Retains Australian Open title: Serena Williams beats Henin

Serena Williams put an end to Justine Henin's hopes of a Grand Slam title on her return from retirement with a 6-4, 3-6, 6-2 win in the Australian Open final on Saturday.

Defending champion Williams withstood a determined challenge from Henin before securing her fifth Australian Open title and 12th Grand Slam singles championship overall.

MEN'S DOUBLES: Bryan twins take fourth Aussie title

Williams' five Australian titles is the most by any woman in the Open Era, since 1968, surpassing the four each held by Margaret Court, Evonne Goolagong Cawley, Steffi Graf and Monica Seles.

Henin, who had most of the crowd support at Rod Laver Arena, couldn't match her fellow Belgian Kim Clijsters' feat of winning in her Grand Slam comeback tournament. Clijsters won last year's U.S. Open on her return from a two-year retirement in which she got married and had a baby.

Williams won the last four games Saturday to clinch the final in just over two hours, falling on her back in celebration after match point before shaking hands with Henin at the net.

"It's good to have her back, it's exciting," Williams said of Henin. "She can definitely be No. 1, especially with our ranking system, if she keeps doing well."

Still, it was an impressive run by Henin. She lost in the final of the Brisbane International tournament to Clijsters two weeks ago.

The unranked and unseeded Henin then beat four seeded players en route to the Australian Open final, including No. 5 and Olympic gold medalist Elena Dementieva in the second round.

"It's been a very emotional two weeks for me," said Henin, who put her hand on her heart as she thanked the crowd for support. "I thought it would never happen to me again."

Later, Henin said there was a feeling of disappointment, but accomplishment.

"It's just more than what I could expect, I just have to remember that," Henin said. "Even if it's quite soon after the match now, I'm sure there will be a lot of positive things I can think about in a few days. It's been almost perfect. Just the last step, I couldn't make it."

And she's certain now about her decision to come back on the tour.

"I was curious about what my level would be and how I was going to deal with just the atmosphere on and off the court, how it would feel," Henin said.

"I felt I took the right decision, so it's good enough for me already. I got the results also in the last four weeks: two finals. So I can be really happy about that."

Henin saved two break points to hold for 3-3 in a four-game run in the second set, winning 13 of the last 14 points in a dominant finish to level at 1-set apiece. She maintained the superiority early in the deciding set, increasing that to 18 of 19 points before Williams held serve to level the third set at 1-1.

Williams, with her right thigh and left knee heavily taped as it had been for much of the tournament, staged her own resurgence, breaking Henin in the next game to go up 2-1. Henin broke Williams' serve in the next game, but the American broke back in the next to go up 3-2, a lead she never relinquished.

"I thought I was just giving it to her at that point," Williams said. "I didn't want to go out like that. I literally said to myself, 'I need to man up and start playing better."'.

Williams held her serve in the next game with a second-service ace to go up 4-2, then broke again in the next game to take her within a game of the title.

Henin won the Australian Open title in 2004. She quit from the 2006 final with stomach problems while trailing Amelie Mauresmo 6-1, 2-0.

Williams' 12th singles major matched American great Billie Jean King's career total. King was at the stadium on Saturday night to take part in a pre-match ceremony to honor the 40-year anniversary of Court's four Grand Slam tournament wins in 1970.

"Billie, we are tied," Williams said. "So I've reached my goal."

Chris Evert and Martina Navratilova are Williams' next goal, with 18 majors each.

"Honestly, I'm just doing what I can. I obviously enjoy playing in Melbourne, clearly," Williams said. "I never thought I could catch up with Martina, because she's such an amazing champion."

American twins Bob and Mike Bryan won their fourth Australian Open doubles title, defeating Daniel Nestor of Canada and Serbian Nenad Zimonjic 6-3, 6-7 (5), 6-3 in the final. The brothers have won the title four of the past five years. They have eight Grand Slam doubles titles, including two at the U.S. Open and one each at the French Open and Wimbledon.

The men's final between Roger Federer and Andy Murray will be held Sunday night, when fifth-seeded Murray will attempt to become the first British man since Fred Perry in 1936 to win a Grand Slam major.

The Australian Open is Murray's 17th Grand Slam tournament, which is how many attempts Federer needed before winning for the first time at Wimbledon seven years ago against Mark Philippoussis. At that tournament, Federer was seeded fourth and Philippoussis was unseeded.

Murray was beaten 6-2, 7-5, 6-2 in the U.S. Open final in 2008.

Federer joked about the British drought after his semifinal win on Friday.

"I know he'd like to win the first for British tennis since, what is it 150,000 years?" Federer said.

Murray smiled Saturday when told of Federer's comment.

"I've only been alive for 22 and a little bit, but, yeah, it's been a long time. It's going to be tough."
Copyright 2010 The Associated Press. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten or redistributed.

Miss Virginia crowned Miss America

Miss Virginia Caressa Cameron won the 2010 Miss America title Saturday night after strutting in a yellow dress, belting Beyonce's "Listen" from "Dreamgirls" and telling kids they should get outside more often.

Cameron, a 22-year-old from Fredericksburg, Va., won a $50,000 scholarship and the crown in Las Vegas after a pageant that started with 53 contestants. She outlasted her opponents in swimsuit, evening gown, talent and interview competitions.

Cameron is broadcast journalism student at Virginia Commonwealth University, and wants to become an anchor.

When asked during the interview portion of the competition her thoughts on fighting childhood obesity, Cameron said parents should curb television and video games.

"We need to get our kids back outside, playing with sticks in the street like I did when I was little," Cameron said. "Expand your mind, go outside and get to see what this world is like."

Miss California Kristy Cavinder was the first runner-up, winning $25,000.

The young women who came out on stage at the beginning of the pageant and danced to "I Gotta Feeling" by the Black Eyed Peas are from all 50 states plus the District of Columbia, Virgin Islands and Puerto Rico.

After a week of preliminary competition, they each introduced themselves to the crowd Saturday at the Planet Hollywood Resort & Casino. The judges, the public and contestants themselves then trimmed the field.

Actor and "Extra" host Mario Lopez hosted the 89-year-old pageant with help from Clinton Kelly of TLC's "What Not to Wear." The pageant was broadcast live on TLC.

The panel of judges included radio talk show host Rush Limbaugh, actress Vivica Fox, musician Dave Koz, Miss America 2002 Katie Harman, gymnast Shawn Johnson and former "American Idol" finalist Brooke White. Comedian Paul Rodriguez was set to be a judge, but organizers said he pulled out because of a family emergency.

The winner, crowned by reigning Miss America Katie Stam, embarks on a yearlong run with the title to represent the organization and raise awareness for her chosen platform.

Cameron, Cavinder and Miss Michigan Nicole Blaszczyk each won $2,000 earlier in the week for winning talent competitions among three split fields of contestants. Miss Oregon CC Barber, Miss New York Alyse Zwick and Miss Puerto Rico Mimi Pabon each won $1,000 in nightly swimsuit competitions.

Miss Oklahoma Taylor Treat won the $6,000 Quality of Life award, given to the contestant judged to excel most in volunteerism and community service.

Scores based on a week of preliminary competitions were added to Saturday's swimsuit, talent, evening gown and interview competitions to determine the winner. Each judge ranked their five favorites in order, and their ballots will be used to pick the winner.

In all, the Miss America Organization plans to award $340,000 in scholarships at the national level. The organization says its national, state and local chapters gave more than $45 million last year in cash and scholarships.

The pageant was preceded by a one-hour television special on TLC, "Miss America: Behind the Curtain."

