Real Madrid vs Barcelona Champions League Semi-Final

Barcelona midfielder Andres Iniesta will miss Wednesday’s Champions League semi-final first leg against Real Madrid because of a calf strain.
Skipper Carles Puyol is fit after a muscle strain and fellow defender Gabriel Milito also plays but but full-back Maxwell (groin) misses out.
Real also have defensive issues, with centre-back Ricardo Carvalho suspended.
Injured midfielder Sami Khedira is set to be replaced by Lassana Diarra for the third El Clasico in 12 days.
Barcelona boss Pep Guardiola confirmed the absence of the influential Iniesta at a news conference on Tuesday, saying: “He can’t play, 100%. We hope to have him back for the second leg.”
Iniesta could be replaced by Thiago Alcantara, who has impressed in several recent appearances for the first team, or Netherlands international Ibrahim Afellay.
Guardiola remains determined to go for the win in Madrid, saying: “If you come to this stadium looking to defend a result then they will roll over you.
“I can’t do that, I can’t change the way we play because of the injuries.”
Real have the momentum having beaten their great rivals 1-0 to win the Spanish equivalent of the FA Cup, the Copa del Rey, last week.
However, the return of Puyol, who missed the Cup final and Saturday’s 2-0 win over Osasuna, is a big boost, although Barca could still be forced to use defensive midfielder Sergio Busquets or Javier Mascherano in defence.(BBC SPORT)

2011 NHL playoffs: Vincent Lecavalier, Lightning top Capitals in overtime, 3-2

Every extra drop of adrenaline provided by Alex Ovechkin’s game-tying, overtime-forcing tally was coursing through the Washington Capitals in extra time of Game 2 of their Eastern Conference semifinal series. They dominated play and sparked bedlam from the capacity crowd behind them, but all the momentum of that setting wouldn’t prevent the Tampa Bay Lightning from taking advantage of one mistake.
Veteran defenseman Scott Hannan thought he could get off the ice for a change and his replacement, Jeff Schultz, would be in position before the puck made its way back to the Capitals’ end. The Lightning noticed the change and quickly turned up ice.
With 6 minutes 19 seconds gone in overtime Sunday night at Verizon Center, Vincent Lecavalier sent a shot above Michal Neuvirth’s glove on a two-on-one as a result of the change to seal a 3-2 Tampa Bay victory. The Lightning holds a two-games-to-none lead as the series shifts to Florida for Games 3 and 4 on Tuesday and Wednesday.
“I thought the puck was going in behind,” Hannan said. “When you make mistakes, it costs in the playoffs. I was a little tired and thought I could get off in time, but obviously, I couldn’t. It was a bad play.”
The Capitals had managed to put forth a better all-around performance than in the series opener, but a sterile power play prevented them from taking any tangible control over the game once again.
Goalie Dwayne Roloson completed a critical 35-save outing for the Lightning, who were able to capitalize off bounces and Washington’s mistakes thanks largely to the calmness it developed having now won five consecutive postseason games, with four of those victories coming on the road.
It was that ability to stay the course, even with pandemonium erupting from those clad in red when Ovechkin knotted the score at 2 with just less than 68 seconds remaining in regulation to force the extra time, that Coach Guy Boucher credited for Tampa Bay’s success.
“I think over the course of these playoffs what the players and this team has learned is to stay calm under pressure and that’s what the players did,” Boucher said. “We reloaded and I always believe it’s not about momentum, it’s about desperation.”
When the Capitals pulled Michal Neuvirth (20 saves) late in the third and Ovechkin scored, they were the desperate team. But after so many missed scoring chances both at even strength and on the power play it begged the question of if they should have been in that situation in the first place.
Washington’s conscious effort to correct its errors of Game 1 was apparent from the start. The Capitals chased down loose pucks and found ways to beat the Lightning’s smothering system, but none of that sparked the power play. The unit failed to convert on another six tries Sunday.
The more the power play sputtered, the more Roloson seemed to grow in steadfastness. At times, Tampa Bay’s grizzled netminder put his unorthodox style on display, twisting and turning to make improbable saves along with routine ones to stop any shot taken against him, including Washington’s 12 shots on the man-advantage.
“You’ve got to come up with something,” Mike Knuble said. “It was our undoing last year. It’s what cost us last year. . . . In these tight games, you get one on the power play, that’s like a bonus.”
Aside from three power-play chances that failed to generate much zone presence in the first period, though, the Capitals dictated the play. Regardless of all of the hits they dished out and scoring opportunities they created, though, Tampa Bay carried a 1-0 lead into the first intermission.
With 58.8 seconds remaining in the period, Lecavalier scored his first goal of the night when he ripped a one-timer from the right faceoff circle that hit the camera inside the net.
At the start of the second the Capitals came out in search of chances against Roloson, who thwarted opportunities from Alexander Semin and Nicklas Backstrom in the opening minutes of the period.
With just more than five minutes remaining in the second period, the Capitals finally forced a bounce to go their way. Backstrom wristed a shot on net that hopped up and over Roloson’s shoulder down to the blue paint where Brooks Laich knocked the rebound over the goal line to knot the score at 1-1. It was Laich’s first point of the postseason and Backstrom’s first point since Game 3 of the quarterfinal matchup against the Rangers.
Tampa Bay received the benefit of the next bounce, however. Martin St. Louis was trying to pass across the crease to Lecavalier when the puck banked off Mike Green’s skate and made an abrupt left turn into the net. The goal pushed the Lightning ahead with 12:25 left in the third.
While the Capitals forced their way back to tie and prompt a third trip into extra time this postseason, they weren’t able to wrap up a victory and now face a critical two games in the next three days.
“Well, the series is not over,” Ovechkin said. “We’re going there and we’re going to win two games. It’s going to be hard. Right now, in this situation we have to win.”

