brown made a few extra trips to the stage as the night's big winner. The 21-year-old won four awards, adding momentum to a comeback that began with his Michael Jackson tribute at the BET Awards last year and continued with his album, "F.A.M.E."
Brown has been working to repair his image since he pleaded guilty to assaulting then-girlfriend Rihanna in 2009. He hit a stumbling block this year when he tore up his dressing room after an appearance on "Good Morning America."
He was named best male R&B artist and won best collaboration for his song "Look At Me Now" with Lil Wayne and Busta Rhymes. The three performed together Sunday as part of a medley of Brown's songs.
"Public-speaking is not my strong suit," he said, thanking BET and his fans before passing the microphone to Wayne, who expressed gratitude to God, his fans and Brown for including him on the track.
Earlier in the ceremony, Brown also thanked his fans and the network, saying, "I appreciate all the support. I know it's been a long road, so I appreciate every blessing in front of me."
Brown was back on stage to join Big Sean on his song, "My Last," and again to close the show, which he did on a bicycle alongside host Kevin Hart, who was on a Segway scooter.
That's when Hart announced that Brown also won the Fandemonium award and the Viewers' Choice prize. Moments earlier, Drake had accepted the Viewers' Choice award when Rihanna was announced as the winner. But there was apparently a glitch with the digital tablet devices that replaced the show's traditional winners' envelopes.
A fan was brought on stage to announce the winner, and she initially said Brown won. Then she corrected herself to say Rihanna won. Hart clarified after a commercial break that "there was a mistake," and Brown had indeed been the viewers' choice.
Apart from the accidental award acceptance, Drake also appeared on stage with Lil Wayne, Rick Ross and DJ Khaled for a performance on "I'm On One."
Lil Wayne did lots of stage time. He performed with Brown and Drake, et al, and was on stage again when Nicki Minaj won her award for best female hip-hop artist.
Mary J. Blige set the tone for the performance-filled program when she opened the show with a pair of hits: "All Night Long" and "Real Love." Surprise guest Anita Baker joined her on stage, and it was a diva duet as the two sang Baker's classic, "Caught Up in the Rapture."
Following a musical tribute that included Cee Lo Green wearing a Patti LaBelle-inspired headdress and blouse, LaBelle punctuated her own Lifetime Achievement Award win by performing a couple of classics, including her breakthrough hit, "Lady Marmalade."
Queen Latifah and Snoop Dogg delivered heartfelt performances as part of a memorial segment that recognized Nate Dogg, Teena Marie, Clarence Clemons and Gil Scott Heron, among others.
The final performance of the night came from across the pond: Beyonce's headlining set at the Glastonbury Music Festival was beamed into the Shrine Auditorium from England.
Photo credit: /WENN
(Sandy Cohen can be reached at www.twitter.com/APSandy, @APSandy)
YAHOO News
Tara heats up season premiere of 'True Blood'
John P. Johnson / HBO
Tara, aka Tony, explores new love on the season premiere.
SPOILER ALERT! This contains info about Sunday's episode, so don't read if you haven't watched and don't say we didn't warn you!
Crafty, Alan Ball, very crafty.
The "True Blood" season premiere reveals that Sookie's fairy world turns out to be ****** up, but after 15 fairy minutes (or one quick human year) she manages to escape with her grandfather who's been missing for 20 years. And who promptly dies.
That sucks, but it makes for an awesome premiere episode ‘cause the characters are all over the place now. Here's what us wannabe fangbangers loved (and hated):
OMG, of course we love love loved Tara-turned-Tony! Our absolute favoritest character development, hands down. She's got the hell out of Bon Temps with a new name and a new girlfriend. Basically, she's badass now. Plus she has the only sex scene of the episode. Which reminds us...
We hated that Tara/Tony has the only sex scene of the episode. Unacceptable. Now that Eric "owns" Sookie, they need to get it on, pronto.
As for Sookie's brother, the cop!, it's pretty damn cute that Jason's all grown up and lookin' out for his baby sis' and his boss and all the were-jaguar kids. We just can't believe it. Although he's trapped in an icebox right now so that poses a bit of a problem.
Our only complaint is that he could still hang around sans cop-shirt a little more often. You can still be eye-candy, mature J!
Another character that could majorly beef up on the eye-candy is the head witch. Just ain't feeling her yet. She's is too old and not sexy at all (which is so not T.B.), and it feels like she's stolen straight from "Harry Potter."
Oh wait, she kind of is.
Still, totally digging all these different supernatural forces thrown into the mix, and how the vamp world is cleaning up the mess that Russell made with their public relations.
So until next time, fellow fangbangers, when our favorite villain Russell comes back and when Sookie and Eric do the deed! ...Hopefully?
The Clicker on TODAY
'Libya: ICC issues arrest warrant for Muammar Gaddafi' - 27 June 2011
Muammar Gaddafi is accused of personally ordering attacks on civilians
The International Criminal Court has issued an arrest warrant for Libyan leader Col Muammar Gaddafi.
The court had accused him of crimes against humanity and of ordering attacks on civilians after an uprising against him began in mid-February.The Hague-based court also issued warrants for two of Col Gaddafi's top aides - his son Saif al-Islam and intelligence chief Abdullah al-Sanussi.
Thousands of people are believed to have been killed in the conflict.
The arrest warrants refer to early weeks of the uprising, from 15 February until "at least 28 February".
The statement, read out by presiding judge Sanji Monageng, said there were "reasonable grounds to believe" that the three men were "criminally responsible" for the murder and persecution of civilians.
As the "recognised and undisputed leader of Libya", said the court, Col Gaddafi had "absolute, ultimate and unquestioned control" over the state.
He introduced a state policy "aimed at deterring and quelling by any means, including by the use of force, the demonstrations of civilians against the regime", the court alleged.
The warrant says that while Saif al-Islam Gaddafi holds no official position in Libya, he is "the most influential person" in Col Gaddafi's inner circle.
Mr Sanussi, said the court, had "indirectly instructed the troops to attack civilians demonstrating" in Benghazi, the city that has become the rebels' stronghold.
The BBC's Andrew Harding in Misrata said there was celebratory gunfire on the streets of the besieged city as the news emerged.
'No legitimacy':
The warrants had been requested by chief ICC prosecutor Luis Moreno-Ocampo in May. He has said Col Gaddafi must be arrested in order to protect civilians.
But the Libyan authorities have previously said they do not recognise the court and are not concerned by the threat of a warrant.
On Sunday, government spokesman Moussa Ibrahim said the court was overly preoccupied with pursuing African leaders and had "no legitimacy whatsoever".
But the arrest warrant was welcomed by UK Foreign Secretary William Hague, who said it further demonstrated "why Gaddafi has lost all legitimacy and why he should go immediately".
Mr Hague called on people within the Libyan regime to abandon the leader and said those responsible for "atrocities" must be held to account.
The ICC announcement comes as the international air operation in Libya, aimed at protecting civilians, enters its 100th day.
The rebels say they have launched a new push towards Tripoli and there has been heavy fighting near strategic town of Bir al-Ghanam, to the south-west of capital.
The rebel defence minister told the BBC that forces opposed to the Libyan leader Colonel Gaddafi may also make a move on the capital from the east.
BBC News
Sunday, June 26, 2011
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