The contestants picked 12 women from their own ranks who faced a public vote for a spot among the 15 finalists. Stam, a Seymour, Ind., native, was one of four finalists chosen by viewers last year.

The crowning of a Miss America began in 1921 as a publicity stunt to persuade tourists on Atlantic City's Boardwalk to stick around after Labor Day.

The bathing revue blossomed in the age of television into an American pop icon before fading in later years and losing it place on network TV in 2004. It moved to the Las Vegas Strip in 2006 in an attempt to reinvent itself and has found a home on cable television.

Ranbir and Priyanka Sizzle for Anjaana Anjaani

It’s sizzling hot! Going by these pics below of Anjaana Anjaani”, Ranbir and Priyanka are in quite a bit of chemistry.

Good for them! And for all of us too. It would be our monies worth! Ahem!

All eyes are on them: Priyanka Chopra and Ranbir Kapoor. Rumor mills are on over drive too.

Here’s a sneak peek at the single and successful duo who will be seen together for the first time in Sajid Nadiadwala’s Anjaana Anjaani.

These pictures were taken during the recent schedule in New York and judging by their pictures, they have sizzling chemistry, writes Mid-Day.

Sources reveal that even though the two are working together for the first time, they hit it off instantly.
All eyes are on Priyanka Chopra and Ranbir Kapoor. Here's a sneak peek at the single and successful duo who will be seen together for the first time in Sajid Nadiadwala's Anjaana Anjaani. These pictures were taken during the recent schedule in New York and judging by their pictures, they have sizzling chemistry.

Sources reveal that even though the two are working together for the first time, they hit it off instantly. The two also shot at the famous Cafe Lalo in New York where the Tom Hanks -- Meg Ryan starrer You've Got Mail was filmed. Soon, the pair will be seen shooting in Las Vegas.

Katrina Kaif will don a bikini for Dostana sequel

Katrina Kaif will be seen in a refreshing avatar in the Dostana sequel. It is learnt that she will don a bikini in the film. She does so after a long gap.

As a newcomer on screen, the actress was seen in a bikini in her 2003 film Boom but after success came her way, she shied away from wearing swimwear for her later films.

A bikini-clad Katrina Kaif gets horsey during an undated photoshoot

Upping the dare quotient

Katrina on the cover of a mag
But if the price to be in a Dharma Production film is to wear a bikini, Kat is happy to do it. The film goes on floors in coming months. While Priyanka Chopra wore a sizzling gold swimsuit for the original, Kat will be seen in daring pieces of beachwear for two scenes. A source reveals that the ensembles are part of the script and mandatory.

Sources reveal that Manish Malhotra will be designing the beachwear for Katrina keeping in mind her comfort level. Even though the sketches aren't on the drawing table yet, there have been discussions on what styles and shades will suit Kat best.

The source adds, "Dostana 2 plans to take the fun quotient to another level and also have lots of sex appeal. Katrina has one of the best bodies in the industry and having her sport beach wear will be a huge attraction for the film."

Apart from wearing hot ensembles, Katrina will also sport an extremely sexy look for the film. "She hasn't sported the sexy look for a while. In Dostana 2, she will be seen in clothes that make her look more sexy than cute."

Matthew McConaughey Debuts New Daughter Vida Alvesx

Matthew McConaughey and Camila Alves have shared an adorable photo of their new baby girl, Vida, who is now three weeks old on Matthew’s web site. Here’s what the actor included with the picture…

    “Here’s a pic of our latest family member Vida Alves McConaughey. Thanks for all your well wishes our way, the future’s lookin bright, just keep livin, Matthew and Camila.”

The couple also has a son, Levi, 18 months. I bet that house is full of love and lack of sleep. Just the way it should be.
Introducing Vida Alves McConaughey! Matthew McConaughey and his gorgeous girlfriend Camila Alves welcomed daughter Vida Alves McConaughey into the world almost a month ago and now we're getting the first look at their baby girl.

McConaughey posted his personal photo on his website and thanked fans for all the support and love.

"Here's a pic of our latest family member Vida Alves McConaughey," the caption reads. "Thanks for all your well wishes our way, the future's lookin bright, just keep livin, Matthew and Camila."

Matthew and Camila also have a 18 month old son, Levi, but he's not pictured in the photograph. At the time of Vida's birth McConaughey said: “On Sunday, Jan. 3rd at 12:13am, Camila gave birth to a healthy 7lb. 7oz. baby girl named ‘Vida Alves McConaughey’... ‘Vida’ is Portuguese for ‘life’ and that’s what God gave us this morning.”

Meanwhile, Camila currently has Matthew on a 40 day sex ban so her body can recover from giving birth.

She tells StyleList.com, "Where I come from, we believe in something we call a 40-day break after the baby. You have to let your body do its own thing. You give it time to recover and let everything settle down.

"In a way, it is nice. There is not so much pressure. You kind of respect all the hard work your body has just done and give it a break. For these 40 days you really take it easy. By that I mean no sex, light, healthy food, no trips to the gym. Then, after 40 days, you are good to go."

She added that she's can't wait for Valentine's Day to come, which will be just after 40 days. Someone's going to have a hot and steamy V-Day! Congrats to these two, Vida is gorgeous!

Ke$ha

Why Is She Famous?

Don't look now, but it appears as though 2010 has found its first bona fide pop star. With her boozy banger "Tik Tok" searing the charts, and her best-selling debut album, Animal, loaded with potential singles, Ke$ha (nee Kesha Serbet) is poised to become the music industry's next pop princess. Her unique brand of pop swagger is one part Britney, one part Lady GaGa and one part Katy Perry; a literal amalgam of the industry's most surefire tropes. But if you tell her she's no more than a manufactured pop pastiche, expect a bottle to the face and a closed fist to the gut. Don't say we didn't warn you.

Success

Ke$ha has come a long way since her days of living out of a car in L.A. After an uncredited guest vocal on Flo Rida's smash single "Right Round," the aspiring singer couldn't even afford a taco, but the stardom seed had been planted. Having already topped many international charts, her fist single "Tik Tok" became Billboard's first No. 1 song of 2010 and is currently the highest selling digital download ever by a female artist. Her debut album, Animal, fared even better, debuting at No. 1 on the Billboard album charts and toppling the juggernaut that is Susan Boyle. Though "Tik Tok" is the only single that's been officially released, several more songs have already begun charting. Ke$ha has also been making the rounds on late-night television and has been booked for the new incarnation of Lilith Fair. Oh yeah, she can now buy all the tacos she wants.

Sexiness

Don't expect her to hold your hand for a walk by the lake, and don't expect her to make you chicken soup when you're feeling under the weather. That's what Hilary Duff is for. But if you want to spend the night in a booze-soaked dream with a provocative, young blonde who may or may not leave you with a black eye, then Ke$ha is the girl for you. Her glammed up trailer-trash-meets-club-goddess look is the perfect elixir after a year dominated by the Taylor Swifts and Miley Cyruses of the world.