Pakistan: Bin Laden killed by US forces near Islamabad

Islamabad, 2 May (AKI) - Osama Bin Laden, the Al-Qaeda leader that approved the 11 September attacks in the United States that took the lives of around 3,000 people, has been killed in Pakistan by American forces, US president Barack Obama has announced.

Bin Laden was killed in a ground operation in a wealthy neighbourhood near Pakisani capital Islamabad, Obama said in a televised announcement late Sunday.

Obama said it was "the most significant achievement to date in our nation's effort to defeat Al-Qaeda."

Bin Laden for more than a decade evaded capture even with 25 million bounty on his head.

Three other men were killed in the raid - one of Bin Laden's sons and two couriers, according to news reports.

He was widely thought to be hiding out in Pakistan's troubled tribal region close to the border with Afghanistan.

The Al-Qaeda leader's body was disposed of at sea ''in a traditional Islamic'' way, CNN reported, citing unnamed officials.

Large crowds gathered outside the White House in Washington and the site of the World Trade Center attack in New York chanting "USA, USA" following the announcement.

News reports said a senior a small US team had conducted the operation in about 40 minutes.

One helicopter was lost due to "technical failure". The team destroyed it and left in its other aircraft.

Bin Laden was at the top of the US most wanted list.

Scarlett Johansson and Sean Penn's White House Party PDA

After a series of romantic-looking sightings, Sean Penn and Scarlett Johansson all but confirmed their coupledom with the ultimate public display of affection for super-private stars.

Hand holding.

They were spotted in the incriminating position Saturday night, outside a White House Correspondents' Dinner after-party in Washington, D.C.

Johansson – wearing an Elie Saab cocktail dress and newly auburn hair – started the evening off with her brother, Hunter Johansson, in attendance of the annual event before joining up with Penn at the Vanity Fair/Bloomberg bash

Osama bin Laden Is Dead

Osama bin Laden has been killed, President Obama said Sunday night in an historic 11:30 p.m. ET Sunday live statement from the White House.

"We give thanks to the men who carried out this operation," he said, citing those who pulled off the mission in Pakistan as exemplifying patriotism at its finest. America can accomplish "anything we set our mind to," Obama added, calling the completed mission the "most significant achievement to date in the fight against Al Qaeda."

Ending a nearly 10-year manhunt, "actionable U.S. intelligence" led to the strike that fell bin Laden, the criminal mastermind of the Sept. 11, 2001, attacks that left 3,000 people dead on U.S. soil. The tip about the Al Qaeda leader's whereabouts first came last August, the President said, and on his order Sunday, "a small team of American commandos killed bin Laden and took custody of his body. His demise should be welcomed by all who believe in peace."

Ryan Phillippe is not quitting acting

Don't believe those rumors that Ryan Phillippe is ready to leave behind his  acting career. According to his rep, Phillippe has plenty of emoting ahead of him.

"He’s been talking about expanding his talents to producing and directing, but he has no plans to stop acting nor did he ever say that he was considering doing so," the spokesperson tells "Access Hollywood."
Phillippe sparked reports of his retirement in an interview with the New York Post's Page Six. Speaking about celebrity, he said, "It's so hard to go out in LA. I'm going to move. I'm going to spend a third of my year in New York."
He had been looking at apartments in the city, he said, adding, "I think I'm going to end my acting career. I'm so introverted. I'm ready to be behind the scenes. I'm 36, but I've been doing this for 20 years."
He could very well be busy for the next 20 years—or at least through 2013. Besides his new Tribeca Film Festival entry "The Bang Bang Club," Phillippe has four more films in the pipeline over the next two years.

Edible Arrangements for Mother’s Day

Mother’s Day is coming up and instead of the same old pretty pink flowers she is used to receiving – why not try a healthy-delicious twist this year with an Edible Arrangements fruit bouquet. I received an Edible Arrangements fruit bouquet this year for my birthday, and while I had been a bit skeptical of the brand before – I was incredibly pleased with the gift – the flavor and freshness of the fruit was quite impressive – not to mention gorgeous to look at. Here are my tips on extending the life of your yummy Edible Arrangements bouquet..
I received a quite large gift – and since there was no one at home except me at the time the fruit bouquet arrived – I knew I should take action fast to preserve the deliciousness. I took a few photos of the arrangement, nibbled on the pineapple flowers, cantaloupe melon, oranges, globe grapes, honeydew and strawberries for a while – then plucked many of the fruit stems and placed them in a plastic bag to store in my fridge.
The fruit was good for about two days after the bouquet arrived! We promptly ate most of it for breakfast and snacks. Delicious and fun.
I also loved the sweet re-usable copper-colored “planter” box the fruit arrived in. I still have it and use it often in my office to collect tiny stray papers and post-its.
So if you’d like to break away from flowers this mother’s Day – I say go for it!

Justin Bieber

Justin Drew Bieber, né le 1^er mars 1994^[1],[2] à Stratford, en Ontario, est un chanteur pop et R&B, danseur, acteur canadien. Plus jeune, il a commencé sa carrière professionnelle sur YouTube, où son futur agent, Scooter Braun, l'a découvert. Celui-ci l'a présenté au chanteur Usher, qui l'a aidé à conclure un contrat avec Island Records. Ses premiers albums, My World et My World 2.0, se sont vendus à plus de quatre millions de copies.

