BBC News - The King's Speech play has its world premiere, Feb 04, 2012

"Almost a year after the film reigned supreme at the Oscars, The King's Speech has finally made it to the stage.
A packed house at the Yvonne Arnaud theatre in Guildford, Surrey, gave the play a rousing reception at its world premiere on Thursday night.
Playwright David Seidler called it "the fulfilment of a very long dream".
Seidler originally wrote his story about King George VI for the stage before he developed the screenplay."
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BBC News - FBI probes Anonymous intercept of US-UK hacking call, Feb 04, 2012

"The FBI is investigating how activists linked to the Anonymous network managed to intercept a conference call between British and US police in which they discussed legal action against hackers.
Anonymous has released a tape of the call in which detectives give details of alleged hackers being tracked.
The FBI said the information had been obtained illegally."
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BBC News - Hubble snaps stunning barred spiral galaxy image, Feb 04, 2012

"The Hubble space telescope has captured an image of a "barred spiral" galaxy that could help us better understand our own Milky Way.
Most of the known spiral galaxies fall into this "barred" category - which are defined by the pronounced bar structure across their centres."
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BBC News - Cuban ex-President Fidel Castro launches memoirs, Feb 04, 2012

"Former Cuban President Fidel Castro has made a rare public appearance to launch his memoirs.
The book, Guerrilla of Time, is almost 1,000 pages long and relates his childhood and rise to power in the Cuban Revolution.
Fidel Castro, 85, said it was every Cuban's duty to fight until the last moment, for Cuba, the planet, and humanity."
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BBC News - Moscow: Thousands join pro- and anti-Putin protests, Feb 04, 2012

"Tens of thousands of people have marched in Russia's capital Moscow in protest at Prime Minister Vladimir Putin's grip on power.
It was the third rally since December's parliamentary election was marred by allegations of vote-rigging.
But supporters of Mr Putin, who will stand in next month's presidential election, held their own rally at a different location."
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BBC News - Afghan civilian deaths rise for fifth year, says UN, Feb 04, 2012

"The number of civilians killed and injured in the Afghan conflict has risen for the fifth year in a row, a UN report reveals.
The UN Assistance Mission in Afghanistan (Unama) documented 3,021 civilian deaths in 2011 compared with 2,790 in 2010 and 2,412 in 2009.
Most deaths were caused by insurgents, the report found."
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BBC News - Julius Malema: S Africa's ANC youth leader loses appeal, Feb 04, 2012

"a decision by South Africa's ruling party to suspend him.
He was suspended from the African National Congress (ANC) for five years for sowing division in the party.
The charge has been upheld, but Mr Malema is to be heard in 14 days' time over the length of the suspension."
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BBC News - Heavy snow falling across much of UK, Feb 04, 2012

"Heavy snow is falling across much of the UK, disrupting flights and leading to calls for drivers to take more care.
Snow hit southern Scotland and parts of Wales before moving south-east through England. Met Office severe weather warnings remain in place across the UK.
Forecasters expect 5-10cm (2-4in) to fall in central, eastern and southern England, with freezing temperatures leaving icy roads on Sunday."
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BBC News - Russia and China veto resolution on Syria at UN, Feb 04, 2012

"An Arab and Western-backed resolution condemning the violent crackdown in Syria has been vetoed at the UN Security Council by Russia and China.
They rejected the draft as "unbalanced" hours after activists accused troops of killing at least 55 people at Homs.
Western countries said the move would encourage Syria's government to continue its violent clampdown."
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FIJI LIVE - Gibb in 'spectacular' cancer recovery, Feb 04, 2012

"Bee Gees lead singer Robin Gibb said today he was making a "spectacular" recovery from colon cancer and felt better than ever.
"The prognosis is that it's almost gone and I feel fantastic and really from now on it's just what they could describe as a 'mopping-up' operation," the 62-year-old told BBC radio.
Robin's twin brother Maurice died in 2003 from complications resulting from a twisted intestine, and younger brother Andy died in 1988 following a battle against cocaine addiction."
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FIJI LIVE - Dels in star-studded squad for 10s tourney, Feb 04, 2012

"Fijian flyer and France-based Vilimoni Delasau has been included in the Asia Pacific Barbarians squad for next month’s Hong Kong 10s tournament which takes place just before the 7s competition.
Delasau, 34, joins a star-studded squad, including All Blacks legend Mils Muliaina and Anthony Tuitavake and coached by former All Blacks test captain Tana Umaga.
The Asia Pacific Barbarians, led by Australia legend David Campese and featuring George Gregan, Christian Cullen, Justin Marshall among others in an all-star line-up, reached the tens cup final on their debut in the tournament last year, losing to Hong Kong-based Tradition Valley 28-24.
The tournament will be held at Hong Kong Football Club on March 21-22."
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Surrealist Painter, Sculptor and Writer Dorothea Tanning Dies at 101, Feb 04, 2012

"The Dorothea Tanning Foundation has confirmed that American surrealist painter, sculptor and poet Dorothea Tanning died on January 31, 2012 at the age of 101. Tanning, a brilliant artist, writer and the oldest surviving Surrealist, had been married to German painter Max Ernst for thirty years until his death in 1976. In 2011, Graywolf Press had published Coming to That, a book of new poems from Ms. Tanning"
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LA TIMES - Wislawa Szymborska obituary: Nobel-winning Polish poet dies at 88, Feb 04, 2012

"During a five-decade career, Polish poet Wislawa Szymborska had so rarely appeared in public that a newspaper dubbed her the "Greta Garbo of poetry" after the notoriously private actress.

But in 1996, Poland's most reticent literary icon was forced to open her door to the world: She had won the Nobel Prize in literature and the world was clamoring for her reaction.

The public attention was so incessant that she stopped writing poems for two years, a consequence she later described, only somewhat jokingly, as "the Stockholm tragedy.""



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Patricia Disney, former wife of Roy E. Disney, dies, Feb 04, 2012

"Patricia Disney died Friday of Alzheimer’s disease. She was 77.
Patricia was the first wife of Roy E. Disney, the former vice-chairman of the Walt Disney Co.
She and Roy, the nephew of Walt Disney, were married in 1955 and divorced in 2007.
Her ex-husband died in December 2009. She is survived by four children and 17 grandchildren.
More information on her passing can be found in a story by The Hollywood Reporter."
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Ben Gazzara, The Big Lebowski Actor, Dies at 81, Feb 04, 2012

"Actor Ben Gazzara died of pancreatic cancer at New York’s Bellevue Hospital Center Friday, the NY Times has reported. He was 81.
In its obituary, the Times describes Gazzara as “an intense actor whose long career included playing Brick in the original Cat on a Hot Tin Roof on Broadway, roles in influential films by John Cassavetes (Husbands, The Killing of a Chinese Bookie and Opening Night) and work with several generations of top Hollywood directors.”"
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