Quotes
"I just really wanted to embody the lifestyle that I live. We're all young and broke and it doesn't matter. We can find clothes on the side of the street and go out and look fantastic, and kill it. If we don't have a car that doesn't stop us, because we'll take the bus. If we can't afford drinks, we'll bring a bottle in our purse. It's just about not letting anything bring you down."
- Ke$ha
Biography
Born in Los Angeles' San Fernando Valley, Ke$ha and her brother were raised by a single mother whose singing and songwriting earned just enough for the family to stay afloat. In 1991, they moved to Nashville, where Ke$ha would spend quality time in the studio with her mother, learning to sing and write songs. The family played host to Paris Hilton and Nicole Ritchie for their reality show The Simple Life (Ke$ha would go on to puke in Paris' closet years later), before Ke$ha was convinced by super producers Dr. Luke and Max Martin to move back to L.A. to pursue a career in music.
ke$ha struggles in los angeles
If you watch an interview featuring Ke$ha, the odds are that the reason behind the dollar sign in her name will come up. So who are we to not partake in the decoding? The story goes like this: When Ke$ha dropped out of high school and moved to L.A. to pursue a music career, she adopted the life of a vagabond, living with her estranged father, a boyfriend, with some roommates in a Laurel Canyon house, and, at one point, even in her car. Though she sang backup vocals for Paris Hilton and Britney Spears, Ke$ha was unable to obtain the stardom she craved. Even when the rapper Flo Rida overheard her in the studio and enlisted her to sing the hook on his ubiquitous single "Right Round," Ke$ha still lived in relative anonymity and without a record deal. She famously said that although she would hear her voice on the radio all the time, it was ironic that she didn't have enough money in her pocket to buy food, hence the dollar sign in her name.
ke$ha releases "tik tok"
With the help of producer Dr. Luke, Ke$ha signed a deal with RCA records, and began work on her debut album. Her first single, the frisky party anthem "Tik Tok," in which she introduced the playful rapping style she's now known for, started charting overseas before gaining recognition in the States. Eventually, the infectious track about libation-fueled late-night shenanigans and the mornings after reached No. 1 on the Billboard Hot 100, the first song of 2010 to do so. "Tik Tok" also became the highest selling digital download by a female artist ever, solidifying its status as a genuine phenomenon. Of the songwriting process, Ke$ha has said: "One morning I just woke up, and I live in this house with I don't even know how many roommates -- it's this Laurel Canyon house with seven rooms and roommates fluctuating monthly. I woke up one day after we went to a party, and I was surrounded by 10 of the most beautiful women you've ever seen. And I was like, I'm like P. Diddy -- there's no man like this in the entire world."
ke$ha releases her debut album, animal
It's hard to believe that an album that details such events as puking in Paris Hilton's closet was seven years in the making, but that's how long Ke$ha's debut effort Animal has been gestating. Ke$ha claims to have written over 200 songs for the album although only 14 made the final cut. When Animal debuted on January 5th, it overtook Susan Boyle for the No. 1 spot on the Billboard Album Chart, proving that irreverent party music still has a place in our culture. Duh.

Gillian Jacobs

Why Is She Famous?
Gillian Jacobs is making school cool again thanks to her role as a sassy student with something to prove on Community. The smartly written sitcom has already won fans from coast-to-coast and has transformed Jacobs into one of television’s most talked about new starlets. “We’re so thrilled about this show and thankfully people seem to be excited about it too,” she says. “If we can maintain [the program’s] high level of quality and keep me consistently employed so I don’t have to go back to babysitting, then I’ll be a happy girl!"

Success

Gillian Jacobs is used to being recognized. Unfortunately for her, it’s not always for being an actress. "I was at a bar [recently] and this guy says, 'You look familiar,'" she recalls. "I got secretly excited and thought, 'This is my first big moment of someone recognizing me!' Then he says, 'I asked you out once and you never called me back.' We both smiled uncomfortable smiles and walked away." Encounters like that should soon be a thing of the past as folks from Maine to California start recognizing Jacobs for her role as Britta on NBC’s Community. Although the sitcom is overflowing with talent, Jacobs is primed to become the show’s breakaway star thanks to her irresistible blend of beauty and sass.


Sexiness

For a woman who insists she isn’t a bad girl, Gillian Jacobs is awfully good at playing them on screen. Since gradating from Juilliard in 2004, this Pittsburgh native has delivered one titillating performance after another as an oversexed drug addict in The Little Flower of East Orange, a teenage prostitute in Gardens of Night, an exotic dancer in Blackbird, and a pole-twirling stripper named Cherry Daiquiri in Choke. "I thought I was going to be the ingenue, playing Juliet in Romeo and Juliet or some innocent young thing, and instead I'm playing these lost girls,” she says. “I've snorted fake coke, smoked fake heroin. It's been an education." It’s also been a pleasure to watch, as the aforementioned roles have required Jacobs to show off her fabulous figure in various states of undress. Although she isn’t likely to snort coke or perform any lap dances on Community, Jacobs will continue to make us watch her every move thanks to her beautiful bedroom eyes and seriously sexy swagger.

Quotes

"I had play rehearsal at Juilliard while the MTV Awards were filming at Lincoln Center. You're trying to get to class and it's like, 'Out of my way, Whitney Houston!'"
- Gillian Jacobs
Biography
Growing up in Pittsburgh, Gillian Jacobs never let anything get in the way of becoming an actress. Not even the city’s notoriously inclement weather. “I remember one time there was a really heavy rain and my mom said, ‘You’re not gonna be able to go to acting class today because there’s flooding on the bridges,’ and I was like, ‘We're going!’” Jacobs’ commitment to her craft elevated her to the top of her class and before long she was starring in a number of prominent productions at the Pittsburgh Public Theater. She remained at the theater until 2000 when she left the Steel City for the bright lights of New York to attended Juilliard. “I got no academic education,” she says, “but I got very intense acting training. I was basically locked in a room with 15 people for four years.”
Gillian jacobs makes her big screen debut
Gillian Jacobs graduated from Juilliard in 2004 and made her big screen debut the following year in Building Girl, a charming romantic comedy about a pair of young lovers in Manhattan. Unfortunately, the film received minimal distribution and Jacobs retreated into the theater later that year where she performed in Chris Denham’s psychosexual thriller Cagelove. Jason Zinoman of The New York Times was particularly complimentary of Jacobs’s performance, urging readers to “Remember the name of Gillian Jacobs, a stunning Juilliard graduate who has the glow of a star in the making.”
gillian jacobs stays up all night
Gillian Jacobs received more rave reviews for her work in 2007 thanks to a pair of strong performances in the gritty independent drama Blackbird and the amusing comedy Up All Night, a made-for-TV movie about a group of regulars who hang out at their favorite watering hole until the wee hours of the morning. She also returned to the theater in The Fabulous Life of a Size Zero, an off-Broadway production brimming with sharp dialogue and racy characters.
Gillian jacobs stars in choke
Gillian Jacobs received her big break in 2008 when she was cast in Choke, an inventive comedy about a con-man who plays on the sympathies of those who rescue him from choking to death. Written by Chuck Palahniuk and starring Sam Rockwell and Anjelica Huston, the film received the Special Jury Prize at the Sundance Film Festival and went on to enjoy a successful run in theaters across North America. It also gave Jacobs’ career a tremendous boost and she cashed in with a starring role in Gardens of the Night, a gripping drama about a pair of teenage exiles attempting to survive life on the street. The film became a huge hit on the festival circuit and earned director Damian Harris major awards from the Deuville Film Festival and the Mons International Festival of Love. Jacobs capped off her career year in 2008 by starring in The Little Flower of East Orange, an off-Broadway play directed by Academy Award-winner Philip Seymour Hoffman.
Gillian jacobs is cast in community
Gillian Jacobs came charging out of the gates in 2009 with a trio of well-received guest-starring roles in Law & Order: Criminal Intent, Royal Pains and The Good Wife. She also found a recurring gig as a series regular when she was cast as a former high school dropout in the NBC sitcom Community. “I read the pilot and I loved it,” she recalls. “It was the sort of girl who I’d want to play and want to watch. So I was really excited about the script in terms of the project.” Jacobs has also been excited about the chemistry the cast has developed. “All of us just seem to genuinely get along and like each other… and thank god, since we’re an ensemble show!” she says. “But you can’t really plan that. So I feel really lucky to be a part of this cast.”