Biographie

Justin s'intéresse très jeune à la musique, même si ses parents ne sont pas musiciens. Il a appris seul à jouer de la guitare, du piano et de la trompette, et a pris des cours de batterie^[4],[5]. À 12 ans, il s'inscrit, sans jamais avoir suivi de cours de chant, à un concours de chant local, à Stratford, où il termine deuxième en interprétant Respect d'Aretha Franklin^[3]. Sa mère publie sur YouTube une vidéo de ce concours, pour sa famille et ses amis qui n'avaient pas pu y assister : celle-ci est vue en quelques jours par des milliers d'internautes^[6]. Suivent au cours de l'année 2007 d'autres vidéos où il reprend des titres R&B^[7].
Scooter Braun^[7], agent de marketing de So So Def, découvre ces vidéos et décide d'emmener Justin avec lui à Atlanta, où il rencontre le chanteur et compositeur Usher^[7]. Une semaine plus tard, Justin a eu l'occasion de chanter pour Usher^[8], qui est immédiatement intéressé par l'idée de lui faire passer une audition avec L.A. Reid, le président de Island Records, label avec lequel il a signé en octobre 2008^[7]. Après cela, Justin et sa mère, Pattie Malette, sont partis s'installer à Atlanta, ville où résident aussi Usher et Scooter Braun, afin de débuter sa carrière^[9]. Il déclare tout de même retourner fréquemment à Stratford, où il a toujours une maison, des amis et de la famille^{[réf. nécessaire]}.
Justin Bieber sort son premier single, One Time, le 7 juillet 2009^[10] qui, très vite, se classe dans les premières places du hit-parade canadien^[7]. Son premier album, My World, est lancé le 17 novembre 2009 aux États-Unis^[11], où il arrive en tête des ventes. Son album comporte une chanson chantée avec Usher, qui apparait vaguement dans le vidéo clip de One Time. Son second titre, One Less Lonely Girl, atteint le sommet des palmarès.

Justin Bieber au Nintendo World Store, en septembre 2009.

Le 20 décembre 2009, Justin chante Someday at Christmas de Stevie Wonder devant le président des États-Unis Barack Obama, et sa femme lors de la traditionnelle fête de Noël de la Maison Blanche^[12],[13].
Début 2010, Justin Bieber participe à l'enregistrement d'une nouvelle version de We Are the World: nouvelle version. Il a chanté dans la chanson Wavin' Flag pour l'organisation canadienne Young Artists for Haiti^[14].
Lors de sa tournée mondiale pour la promotion de son album My World 2.0, la police annule un concert prévu à Sydney (Australie) le 26 avril 2010, pour raisons de sécurité, plusieurs fans ayant dû être hospitalisés à la suite de malaises^[15]. De passage en France, il a été invité à promouvoir son single Baby dans Le Grand Journal de Canal+^[16].
Conséquence de la mue de sa voix, Justin Bieber n'arrive plus à atteindre certaines notes du single Baby, le contraignant à changer de tonalité à partir d'avril 2010^[17].
Il joue dans l'épisode 1 de la saison 11 des Experts, diffusé à partir du 23 septembre 2010 aux États-Unis, dans le rôle de Jason McCann. Lors de sa deuxième apparition, le chanteur finit par trouver la mort dans l'épisode.
Justin Bieber a remporté quatre trophées lors des Teen Choice Awards 2010 : celui du meilleur artiste masculin, de la révélation musicale masculine, du meilleur album pop de l'année avec My World 2.0 et de la star masculine de l'été^{[réf. nécessaire]}. Il a aussi remporté le prix de la révélation de l'année aux VMA 2010^{[réf. nécessaire]}. Lors des MTV Europe Music Awards 2010, Justin a remporté le prix du meilleur artiste masculin et celui du meilleur artiste MTV Push^{[réf. nécessaire]}. Justin a remporté le prix de la "Révélation internationale de l'année" aux NRJ Music Awards 2011.
Dans l'épisode de South Park, Le Coon contre le Coon et sa bande, il apparait lors d'un concert où il se fait tuer par Cthulhu sur les ordres de Cartman alias le Coon.

Clips vidéos

Année	Single	Réalisateur
2009	One Time, (voir le clip)	Vashtie Kola
	One Less Lonely Girl, (voir le clip)	Roman White
2010	Baby, (voir le clip)	Ray Kay
	Never say never, (voir le clip ), BO du film Karaté Kid
	Never Let You Go, (voir le clip)	Colin Tilley
	Eenie Meenie, (voir le clip)	Johntà Austin, Bryan Michael Cox
	Somebody To Love, (voir le clip)	Dave Meyers
	Love me, (voir le clip )
	U smile, (voir le clip )
	Pray, (voir le clip )

 

Japan’s Prime Minister Defends Handling of Crisis

TOKYO — Japan’s embattled prime minister, Naoto Kan, defended his government’s handling of the nation’s nuclear crisis on Saturday, a day after an adviser resigned during a tearful news conference in which he charged that the government was not adequately protecting the population from radiation.

Toshiso Kosako quit as a nuclear adviser and criticized the government.

 

