In the business of music talent shows, there’s always room for one more.
If Simon Cowell’s deal with Fox is a success, he’ll be the executive producer of a U.S. “X Factor.”
According to The Hollywood Reporter, Fox and Cowell are now said to be negotiating a deal that will not only lock Cowell in as an “Idol” judge through the 2011-12 season but will allow the acerbic arbiter to bring “X Factor” to U.S. audiences. He would serve as the executive producer.
In 1967, the Mamas & the Papas had a hit with a song that detailed, with bittersweet harmonies, the checkered history of the band. The song, written by the group’s John Phillips and his wife, Michelle, was called “Creeque Alley.”
Michelle Phillips, Denny Doherty and John Phillips, here in 1998, were members of the Mamas & the Papas.
Manchester United are given more injury-time at the end of matches to equalize or score winning goals than their English Premier League rivals, a study has revealed.
Owen’s 96th minute winner at Old Trafford left Manchester City livid.
As the row over the near seven minutes of added time accorded to United to win the Manchester derby with a last-gasp Michael Owen goal continues, the Guardian newspaper probed the official injury-time statistics. Read MoreUNITED NATIONS — The blaring cavalcade of world leaders whisking through the streets of New York has been a fall rite for 64 years, with one leader often thrusting himself above the din — a role played this year almost inevitably by Libya’s leader, Col. Muammar al-Qaddafi, making his first appearance despite 40 years in power.
After being introduced in the General Assembly Hall as the “leader of the revolution, the president of the African Union, the king of kings of Africa,” Colonel Qaddafi shattered protocol by giving a rambling speech that stretched for 90 minutes instead of the allotted 15. Read More
The Obama administration’s national security team is working on alternative strategies for the war in Afghanistan that may not require tens of thousands of additional U.S. troops, a senior U.S. official told CNN Wednesday.
The Obama administration is looking at whether or not to add more troops in Afghanistan.
The official, who is familiar with the highly confidential discussions, said the national security team hopes to send its proposals to President Obama within three weeks. Read More
The ban on smoking in public places, such as bars and restaurants, has been one of the greatest public health debates of the early 21st century. Now, two large studies suggest that communities that pass laws to curb secondhand smoke get a big payoff — a drop in heart attacks.
Overall, American, Canadian, and European cities that have implemented smoking bans had an average of 17 percent fewer heart attacks in the first year, compared with communities who had not taken such measures.
Then, each year after implementing smoking bans (at least for the first three years, Read More
The US mission in Afghanistan will “likely result in failure” unless troops are increased, the top US general there has said in a report.
Gen Stanley McChrystal made his assessment in a copy of a confidential report obtained by the Washington Post.
He recently called for a revised military strategy in Afghanistan, suggesting the current one is failing. Read More
BEIRUT, Lebanon — The Yemeni Army fought back a major offensive by rebels in the northern city of Sadah early Sunday morning, killing dozens of insurgents, witnesses and Yemeni officials said.
The battle appears to have been the boldest rebel attack yet in five weeks of renewed fighting in Yemen’s remote and mountainous Sadah Province, near the border with Saudi Arabia. The Houthi rebels have been clashing intermittently with Yemen’s government for five years, and the latest round of fighting, which erupted last month Read More
Japan’s new government is poised to halt the scheduled initial public offerings of Japan Post Bank, the world’s largest bank by deposits, and its sister insurance company, according to the financial services minister.
Yukio Hatoyama’s Party of Japan won a landslide election last month.
The privatisation of the 138-year-old Japan Post was one of the landmark reforms pushed through by Junichiro Koizumi during his 2001-2006 premiership. The sell-off broke it the institution into four separate units and envisioned their sale to stock market investors as early as next year. Read More
ISLAMABAD, Pakistan — At least 35 people were killed Friday in a suicide car bomb attack in a Shiite village in northwest Pakistan, a top provincial official said. The village is in Kohat District, the site of past sectarian killings. Read More