FASHION TRENDS IN THE WORLD OF SPORTS

The new age sportsperson is as conscious about fashion as about fitness. Be it the professional circuit, weekend sports or exercise circles, fashion has become an integral part of sports.

The new age sportsperson is as conscious about fashion as about fitness. Be it the professional circuit, weekend sports or exercise circles, fashion has become an integral part of sports.

Kids and teenagers are fast emulating their favourite sportspersons not just in their style of play but also in the way they dress.

In fact, Sania Mirza recently became the first Indian sportsperson to have her own signature collection, for the Italian apparel brand Lotto.

"With the Sharapovas and the Williams the tennis courts have become a place where you display a lot of fashion and make a lot of fashion statements. This is great for sports and for tennis," Mirza said.

"I am a very casual and relaxed with my clothes." She added.

The designers too have started taking an interest in who's wearing what on the pitches, courts, greens and tracks.

These include Manish Arora, who has joined up with Reebok to launch 'Fish Fry', a blend of sporting comfort and haute couture.

Major brands are now laying emphasis on colours, materials and styling.

Style guide

According to our style guide, the classic white of course is never out of fashion in summer, but this season, the emphasis is just as much on bright solid colours, neat cuts and reflective fabrics so that you can beat the heat.

Semi fitted sportswear with an element of stretch is essential for that unrestricted movement on the field.

Every sport requires its own kind of shoe. Air filled footwear is the vogue now for that extra bounce and agility.

And the most essential part of the attire is accessories - a lot of them from wristbands to head bands to colourful beads and even drop earrings for the girls.

Of course, fashion in sports also responds to the big events of the time, so even if you don't particularly care for football, this would be a good time to pull out your Beckham and Ronaldo jerseys.

And of course the latest trend in sport these days is simply buying the merchandising on the internet.

Trendy sportswear, fashionable accessories and stylish gear, with the growing awareness of fashion in sports, it's not only about how you play but also about what you play in

Mel Gibson returns to screen after 7 1/2 year

The last time Mel Gibson starred in a movie, he was grappling with alien invaders and a misplaced faith in the sci-fi thriller "Signs."

That was 7 1/2 years ago. Since then, Gibson has become a cultural firebrand, directing the controversial 2004 box-office hit "The Passion of the Christ" and the violent 2006 action epic, "Apocalypto."

He also became a cultural pariah in July 2006 when, after being pulled over in Malibu, outside Los Angeles, for speeding and driving under the influence, Gibson made obscene, anti-Semitic remarks to the arresting officer after being handcuffed and put inside a police car.

Gibson largely disappeared after the incident but returns to theaters Friday with a new movie, "Edge of Darkness," a thriller about a Boston police detective seeking revenge for the murder of his 24-year-old daughter. Receiving lukewarm reviews so far, the movie is similar in tone with past blood-drenched Gibson films such as "Ransom" and the "Lethal Weapon" franchise.

"It was time," Gibson, 54, tells The Associated Press. "I felt like getting back in the saddle. I felt like I was getting stale about seven or eight years ago. Stepped back, did some things I wanted to do. Did a few things I didn't want to do. And then time to come back."

"I don't think Mel eases his way back into anything," says "Edge of Darkness" producer Graham King. "Sure, we discussed very early on, `Is this the right role for him to come back in?' I think it is, and hopefully moviegoers will agree."

Will they? Hollywood.com box office analyst Paul Dergarabedian believes Gibson picked the right movie for his comeback.

"In revenge roles, Mel Gibson has few peers," Dergarabedian says. "If you've been away for awhile, it's smart to go back to what people are comfortable seeing you do."

Some, though, question whether Gibson's public standing has not suffered permanent damage.

"I think that drunk-driving tirade confirmed a lot of people's suspicions about the kind of person Mel Gibson is," says Matthew Traub, managing director at Dan Klores Communications.

Traub, who specializes in crisis management public relations, believes people are willing to forgive celebrities for substance abuse or sexual indiscretion but draw the line at bigotry.

Publicist Michael Levine, whose agency has represented Bill Clinton and Michael Jackson among others, agrees.

"I think he's done," Levine says of Gibson's career prospects. "He'll work, he'll exist, but I think he's seared his obit for life."

Gibson defiantly rejects the notion that he's damaged goods.

"It's 30 years ago that I lost my own personal anonymity," Gibson said. "And it's 30 years ago that the public humiliation began. And sometimes it reaches a global level. And what doesn't kill you makes you stronger. And I'm telling you right now, I'm one strong motherf----- because I'm right back at you."

Gibson also insisted his past notoriety will not affect his ability to work with Hollywood studios in the future.

"What scandal?" he says. "That's mostly newspaper hype, OK?! I can get in with the studio, work with them, or work independently as I wish. And I'll go on as I always have."

Gibson has been tentatively making the rounds to promote his new movie. He attended the Golden Globes on Jan. 17 and good naturedly played along when host Ricky Gervais brought a pint of beer on stage and jokingly introduced Gibson, saying, "Honestly, I like a drink as much as the next man — unless the next man is Mel Gibson."

He also was seen cheerfully working the phone bank at last week's all-star "Hope for Haiti Now" telethon.

But there have been missteps, too. A brief TV interview with KTLA entertainment reporter Sam Rubin turned tense when Rubin told Gibson: "Some people will welcome you back, some people will say you should never come back."

Gibson, defensive, leaned forward and asked, "Why?" Rubin replied: "Because of what happened before." Gibson: "What happened before?" Rubin: "The remarks that were attributed to you." Gibson: "The remarks that were attributed to me that I didn't necessarily make."

After the interview aired, Rubin questioned whether Gibson was ever truly sorry for the anti-Semitic remarks he made in 2006, particularly when he now contests the comments for which he widely apologized in the aftermath of his arrest.

While some may question Gibson's remorse, there's no doubting that people are still happy to make movies with him. Gibson just completed filming the offbeat comedy, "The Beaver," directed by longtime friend Jodie Foster, who plays Gibson's wife in the movie.

He has written a prison drama, "How I Spent My Summer Vacation" and will star in that movie later this year.

And he plans to direct Leonardo DiCaprio in a Viking epic that will employ Old Norse dialogue, a movie Gibson says will "put the V in Viking."

If that sounds a little out there, that's one reason why many are eager to welcome Gibson back in the fold.

"As a Jew, I have to say Mel Gibson's my favorite anti-Semite," says veteran film reporter Lewis Beale. "He's an incredibly talented guy both behind and in front of the camera." s

Mona Lisa mystery Scientists hope to solve by exhuming Leonardo’s body

The legend of Leonardo da Vinci is shrouded in mystery: How did he die? Are the remains buried in a French chateau really those of the Renaissance master? Was the Mona Lisa a self-portrait in disguise?

A group of Italian scientists believes the key to solving those puzzles lies with the remains — and they say they are seeking permission from French authorities to dig up the body to conduct carbon and DNA testing.

If the skull is intact, the scientists can go to the heart of a question that has fascinated scholars and the public for centuries: the identity of the person in the Mona Lisa. Recreating a virtual and then physical reconstruction of Leonardo’s face, they can compare it with the smiling face in the painting, experts involved in the project told The Associated Press.