In one of his most damaging charges, the adviser, Toshiso Kosako, drew attention to a recent government decision to allow children living near the crippled Fukushima Daiichi nuclear plant to receive doses of radiation equal to the international standard for nuclear power plant workers. That level is far higher than international standards set for the public. “I cannot allow this as a scholar,” said Mr. Kosako, an expert on radiation safety at the University of Tokyo.
He also blasted the government for what he said was a lack of transparency in releasing radiation levels around the Fukushima Daiichi plant, and for setting an overly high limit on radiation exposure for workers who have spent weeks struggling to keep the plant under control.
Government advisory positions are considered prestigious, and it is highly unusual for an academic to quit one in protest. The prime minister brought Mr. Kosako on as an adviser after the powerful March 11 earthquake and tsunami damaged the plant, causing the world’s biggest nuclear disaster since the Chernobyl accident in 1986.
His abrupt resignation fed growing criticism of the handling of the crisis by Mr. Kan’s government, which many Japanese suspect of understating the continuing dangers the plant might pose and the amount of radioactive material released so far.
Mr. Kan’s remarks before Parliament on Saturday were an indication of how much pressure the government is under as it tries to dispute those criticisms and to determine what to do not only about the most contaminated land around the plant, but also about towns outside the evacuation zone that are reporting relatively high levels of radiation.
Any decision about the levels of permissible exposure could force expensive soil cleanups — inflating the already staggering estimates of how much money it will take to rebuild from the natural disasters, a figure already set at $300 billion. But it could also help determine how much land in this densely populated country is ruled uninhabitable.
The calculus is complicated by the fears of farmers and fishermen in the region, who worry that continued talk of high radiation will destroy consumers’ faith in their goods, and their livelihoods.
In rejecting Mr. Kosako’s criticism, Mr. Kan said Saturday that the adviser had resigned as a result of “a difference of opinion among specialists.”
So far, the government has evacuated an area 12 miles around the plant and has suggested, or in limited cases ordered, that people living 12 to 19 miles away leave their homes temporarily. Some towns farther away are also set to be evacuated because particularly high levels of radioactive materials were found there.
The Education and Science Ministry made its announcement about permissible exposure on April 19, when it said that schools in Fukushima Prefecture, where the plant is located, could be used if radiation levels were below 3.8 microsieverts per hour. That exposure level is too low to cause immediate health effects, but may raise the probability of developing cancer.
Environmental groups and local parents have called for lowering the limit, pointing out that children are more vulnerable to radiation than most adults. They have not addressed a perhaps more worrisome problem: if the schools have high levels of contamination, the rest of the towns and cities they are in are likely to also show high readings.
On Saturday, the chief government spokesman, Yukio Edano, defended the limit, saying that it did not mean that the government would accept such levels indefinitely and that it would do everything in its power to bring levels down to normal rates.
But at least one city in Fukushima, which is 35 miles from the Fukushima Daiichi plant, is not waiting for the government to take action. The city of Koriyama said last week that it would remove topsoil at 15 elementary schools where radiation levels had been detected in excess of 3.8 microsieverts per hour, according to local newspaper reports.

Steven Seagal Amazingly Proud of Lyoto Machida Front Kick

 
Going into UFC 129, only one fight in the company's history had ever been won by a knockout using a front kick to the face. That knockout came just a few months ago when Anderson Silva connected with one on Vitor Belfort in the UFC 127 main event.

But on Saturday night, Silva's fellow Black House training partner, Lyoto Machida, joined the club with his unbelievable, Karate Kid-like flying front kick to the face.

It almost seemed like a joke when both Anderson Silva and martial artist Steven Seagal claimed that Silva had learned the kick from Seagal, but after it happened again, there may actually be something to it.

MMA Fighting's Ariel Helwani caught up with Seagal after the event, who talked about the Machida knockout of Randy Couture.
"Machida is like a son to me, so is Anderson," Master Seagal said, almost seeming to hold back tears. "We worked very hard on that kick for a long time."
"I really, really worked hard on that kick and I wanted him to do that kick. He wanted to do it and he knew he could, and he did," he laughed.
"I was screaming at him," he continued. "I was like, 'Do the kick! Do the kick!'"
"I'm amazingly proud. I love the boy and I'm just astounded."
After the Anderson Silva front kick that knocked out Vitor Belfort, there were many fans and experts alike who joked and made fun of Seagal's proclamation that he "invented" the kick. But Seagal cleared up some confusion in this interview.
"Everybody has their own opinion. Some people have sour grapes, some people have jealousy," he told Helwani. "I didn't invent anything. I modified them in such a way that I think I can make my students, and myself, in a real fight, land them and hurt people."
"I'm not saying I invented anything and no one should put those words in my mouth."
Still, he understands that there will continue to be people who doubt his true expertise.
"Many people consider me one of the great masters in my own field and many people probably think I'm an idiot that doesn't know anything. All I can say is, everybody's entitled to their own opinion. I love the martial arts, I dedicate my life to the martial arts, I devote a lot of time and love to preserving the martial arts and helping my students and my friends."
Seagal is now very good friends with numerous members of the Black House team and has been a fixture in the corner of Anderson Silva and Lyoto Machida at recent UFC events.
"Nobody's paying me to come here," he revealed. "I came here because people asked me to come and asked me to help. I'm giving my heart and the little bit of knowledge I have."
With back-to-back wins with "Seagal front kicks," we may be seeing much more of the actor at future UFC events.

Ali Landry Expecting Second Child

Ali Landry is eating for two.

The Louisiana-bred model, 37, and director hubby Alejandro Monteverde are expecting their second child this fall, a source confirms to PEOPLE.

“They are very happy,” the source says. “And [their 3½-year-old daughter] Estela is ecstatic to have a sibling on the way.”

Landry, who is 3½-months along, wed Monteverde in April 2006.

Return to Fundamentals Pays Off for the Yankees

They had no home runs, just timely singles and sacrifice flies. There was no eye-popping defensive wizardry, just crisp plays executed in key situations. There was no dominant pitching performance, just a gutsy one.

A. J. Burnett battled his way through six innings, allowing four runs and nine hits. He earned his fourth victory of the season.

Russell Martin beat a tag at home in the second inning to give the Yankees an early 3-1 lead.