“We don’t know what we’ll find if the tomb is opened, we could even just find grains and dust,” says Giorgio Gruppioni, an anthropologist who is participating in the project. “But if the remains are well kept, they are a biological archive that registers events in a person’s life, and sometimes in their death.”

The leader of the group, Silvano Vinceti, said that he plans to press his case with the French officials in charge of the purported burial site at Amboise Castle early next week.

But the Italian enthusiasm may be premature.

In France, exhumation requires a long legal procedure, and precedent suggests it’s likely to take even longer when it involves a person of great note such as Leonardo.

Jean-Louis Sureau, director of the medieval-era castle located in France’s Loire Valley, said that once a formal request is made, a commission of experts would be set up. Any such request would then be discussed with the French Ministry of Culture, Sureau said.

Leonardo moved to France at the invitation of King Francis I, who named him “first painter to the king.” He spent the last three years of his life there, and died in Cloux, near the monarch’s summer retreat of Amboise, in 1519 at age 67.

The artist’s original burial place, the palace church of Saint Florentine, was destroyed during the French Revolution and remains that are believed to be his were eventually reburied in the Saint-Hubert Chapel near the castle.

The tombstone says simply, “Leonardo da Vinci;” a notice at the site informs visitors they are the presumed remains of the artist, as do guidebooks.

“The Amboise tomb is a symbolic tomb; it’s a big question mark,” said Alessandro Vezzosi, the director of a museum dedicated to Leonardo in his Tuscan hometown of Vinci.

Vezzosi, who is not involved in the project, said that investigating the tomb could help identify the artist’s bones with certainty and solve other questions, such as the cause of his death. He said he asked to open the tomb in 2004 to study the remains, but the Amboise Castle turned him down.

As for the latest Italian proposal, Vinceti says preliminary conversations took place several years ago and he plans to follow up with a request next week to set up a meeting to explain the project in detail. This would pave the way for a formal request, he said.

The group of 100 experts involved in the project, called the National Committee for Historical and Artistic Heritage, was created in 2003 with the aim of “solving the great enigmas of the past,” said Vinceti, who has written books on art and literature.

Arguably the world’s most famous painting, the Mona Lisa hangs in the Louvre in Paris, where it drew some 8.5 million visitors last year. Mystery has surrounded the identity of the painting’s subject for centuries, with speculation ranging from the wife of a Florentine merchant to Leonardo’s own mother.

That Leonardo intended the Mona Lisa as a self-portrait in disguise is a possibility that has intrigued and divided scholars. Theories have abounded: Some think that Leonardo’s taste for pranks and riddles might have led him to conceal his own identity behind that baffling smile; others have speculated that, given Leonardo’s presumed homosexuality, the painting hid an androgynous lover.

Some have used digital analysis to superimpose Leonardo’s bearded self-portrait over the Mona Lisa to show how the facial features perfectly aligned.

If granted access to the grave site, the Italian experts plan to use a miniature camera and ground-penetrating radar — which produces images of an underground space using radar waves — to confirm the presence of bones. The scientists would then exhume the remains and attempt to date the bones with carbon testing.

At the heart of the proposed study is the effort to ascertain whether the remains are actually Leonardo’s, including with DNA testing.

Vezzosi questions the feasibility of a DNA comparison, saying he is unaware of any direct descendants of Leonardo or of tombs that could be attributed with certainty to the artist’s close relatives.

Gruppioni said DNA extracted from the bones could also eventually be compared to DNA found elsewhere. For example, Leonardo is thought to have smudged colours on the canvas with his thumb, possibly using saliva, meaning DNA might be found on his paintings, though Gruppioni conceded this was a long shot.

Even in the absence of DNA testing, other tests could provide useful information, including whether the bones belonged to a man or woman, and whether the person died young or old.

“We can have various levels of probability in the attribution of the bones,” Gruppioni said. “To have a very high probability, DNA testing is necessary.”

The experts would also look for any pathology or other evidence of the cause of death. Tuberculosis or syphilis, for example, would leave significant traces in the bone structure, said Vinceti.

In the best-case scenario — that of a well-preserved skull — the group would take a CT scan and reconstruct the face, said Francesco Mallegni, an anthropology professor who specializes in reconstructions and has recreated the faces of famous Italians, including Dante.

Even within the committee, experts are divided over the identity of the Mona Lisa.

Vinceti believes that a tradition of considering the self-portrait to be not just a faithful imitation of one’s features but a representation of one’s spiritual identity may have resonated with Leonardo.

Vezzosi, the museum director, dismissed as “baseless and senseless” the idea that the Mona Lisa could be a self-portrait of Leonardo.

The painting is “like a mirror: Everybody starts from his own hypothesis or obsession and tries to find it there,” Vezzosi said in a telephone interview.

He said most researchers believe the woman may have been either a concubine of the artist’s sponsor, the Florentine nobleman Giuliano de Medici, or Lisa Gherardini, the wife of a rich silk merchant, Francesco del Giocondo. The traditional view is that the name “Mona Lisa” comes from the silk merchant’s wife, as well as its Italian name: “La Gioconda.”

Saif Ali Khan and Kareena Kapoor to Get Married?

 The rumor mill is spinning on high speed in Bollywood again! This time rumors have it Saif Ali Khan and Kareena Kapoor are slowly but surely making their way to the altar!

While either "Kurbaan" actor has confirmed a date yet, Saif has reportedly told reporters that “I’m now looking forward to settling down with Kareena. Our marriage will happen very shortly, as soon as we both have a little less work on hand and we can give the marriage quality time."

After Shilpa Shetty and Raj Kundra tied the knot not too long ago, could this be the next big B-town wedding? Well as soon as Saif and Kareena are less busy working on their projects, we guess we will find out!

Bebo is currently promoting her latest movie "3 Idiots" with Aamir Khan so maybe Saif is just waiting for his girlfriend to finish that project before he pops the question?

What do you think of the rumors that Saif Ali Khan and Kareena Kapoor are soon the get married? Drop us a line.

Tila Tequila: Kitson for Kids Retail Romp

Getting in some much-needed retail therapy,  Tila Tequila was spotted out at Kitson for Kids boutique in Los Angeles yesterday (January 28).

Joined by some friends, the “A Shot at Love” babe looked to be in good spirits, sporting a new bangy blonde hairdo and carrying a baby doll.

Ms. Tequila is reportedly serving as a surrogate mother for her brother, and has decided to call it quits on Tinseltown while she focuses on her pregnancy.

She tweeted, “I’m gonna miss u guys!  But I have to be a Mommy now so I retire from Hollywood!”

Prior to her fiancé Casey Johnson’s tragic death, Tila says they were eyeing parenthood as well.  “We talked about one of us getting pregnant so we can have another baby of our own. We talked about this for a very long time, and we both agreed that I would be the one carrying the baby.”

“We were so excited to be mothers and she was so excited to help me through the pregnancy. I will never forget her telling me ‘You are going to be the cutest pregnant girl in the whole world in your pink Teletubby pajamas! I love you so much!’”

Andy Milonakis & Billy Idol Are Laker Fans!

 !

Funny man Andy Milonakis went to club Les Deux in Hollywood last night! Andy had some words of advice for CelebrityPuke.com. Andy suggested that we should have a subsection with actual pictures of celebrities puking! Thanks Andy, we’ll work on it. Hey everybody go check out Andy’s show on Mtv2, it’s hilarious!