And that was just what the Yankees needed.
A day after one of their sloppiest losses of the season, the Yankees bounced back Saturday afternoon and did all of the little things necessary to produce one of their most satisfying games of the season, a 5-4 win over the Toronto Blue Jays in front of 42,460 fans at Yankee Stadium.
“I love it when guys play hard and you don’t take anything for granted,” Manager Joe Girardi said. “We did a lot of nice little things today, and that’s why we won.”
The Yankees, who seemed to forget their fundamentals in a 5-3 loss Friday to the Blue Jays, could have run a clinic Saturday.
Setting the tone for the Yankees was their starter, A. J. Burnett, who persevered through six innings without his best stuff and earned his fourth win. He allowed four runs and nine hits, struck out four and walked none.
Burnett said that his curveball in particular was giving him trouble. In the past, he said, that would have frustrated him. But this season, he has tried to maintain a more positive outlook.
“I didn’t feel real good all day,” he said. “I just didn’t have a hook today, and my fastball was kind of flat.”
He added, “But you still got to figure out a way to go deep in games.”
Burnett was aided by a scrappy, small-ball performance from an offense best known for its base-clearing blasts. Seven Yankees had a hit, five had a run batted in, and five scored.
The Yankees’ only extra-base hit was Mark Teixeira’s double in the first inning.
“I don’t care whether we get them by homers or bunts or whatever, walks, either way, man, we feel good,” Nick Swisher said.
Blue Jays starter Kyle Drabek, a promising 23-year-old right-hander, could not control his fastball, and the Yankees allowed him to unravel, using a patient approach to chase him after two and a third innings.
“I’m sure he had some frustrations out there with his command and also the strike zone,” Blue Jays Manager John Farrell said. “But the difference in the game was all the walks.”
Drabek allowed five runs, seven hits and four walks. Of his 78 pitches, only 40 were strikes.
“Our guys were patient,” Girardi said. “We took our walks when he gave them to us, and we got some big hits when we needed them.”
The Yankees’ offense began to sputter against the Blue Jays’ bullpen; they did not have a hit or score a run after the third inning. But as the Blue Jays looked to mount a comeback, the Yankees’ defense and bullpen made sure the victory did not slip away.
The key defensive play came in the bottom of the sixth, after the Blue Jays had clawed to a run behind. As Juan Rivera tried to steal third, Burnett struck out Edwin Encarnacion and Russell Martin fired a throw to Eric Chavez. He tagged Rivera to complete the double play, end the inning and preserve the Yankees’ slim lead.
“That’s a big play,” Burnett said. “Russ is pretty quick back there, and I was actually able to make a pitch.”
Joba Chamberlain, Rafael Soriano, and Mariano Rivera pitched the final three innings and allowed just two hits among them — a sequence the Yankees hope will occur with more regularity.
Though the win lightened the mood in the clubhouse, a number of minor concerns about the Yankees’ aging lineup nevertheless seem to be bubbling to the surface.
Saturday’s game was the eighth in a period in which the Yankees will play 32 times in 33 days, a stretch that should test Girardi’s ability to tweak and tinker with his veteran roster.
Third baseman Alex Rodriguez was given the day off Saturday. Girardi said he wanted to give Rodriguez, who had played seven straight games, a chance to rest his legs. After a strong start to the season, Rodriguez is 5 for 32 with one home run since April 16.
Derek Jeter, who has had a lukewarm season, was 0 for 3 on Saturday and is now hitting .250.
And after taking Friday night off, Jorge Posada started as the designated hitter but showed few signs that he might emerge from his season-long slump. He went 0 for 3, and his average is now .125.
“I think his at-bats have been better, I do,” Girardi said. “Jor-ge’s a grinder, and he’s always been a grinder, and he’ll continue to grind out at-bats.”

Muammar Gaddafi son killed by Nato air strike – Libyan government

A Libyan government picture shows a missile which officials said was from a coalition air strike on the home of Saif al-Arab Gaddafi. Editor's note: picture was taken on a guided government tour. Photograph: Louafi Larbi/Reuters
A Nato air strike in Tripoli has killed the youngest son of Libyan leader Muammar Gaddafi, a Libyan government spokesman has said. Saif al-Arab Gaddafi, 29, was killed along with three of Muammar Gaddafi's grandsons, according to reports. The Libyan leader was in the building at the time of the strike, but was unharmed. Several of Gaddafi's friends and relatives were wounded. Libyan government spokesman Moussa Ibrahim said: "This was a direct operation to assassinate the leader of this country." "The attack resulted in the martyrdom of brother Saif al-Arab Gaddafi and three of the leader's grandchildren," he said. "The leader with his wife was there in the house with other friends and relatives. The leader himself is in good health – he wasn't harmed. [Muammar Gaddafi's] wife is also in good health." Nato forces are permitted, under United Nations resolution 1973, passed in March, to use 'all necessary measures' to protect civilians from pro-Gaddafi forces. Ibrahim added: "We think now it is clear to everyone that what is happening in Libya has nothing to do with the protection of civilians. "This is not permitted by international law. Nato does not care to test our promises, the west does not care to test our statements. Their only care is to rob us of our freedom." The one-storey house in a residential neighbourhood in Tripoli reportedly suffered heavy damage. Nato gave no immediate reaction. There was no independent confirmation of the incident.

White House Correspondent’s Dinner: Obama and Meyers bring the pain to Trump

A video is shown as President Barack Obama, speaks about Donald Trump at the White House Correspondents’ dinner. (Manuel Balce Ceneta/ AP) Tim Pawlenty. Joe Biden. NPR. The heat was spread around fairly evenly during Saturday night’s remarks at the White House Correspondents ’ dinner.
But, the Donald took an especially thorough shellacking.
Donald Trump (who was present at the event, a guest of the Washington Post) was singled out by Obama and Meyers, who dedicated hearty portions of their routines to teasing the zillionaire-come-reality-television-star about his hair, his accent, and his presidential ambitions. Yowch!
Some of the choice barbs from Obama:
• “I know that he’s taken some flak lately, but nobody is prouder to put this birth certificate matter to rest than the Donald. And that’s because he can finally get back to focusing on the issues that matter, like: did we fake the moon landing? What really happened in Roswell? And where are Biggie and Tupac?”
• “On a recent episode of the “The Celebrity Apprentice” at the steakhouse, the men’s cooking team did not impress the judges from Omaha Steaks. You, Mr. Trump, recognized that the real problem was a lack of leadership. So ultimately, you didn’t blame Lil Jon or Meatloaf, you fired Gary Busey. The are the kinds of decisions that would keep me up at night. Well-handled, sir. Well-handled.”
Some not-so-gentle ribbing by Meyers:
• “Donald Trump has been saying he will run for president as a Republican, which is surprising, because I just assumed that he was running as a joke.”
• “Gary Busey said recently that Donald Trump would make a great president. Of course, he said the same thing about an old rusty bird cage he found.”