Ali Sims Coffee Break With

Other than crossing the path of paparazzi galore and Hilary Duff, who knows what Ali Sims was laughing about while leaving Starbucks in Beverly Hills yesterday. Doesn’t seem like Ali should be laughing at anybody but herself…. given she her own family is almost at their end with her. Why is it that her and Brit are so addicted to Coffee Bean and Starbucks…. what the hell. It’s funny….. because if she wanted to be more stealth mode she could pick less obvious locations. I think she just digs the attention….. since no one else has been giving it her lately. It’s good to see her cousin Brit getting her butt back in gear (and I am not just talkin about the gym) with her kids and career…. not to mention spend more quality time with her expecting sister (who I heard to growing in size). Should we anticipate mini Spears to be the bigger mommy role model for us? hmmmm we will have to wait and see. This should be interesting……

Alli Sims was spotted @ the Coffee Bean on Sunset last Thursday grabbing a cup of jo. Can someone please tell me what all the hype is about this girl. Other than being Britney (wacko) Spears’ cousin and previous assistant, all she is known for is being the brainless, self described family leech that defended Sam Lufti. If you are not aware who Lufti is, he’s probably one of the biggest manipulating, self controlling losers in Los Angeles. After everything Britney has been through, Sims defended this a-hole. I almost feel bad for Britney. No wonder Alli is currently banned from the Spears’ residence.

Tobey Talks Spidey Delay

With news of Spider-Man 4 possibly pushing back its release date, Spidey himself Tobey Maguire addressed the state of the film:

    "Like anything, it's a process. We're just in the midst of the process. We have a lot of great stuff in terms of story and script. We're just trying to dial it in and get it ready as quickly as possible.

    "Of course, these movies are a very big undertaking and take a lot more time than a drama or something more straightforward."

In addition to rumored arguments over the script, another Marvel adaptation Thor also secured the May 6, 2011 release date which means Spider-Man 4 is even more unlikely to release on the same day.

Are U more looking forward to seeing Spidey or Thor take the silver screen in 2011?

An unnamed Sony studios source has confirmed production on Spider-Man 4, which was set to start next month (Feb10), has been pushed back...However, Maguire has assured fans the ongoing issues will be resolved without compromising the film’s release date.

Sri Lanka president to dissolve parliament

Re-elected President Mahinda Rajapaksa will dissolve parliament shortly and call a legislative election, his office says, in a move that would let him reshape the unwieldly coalition now backing him.

Rajapaksa won a thumping victory over his former army commander, General Sarath Fonseka, in the Indian Ocean island's first nationwide election since the defeat of the separatist Tamil Tigers.

"(The) President is to dissolve parliament and go for a general election soon," presidential spokesman Lucien Rajakarunanayake says.

He declined to say precisely when the president would dissolve the legislature. The present parliament's term is due to expire in April.

Disproving forecasts Rajapaksa and the former general would race to a photo finish, the veteran politician won 57.8% of 10.4 million votes cast against 40.2 for Fonseka.

The general has cried foul over what he said were vote rigging and an attempt to arrest him after army soldiers surrounded the luxury hotel where he was staying in the capital Colombo.

He walked out unhindered evening and vowed to challenge the results in court, but few expect that to get far given the president's victory margin was 1.8 million votes.
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The Colombo Stock Exchange dipped in trading but rebounded to gain 1.28% and touch another record high. It turned in a 125% return in 2009, fuelled by post-war optimism that made it one of the year's best performers.

The United States in a statement praised the conduct of the election, which many feared would be violent after a bloody campaign in which five people died. Observers noted few irregularities, and no major violence.

The US embassy statement noted a few violations and urged they be investigated but congratulated Sri Lanka for turnout that exceeded 70 percent and the president for his win.

"We look forward to continuing the partnership between our two countries and working with the government and the people to support a peaceful and prosperous Sri Lanka," the statement says.

Rajapaksa sought a new mandate to bless his plans to develop Sri Lanka by exploiting its geographically strategic position astride air and sea lanes, rebuilding infrastructure and encouraging foreign investment and local productivity.

Banking that his post-war popularity would secure him a new six-year term, Rajapaksa gambled and called the election two years before his term was set to expire.

Aides say the president is keen to reconfigure the current coalition behind him, which has produced a cabinet with more than 100 ministers and has in the past kept him from achieving some of the political tasks he set out to do.

One on which Rajapaksa has been continually criticised is the start of political reconciliation with the Tamil ethnic minority, after the end of the war. The president says he will begin that process after the parliamentary poll.

Rajapaksa holds the reins of a $40 billion economy that has enjoyed a partial peace dividend, and is on the path to recovery with big Chinese and Indian investments into infrastructure and plans to put $4 billion into development.

Development of local industry, business and agriculture are what Rajapaksa says will be the key to healing Sri Lanka's divisions, by building a national identity and reconnecting the formerly Tiger-held areas to the rest of the country.


Jan 28 (Reuters) -- Re-elected President Mahinda Rajapaksa will dissolve parliament shortly and call a legislative election, his office said Thursday, in a move that would let him reshape the unwieldly coalition now backing him.

Rajapaksa won a thumping victory on Tuesday over his former army commander, General Sarath Fonseka, in the Indian Ocean island's first nationwide election since the defeat of the separatist Tamil Tigers. [ID:nSGE60Q006] [ID:nSGE60Q0KN]

"(The) President is to dissolve parliament and go for a general election soon," presidential spokesman Lucien Rajakarunanayake said.

He declined to say precisely when the president would dissolve the legislature. The present parliament's term is due to expire in April.

Disproving forecasts Rajapaksa and the former general would race to a photo finish, the veteran politician won 57.8 percent of 10.4 million votes cast against 40.2 for Fonseka.

The general has cried foul over what he said were vote rigging and an attempt to arrest him after army soldiers surrounded the luxury hotel where he was staying in the capital Colombo.

He walked out unhindered on Wednesday evening and vowed to challenge the results in court, but few expect that to get far given the president's victory margin was 1.8 million votes.

The Colombo Stock Exchange <.CSE> dipped in early Thursday trading but rebounded to gain 1.28 percent and touch another record high. It turned in a 125 percent return in 2009, fuelled by post-war optimism that made it one of the year's best performers.

The United States in a statement praised the conduct of the election, which many feared would be violent after a bloody campaign in which five people died. Observers noted few irregularities, and no major violence.

The U.S. embassy statement noted a few violations and urged they be investigated but congratulated Sri Lanka for turnout that exceeded 70 percent and the president for his win.

"We look forward to continuing the partnership between our two countries and working with the government and the people to support a peaceful and prosperous Sri Lanka," the statement said.

Rajapaksa sought a new mandate to bless his plans to develop Sri Lanka by exploiting its geographically strategic position astride air and sea lanes, rebuilding infrastructure and encouraging foreign investment and local productivity. [ID:nSGE5BL0G7]

Banking that his post-war popularity would secure him a new six-year term, Rajapaksa gambled and called the election two years before his term was set to expire.

Aides say the president is keen to reconfigure the current coalition behind him, which has produced a cabinet with more than 100 ministers and has in the past kept him from achieving some of the political tasks he set out to do.

One on which Rajapaksa has been continually criticised is the start of political reconciliation with the Tamil ethnic minority, after the end of the war. The president said on Wednesday night he would begin that process after the parliamentary poll.

Rajapaksa holds the reins of a $40 billion economy that has enjoyed a partial peace dividend, and is on the path to recovery with big Chinese and Indian investments into infrastructure and plans to put $4 billion into development.