Les personnalités les plus recherchées sur Google en 2010

Quels sont les noms qui ont été le plus tapés dans la barre de recherche Google cette année ? Les 10 personnalités les plus sollicités sur le site ont été dévoilées via un classement tout juste publié. Si l'on découvre quelques surprises, on comprend surtout que le phénomène Justin Bieber n'est pas prêt de s'essouffler !

Comme chaque année, Google nous dévoile le classement des personnalités qui ont été le plus souvent demandées sur ce moteur de recherche Internet. Le «Top Ten» est composé de six artistes appartenant au milieu de la musique pour le classement mondial, contre cinq seulement pour le classement français. Ainsi, Justin Bieber arrive très largement en tête des recherches Google en France comme partout ailleurs. Si ce n’est pas une surprise à l’échelle mondiale, ce résultat l’est peut-être plus dans notre pays où la popularité du jeune chanteur est loin d’être acquise. Il relègue Katy Perry à la seconde place, suivie par Selena Gomez qui s’octroie ainsi la troisième marche du podium. On s’attendait à voir apparaître Lady GaGa qui n’arrive qu’en 6ème position, juste derrière le rappeur Eminem. Son dernier opus "Recovery" fut un succès retentissant cet été, grâce notamment au duo "Love The Way You Lie" enregistré avec Rihanna. Enfin, dernière chanteuse à se classer dans ce top, Miley Cyrus (7ème). Son album "Can’t Be Tamed" a permis à l’artiste de dévoiler une nouvelle facette de sa personnalité. Plus sensuelle, elle a subi cette année de vives critiques pour son image jugée trop sexy pour son âge (voir l’article).

En France, on peut dire que les chanteurs ont également la cote. Nicki Minaj arrive en 4ème position, suivie par une grande et bonne surprise : Joyce Jonathan sur la 6ème marche. Il faut dire que cette artiste « made in » My Major Company a ponctué l’année avec ses deux singles "Pas besoin de toi" et "Je ne sais pas", tous deux extraits de son premier opus "Sur mes gardes" qui a été certifié disque d’or. Juste derrière elle, Cheryl Cole. La chanteuse britannique avait effectivement fait parler d’elle cette année avec son premier opus "3 Words", qui ne fut pourtant pas l’un des plus grands succès de l’année, loin de là. Enfin, Colette Renard arrive 9ème de ce classement. Héroïne de la série "Plus belle la vie", elle avait également comme activité le chant. Elle nous a quittés le 6 octobre dernier, ce qui explique bien évidemment cette place d’honneur.

Ainsi, on s’étonne de ne pas retrouver des artistes tels que Johnny Hallyday, Michael Jackson ou Mylène Farmer, qui ont pourtant bénéficié d’une actualité riche tout au long de l’année. Ce qu’il est toutefois important de remarquer, c’est que les chanteurs/chanteuses conservent une place de choix dans vos cœurs alors les ventes de disques ont encore fortement régressé cette année.

Et sur YouTube ?

Sur le site de partage de vidéos YouTube, les résultats de l’année 2010 viennent aussi de tomber. Là encore, Justin Bieber s'impose. Nous sommes forcés d’admettre que ce jeune garçon est plus qu’un simple artiste, il est à l'impulsion d'un réel phénomène mondial qui dépasse le «phénomène Gaga» puisque l’interprète de "Bad Romance" est reléguée en 2ème position de ce même classement. Enfin, c’est Eminem qui se hisse sur la troisième marche du podium. Côté français, seul le DJ David Guetta, classé 10ème, intègre ce top.

Ryan Mallett

Ryan Mallett (born June 5, 1988), nicknamed "Big Tex",^[1] is an American football quarterback for the New England Patriots of the National Football League, taken in the third round of the 2011 NFL Draft. He played college football for the Arkansas Razorbacks.^[2] Mallett spent his freshman year at the University of Michigan.

High school career

Mallett graduated from Texas High School in Texarkana, Texas, and was ranked as the #2 quarterback and #4 overall player in the nation by Rivals.com. He was also the Gatorade Player of the Year in Texas in 2006. Mallett participated in the U.S. Army All-American Bowl in 2007 and won the Glenn Davis Army Award as the best player on the West team.

College career

2007 team huddle with Mario Manningham (86), Mallett (15), Mike Hart (20), Jake Long (77), Adrian Arrington (16), Mike Massey (83), Justin Boren (65), Carson Butler (85), and Stephen Schilling (52) against Penn State

Mallett rolls out against Penn State. Jake Long and Justin Boren are among the visible linemen.

Mallett hands off to Mike Hart

2007

Mallett made his first appearance at Michigan in the second game of the 2007 season against Oregon. He entered the game for the injured Chad Henne in the third quarter and completed 6 of 17 passes for 49 yards and one interception. Mallett started the next week against Notre Dame and led the Wolverines to a 38-0 victory by throwing 3 touchdown passes, going 7/15 (46.7%) for 90 yards. Mallett started his first Big Ten conference game against Penn State the following week. He went 16/29 (55.2%) with 170 yards and one interception. He also scored on a 10-yard rush in the first quarter. Henne returned to start the Wolverines' next three games. In those games, Mallett had  limited playing time completing 4/10 for 30 yards.

Mallett's next start was against Minnesota. He threw a touchdown pass and went 11/20 (55.0%) with 233 yards and no interceptions. Mallett did not start, but played extensively the next week in a loss against Wisconsin. He threw 3 touchdown passes and went 11/36 (30.6%) with 245 yards and two interceptions. In the fourth quarter, Mallett threw a 97 yard touchdown pass to Mario Manningham, the longest pass completion in Michigan history.^[4] Mallett played very little in the next week's game against Ohio State. He threw three passes and completed one of them for eight yards.

Departure from Michigan

Mallett's departure from Michigan was widely expected after new head coach Rich Rodriguez was hired to replace retiring coach Lloyd Carr. Rodriguez overhauled Michigan's offense and installed a "spread" option offensive scheme, which did not fit Mallett's skills as a drop-back, pocket quarterback.
On January 14, 2008, Mallett made his move back to his home state official and enrolled at the University of Arkansas, where he redshirted the 2008 season due to the NCAA transfer policies. Mallett quarterbacked the Arkansas scout team in practice that season.

Arkansas

2009

In 2009 as a redshirt sophomore, Mallett began his career as an Arkansas Razorback, under the direction of head coach Bobby Petrino. Prior to the 2009 season, Mallett was named by ESPN's Bruce Feldman as one of college football's top 10 newcomers of the year, citing his arm strength as a major determining factor.^[5] In subsequent interviews, when Mallett was questioned about how far he could throw the football, he said farther than 80 yards.^[6]
On March 1, 2009, he was arrested on charges of public intoxication.^[7][8] He pled guilty to the misdemeanor charge on April 3, 2009 and paid $155 in court costs, fines, and fees. Mallett was also punished by Coach Petrino with early wake up calls, extra running, and early curfews.^[9]
Mallett earned the starting job in the Razorbacks' first game against Missouri State, going 17-of-22 for 309 yards and a touchdown. Two weeks later, Mallett passed for 408 yards and five touchdowns against Georgia in a losing effort. The passing yardage and touchdowns were single game school records. Ryan would throw for more than 250 yards in three of Arkansas' next five games, with nine touchdowns against three interceptions. Impressive victories over Texas A&M and Auburn were coupled with tough losses to Alabama and Ole Miss, and a loss vs. Florida. After a dismal 3-4 start, Mallett led Arkansas to three consecutive victories over Eastern Michigan (14-of-16 for 248 yards and three touchdowns), South Carolina (23-of-27 for 329 yards and one rushing touchdown), and Troy (23-of-30 for 405 yards, five touchdowns and one interception). Over those three games, he completed 83.1 % of his passes, and had a quarterback rating of 165.05, which was third-best in the nation. The victory over Troy pushed Arkansas' record to 6-4 and secured the Hogs' bowl eligibility, with games against Mississippi State and LSU remaining. Mallett went on to throw for 313 yards and matched his career high of five touchdown passes in a 42-21 victory over Mississippi State. The following week, he threw for 227 yards and a touchdown in a 33-30 overtime loss to LSU in Baton Rouge. Ryan was named to the All-SEC 2nd Team squad by the coaches and the AP for his performance during the season, behind Florida QB Tim Tebow despite superior passing statistics. The Razorbacks finished the 2009 season with an 8-5 record and won the 2010 Liberty Bowl against East Carolina University, 20-17 in OT. Mallett was named the bowl game's Offensive MVP.
Mallett currently owns sixteen school records, including most passing yards in a season (3,627), most consecutive passes without an INT, most passing yards in a game (408), most passing touchdowns in a game (5 - three times), only quarterback to pass for over 400 yards in a game (two times), most pass plays of 25 or more yards in a season, and most passing TD in a single season (30).
Mallett chose to forgo entering the 2010 NFL Draft, and return for his junior season at Arkansas. Mallett was considered among the top five quarterbacks if he had entered the draft.^{[citation needed]}
Mallett matched or broke 16 school records at Arkansas in 2009.

2010

Mallett drops back to pass against Alabama in 2010.

It was announced on February 17 that Mallett had suffered a left foot injury in a change of direction conditioning drill.^[10] The junior had successful surgery later that day, and a planned second surgery was announced on June 9.^[11][12] Mallett missed the Razorback spring game and spring drills, but he did not miss fall camp. During the off season, Mallett was named one of college football's most irreplaceable players by ESPN.com, and he appeared on College Football Live.^[13] At the SEC's 2010 Media Days conference, Mallett became the first Arkansas quarterback to be named preseason first-team All-SEC by the SEC coaches.^[14] He has been listed as the frontrunner for the Davey O'Brien Award by The Sporting News and a potential Heisman Trophy candidate. He was also named a preseason All-SEC quarterback and preseason All-American quarterback by numerous organizations.^[15]
Mallett's performance in 2009 has led to higher expectations in 2010. The junior has stated that he wishes to change the mindset of Arkansas fans into that of a winning program. The confident Mallett has been quoted saying, "I'm looking for 14," when asked about how many wins the 2010 Razorbacks can achieve.^[15]
On September 4, 2010, Mallet completed 21-of-24 passes (87.5%), setting an Arkansas school record for completion percentage in a game. The completion percentage also ranks second all-time in SEC football history. Mallett contributed 301 passing yards, as well, with a total of 8 receivers recording catches. Arkansas defeated Tennessee Tech in the game 44-3.
Mallett finished seventh in voting for the 2010 Heisman Trophy award.^[16]
On January 6, 2011 Mallett decided to forgo his senior year at Arkansas and declare for the 2011 NFL Draft shortly after Andrew Luck decided to stay for his senior year.^{[citation needed]}
Mallett did say that Luck's decision did not have any impact on him declaring for the Draft.