Development of local industry, business and agriculture are what Rajapaksa says will be the key to healing Sri Lanka's divisions, by building a national identity and reconnecting the formerly Tiger-held areas to the rest of the country. (Writing by Bryson Hull; Editing by Jerry Norton)

Serena Williams to face Justine Henin; Andy Murray advances to Australian Open final

 Defending champion Serena Williams has advanced to her fifth Australian Open final and will face Justine Henin, who is only two tournaments into her comeback from retirement.

Both advanced over Chinese players today to set up a championship match involving two former Australian champions.

Top-ranked Williams wasted four match points before finishing off a 7-6 (4), 7-6 (1) semifinal win with an ace against Li Na, a day after her sister Venus lost to the Chinese player in the quarterfinals.

Henin overwhelmed 2008 Wimbledon semifinalist Zheng Jie, 6-1, 6-0, in 51 minutes, the shortest match of this tournament and the most lopsided semifinal at the Australian Open since Chris Evert beat Andrea Jaeger by the same score in 1982.

Williams leads Henin, 7-6, in career head-to-heads, although they've never met in a Grand Slam final. Williams won their last match, at Miami in 2008, just before Henin retired suddenly while holding the No. 1 ranking.

"I can't wait for the final. It's such an amazing chance that I have to play another final in Melbourne," said Henin, who won the 2004 title in Melbourne and retired with stomach problems during the 2006 final against Amelie Mauresmo. "It's a very special occasion, but the dream continues.

"I'm going to play the No. 1 player in the world in a Grand Slam final. She's a real fighter."

Serena has won the title every time she's played for the championship since beating Venus here in 2003. The winning sequence has been every odd-numbered year so far.

"I really should have won sooner. . . . I had so many match points and I blew it and I knew I couldn't mess up my serve because she never gives up," Williams said after posting her 50th career win at Melbourne Park. "She's a real, real amazing fighter.

"Every time I had match points she came up with some big serves and great shots. She just goes for broke."

Williams got on top against Li by breaking in the opening game.

Li fended off a set point in the ninth game before holding, then broke Williams' serve in the 10th game to even the match at 5-5.

In the tiebreaker, Williams picked up four of her last five points on unforced errors by Li and then clinched the 58-minute set with a second-service ace.

The second set went with serve, with Li fending off three match points in the 10th game and another in the 12th to force a second tiebreaker. Again, Williams dominated the tiebreaker to race to a 6-1 lead, closing with her 12th ace of the match.

No. 5 Andy Murray and No. 14 Marin Cilic were to meet in a semifinal tonight night after ousting the second- and fourth-seeded players in the quarterfinals.

With Jo-Wilfried Tsonga taking out No. 3 Novak Djokovic late Wednesday night, there was nobody left in the draw who has beaten Roger Federer in a major.

Murray was leading defending champion Rafael Nadal by two sets and a break when the Spaniard retired because of a knee injury; Cilic beat U.S. Open champion Juan Martin del Potro in five sets.

Tsonga beat 2008 champion Djokovic, 7-6 (8), 6-7 (5), 1-6, 6-3, 6-1, in a reverse of the outcome of their final here two years ago, and will meet top-ranked Federer in a semifinal Friday.

Federer advanced to his 23rd consecutive Grand Slam semifinal on Wednesday with a 2-6, 6-3, 6-0, 7-5 win over No. 6 Nikolay Davydenko.

Davydenko's 13-match winning streak was the hottest on tour and included two wins over Federer.

The Russian unloaded everything he had on Federer for a set and a half, until Federer's big-match experience kicked in, he switched gears and won 13 straight games to take the match away from Davydenko.

Federer has made the semifinals or better at every major since Wimbledon in 2004, a record he considers "definitely one of the most incredible things I have in my resume."
Defending champion Serena Williams advanced to her fifth Australian Open final and will put her 100 percent record here on the line against Justine Henin, who is only two tournaments into her comeback from retirement.

Both advanced over Chinese players on Thursday to set up a championship match involving two former Australian champions.

Justine Henin
AP Photo/Rick RycroftJust two tournaments into her comeback, Justine Henin is in the Australian Open final. She is 6-7 career against her upcoming opponent, Serena Williams.

Top-ranked Williams wasted four match points before finishing off a 7-6 (4), 7-6 (1) semifinal win with an ace against Li Na on Thursday, a day after her sister Venus lost to the Chinese player in the quarterfinals.

Henin overwhelmed 2008 Wimbledon semifinalist Zheng Jie 6-1, 6-0 in 51 minutes, the shortest match of this tournament and the most lopsided semifinal at the Australian Open since Chris Evert beat Andrea Jaeger by the same score in 1982.

Williams leads Henin 7-6 in career head-to-heads, although they've never met in a Grand Slam final. Williams won their last match, at Miami in 2008, just before Henin retired suddenly while holding the No. 1 ranking.

"I can't wait for the final. It's such an amazing chance that I have to play another final in Melbourne," said Henin, who won the 2004 title in Melbourne and retired with stomach problems during the 2006 final against Amelie Mauresmo. "It's a very special occasion, but the dream continues.

"I'm going to play the No. 1 player in the world in a Grand Slam final. She's a real fighter," she said.

Williams has won the title every time she's played for the championship since beating Venus here in 2003. The winning sequence has been every odd-numbered year so far.

"I really should have won sooner ... I had so many match points and I blew it and I knew I couldn't mess up my serve because she never gives up," Williams said after posting her 50th career win at Melbourne Park. "She's a real, real amazing fighter.

"Every time I had match points she came up with some big serves and great shots. She just goes for broke," she said.

Williams, the 11-time Grand Slam singles champion, was joining her sister in a doubles semifinal in the afternoon.


Complete results

Need the scores from any match played in today's Australian Open? Results

China had two players into the semifinals of the same major for the first time but still is yet to get a finalist.

Henin has won seven Grand Slam singles titles but is into her first major since the 2008 Australian Open, when she lost in the quarterfinals to eventual champion Maria Sharapova.

Henin is unranked and two tournaments into a comeback from 20 months off the tour, hoping to emulate fellow Belgian Kim Clijsters' win at the U.S. Open.

Clijsters was only three tournaments into a comeback from two years off, and playing on a wild-card entry, when she beat both Williams sisters en route to winning the title at New York.

Williams is hoping for better against a Belgian on the comeback this time. Her semifinal loss to Clijsters in New York cost her a record $82,500 fine for a profanity-laced tirade against a line judge who called her for a foot fault.
Against Li, she got on top by breaking in the opening game.
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Li fended off a set point in the ninth game before holding and then broke Williams' serve in the 10th game to even the match at 5-5.

In the tiebreak, Williams picked up four of her last five points on unforced errors by Li and then clinched the 58-minute set with a second-service ace.

The second set went with serve, with Li fending off three match points in the 10th game and another in the 12th to force a second tiebreaker. Again, Williams dominated the tiebreak to race to a 6-1 lead, closing with her 12th ace of the match.

Venus, who had a chance to serve for the quarterfinal on Wednesday against Li before she lost, was watching from the stands. Chinese fans waving their red national flags were sitting in the rows behind her.

Author of The Catcher in the Rye: J. D. Salinger

After receiving critical acclaim for his short story A Perfect Day for Bananafish, which was published in The New Yorker in 1948, J. D. Salinger shot to worldwide fame with his novel The Catcher in the Rye, which appeared in 1951. With its disenchanted adolescent anti-hero, perpetually at war with adulthood, especially as embodied in his own parents, it seemed to encapsulate the mood of an entire generation. Perhaps more remarkably it simultaneously exercised a considerable effect on that generation’s behaviour.