Collegiate awards

• 2010 Premier Player of College Football Trophy Winner
• 2009 and 2010 All-SEC second team by Coaches and AP ^[17]
• Autozone Liberty Bowl Offensive MVP
• SEC Offensive Player of the Week (vs. South Carolina & Mississippi State)

OBAMA READY TO EAT THE PRESS

Forget the celebs: Will the president be funny at the White     House Correspondent’s dinner?

Hard to remember amid the celebrity circus, but the White House Correspondents’ Association dinner used to be a quiet affair honoring the president and the folks who covered him. A break from the day-to-day grind, the night allows the president — under the guise of humor — to address the news of the day, tease the loyal opposition (obligatory John Boehner one-liner here), and, basically, make us like him.

Of course, some bits work better than others. What makes a legend most? A few WHCA presidential guidelines:

Be self-deprecating: Always a smart move, especially when you can zing your critics at the same time. Obama got big laughs in 2009 about his Teleprompter habit. Last year, it was a birther gag: “My approval ratings. . . have just gone down. But that’s politics. It doesn’t bother me. Beside I happen to know that my approval ratings are still very high in the country of my birth.”

Then mock the other guys: In descending order of importance, the vice-president, chief of staff, cabinet members and freshman congress. “Happy Mother’s Day,” Obama told the crowd at his first dinner. “This is a tough holiday for Rahm Emanuel because he’s not used to saying the word ‘day’ after ‘mother.’ ” What’s worse than being a punchline? Not getting mentioned.

Oh no he didn’t: Obama was probably the only person who could get away with this at the 2010 dinner: “I saw Michael Steele backstage when we were taking pictures — aka Notorious GOP. Michael, who knows what truly plagues America today: Taxation without representin’. My brother!”

Visual aids: Painful when done poorly, awesome if a professional film crew has your back. Bill Clinton scored big with his hilarious “Final Days” video at the 2000 dinner, which showed the lame duck playing “Battleship,” riding his bike inside the White House, washing his limo and otherwise killing time.

Bait and switch: George W. Bush’s most memorable outings happened when he didn’t give a speech. In 2005, Laura Bush hijacked the mike and deadpanned a 10-minute routine. “I said to him the other day, George, if you really want to end tyranny in the world, you’re going to have to stay up later.”
First lady Laura Bush grins at her husband after taking the microphone away from him at the 2005 dinner. (Evan Vucci/ AP) The next year, he teamed up with dead-on Bush impersonator Steve Bridges. “I’m absolutely delighted to be here,” said the real Bush, while his alter-ego complained, “The media really ticks me off — the way they try to embarrass me by not editing what I say.”

Shout out to celebs in the house: In 2002, Bush singled out Ozzy Osbourne, whose MTV reality series was hot then. Osbourne stood on his chair to sop up the attention, drawing wild cheers from the crowd. Last year, Obama took on the Jonas Brothers. “Sasha and Malia are huge fans. But, boys, don’t get any ideas. I have two words for you: predator drones.”

How will Obama (and “Saturday Night Live” comedian Seth Meyers fare this year? You don’t need a ticket to see for yourself: Their speeches will be broadcast live on C-Span.

Royal Wedding: Prince William and Catherine Middleton Kiss Twice on Balcony as World Watches

Prince William and Catherine Middleton kiss on the Buckingham Palace balcony.

Royal newlyweds Prince William and Catherine Middleton kissed twice on the balcony of Buckingham Palaceecstatic crowds. in front of family and

The married couple, who officially became the Duke and Duchess of Cambridge Friday morning, smiled and waved before thousands of screaming spectators and a worldwide audience of more than 2 billion people as they made the customary post-wedding appearance on the palace balcony.

In the most carefully choreographed of weddings -- with every moment planned to the second -- the couple's balcony kiss was the one wildcard, and it did not disappoint. The heir to the British throne first exchanged a short peck with his beloved bride and then leaned in to kiss her again about two minutes later. The Abbey bells rang, the overhead fighter planes hummed and heart-shaped balloons floated above. The crowd erupted in cheers and became a sea of waving flags. 

At Westminster Abbey, William, 28, and Middleton, 29, held hands, gazed into each other's eyes and exchanged vows as if they were not surrounded by 1,900 guests in the historic cathedral. Middleton glowed in an ivory and white satin wedding gown, covered in delicate lace appliqué and full skirt, wearing a tiara. The only major moment missing from the fairytale service was a kiss.

Unlike most wedding ceremonies in the United States where the bride and groom kiss at the altar, royal newlyweds abstain from kissing during the service. Even outside the church, the kiss had long been viewed as an intimate and private moment until Prince William's parents, Charles and Diana, broke with tradition and spontaneously pecked on the balcony following their nuptials almost 30 years ago.

William and Middleton's first kiss as a married couple was short and sweet but seemed more natural than Charles and Diana's. Two minutes later, responding to chants from the crowd to "Kiss her again," the newlyweds locked lips, and William blushed ever so slightly.

The world weighed in on the iconic kiss on Twitter, with 98 percent of tweets dubbing the smooches a "#RoyalSuccess" versus a "#RoyalMess." Comments on Twitter skewed slightly negative after the first kiss, but turned celebratory after the second.

The only one who seemed not to share in the thrill and delight of the moment was Prince William's goddaughter, Grace Van Cutsem. The young bridesmaid, pictured below, covered her ears and pouted as the newly named duke and duchess locked lips on the balcony.