So what about the safe? The death this week of J.D. Salinger ends one of literature's most mysterious lives and intensifies one of its greatest mysteries: Was the author of "The Catcher in the Rye" keeping a stack of finished, unpublished manuscripts in a safe in his house in Cornish, N.H? Are they masterpieces, curiosities or random scribbles?

And if there are publishable works, will the author's estate release them?

The Salinger camp isn't talking.

No comment, says his literary representative, Phyllis Westberg, of Harold Ober Associates Inc.

No plans for any new Salinger books, reports his publisher, Little, Brown & Co.

Marcia B. Paul, an attorney for Salinger when the author sued last year to stop publication of a "Catcher" sequel, would not get on the phone Thursday.

His son, Matt Salinger, referred questions about the safe to Westberg.

Stories about a possible Salinger trove have been around for a long time. In 1999, New Hampshire neighbor Jerry Burt said the author had told him years earlier that he had written at least 15 unpublished books kept locked in a safe at his home. A year earlier, author and former Salinger girlfriend Joyce Maynard had written that Salinger used to write daily and had at least two novels stored away.

Salinger, who died Wednesday at age 91, began publishing short stories in the 1940s and became a sensation in the 1950s after the release of "Catcher," a novel that helped drive the already wary author into near-total seclusion. His last book, "Raise High the Roof Beam, Carpenters and Seymour," came out in 1963 and his last published work of any kind, the short story "Hapworth 16, 1924," appeared in The New Yorker in 1965.

Jay McInerney, a young star in the 1980s thanks to the novel "Bright Lights, Big City," is not a fan of Hapworth and skeptical about the contents of the safe.

"I think there's probably a lot in there, but I'm not sure if it's necessarily what we hope it is," McInerney said Thursday. "'Hapworth' was not a traditional or terribly satisfying work of fiction. It was an insane epistolary monologue, virtually shapeless and formless. I have a feeling that his later work is in that vein."

Author-editor Gordon Lish, who in the 1970s wrote an anonymous story that convinced some readers it was a Salinger original, said he was "certain" that good work was locked up in Cornish. Novelist Curtis Sittenfeld, frequently compared to Salinger because of her novel "Prep," was simply enjoying the adventure.

"I can't wait to find out!" she said. "In our age of shameless self-promotion, it's extraordinary, and kind of great, to think of someone really and truly writing for writing's sake."

Some of the great works of literature have been published after the author's death, and even against the author's will, including such Franz Kafka novels as "The Trial" and "The Castle," which Kafka had requested be destroyed.

Because so little is known about what Salinger was doing, it's so easy to guess. McInernay said he has an old girlfriend who met Salinger and was told that the author was mostly writing about health and nutrition. Lish said Salinger told him back in the 1960s that he was still writing about the Glass family, featured in much of Salinger's work.

But the Salinger papers might exist only in our dreams, like the second volume of Nikolai Gogol's "Dead Souls," which the Russian author burned near the end of his life. The Salinger safe also could turn into a version of Henry James' novella "The Aspern Papers," in which the narrator's pursuit of a late poet's letters ends with his being told that they were destroyed.

Margaret Salinger, the author's daughter, wrote in a memoir published in 2000 that J.D. Salinger had a precise filing system for his papers: A red mark meant the book could be released "as is," should the author die. A blue mark meant that the manuscript had to be edited.

"There is a marvelous peace in not publishing," J.D. Salinger told The New York Times in 1974. "Publishing is a terrible invasion of my privacy. I like to write. I love to write. But I write just for myself and my own pleasure."

Haiti insecurity mounts as survivor's tale amazes

Haiti's vulnerable quake victims faced rising insecurity Thursday with criminals raping women in camps and violence erupting during handouts of sparse foreign aid, officials warned.

Miracle Haiti girl had nothing to eat or drink, say doctors

"Only Jesus Christ is watching over us," said Mariana Merise, 40, who lives in a camp by the crumpled National Palace that residents said was plagued by gangs stealing their meager possessions.

Because of the lack of electricity in Port-au-Prince, "bandits are taking advantage to harass and rape women and young girls under the tents," national police chief Mario Andresol said.

Criminals raping Haiti quake survivors: police

Thousands of prisoners who escaped from the main jail on the night of the 7.0-magnitude quake are "running wild" and the police force is stretched to cope as hundreds of its members were dead or missing, he said.
But a ray of hope penetrated the gloom as doctors marveled at how a 16-year-old girl who was pulled from the rubble of the capital a day earlier managed to survive 15 days buried alive without any food or water.

With aid still only trickling in despite a vast international relief effort launched after the January 12 quake, hundreds of thousands of homeless people in tent camps are not only short of food but also at risk from rising crime.

The deputy head of the UN mission in Haiti, Anthony Banbury, told AFP that desperate survivors waiting in line for aid were sometimes turning violent.

While the influx of aid was vital after the quake, which killed around 170,000 people, "at the same it can be a source of insecurity because it attracts big crowds and there can be disorder around food distribution."

Speaking in Jacmel, a ruined resort town outside Port-au-Prince, Banbury said it was "absolutely necessary that we get enough food, enough water, enough shelter for the people, and enough security."

In a symbol of Haitian resilience, rescuers said quake survivor Darlene Etienne was severely dehydrated but stable on board a French hospital ship after rescuers dragged her from under a collapsed house on Wednesday.

Miracle survival stories from Haiti earthquake

"I am incapable of explaining it medically, but she told me this morning that she didn't eat anything, didn't drink anything," said Evelyne Lambert, the chief doctor on the Siroco, which is docked off Haiti's coast.

Neighbors alerted rescuers after hearing her cries. Doctors feared her heart might stop because she was so weakened by her ordeal, the longest of any Haitian survivor so far.

"To my knowledge, she is one of the most extreme cases of survival," added Colonel Michel Orcel, who runs the French field hospital in Port-au-Prince.

At the World Economic Forum in Davos, former US President Bill Clinton made an emotional speech to global political and business leaders urging them to help the poorest nation in the Americas "rise from the ashes."

"They need to be helped through this hideous natural disaster," said Clinton, a UN special envoy for Haiti, as he kicked off an initiative to get private sector help for the country.

International aid pledges and funding for Haiti topped two billion dollars on Thursday, the United Nations said, but the task of getting the country back on its feet remains huge.

More than three-quarters of Port-au-Prince has been destroyed and will need rebuilding, UN deputy special envoy Paul Farmer told a US Senate committee.

Scavengers continue to pillage materials to build shelter, clambering over the foul-smelling ruins where countless bodies are buried despite police efforts to chase them off.

War of nerves as Haiti digs out from the rubble

The start of hurricane season in May could make the situation in Haiti even worse, with around 200,000 families without a roof, warned Margareta Wahlstrom, the UN representative for disaster risk reduction.

In a setback, the US military said engineers would need eight to 10 weeks to repair one of the two main piers at the capital's crucial port after aftershocks knocked it out of operation shortly after it was repaired.

The United States has spearheaded relief efforts, sending in 20,000 troops, 23 ships and more than 90 aircraft to help deliver aid and medical care to survivors, said General Douglas Fraser, head of the US Southern Command.

Obama urges nervous Dems to fight for his agenda

 President Barack Obama voiced determination Thursday to change the tone of Washington politics and urged Republicans to get "off the sidelines" and help fix health care and other problems.

Stopping on his way out of a town hall meeting in Tampa, Fla., Obama hammered again on his State of the Union message — insisting that voters and politicians needed to "start thinking of each other as Americans first."

Obama and Vice President Joe Biden were in Florida to announce $8 billion in federal grants for high-speed rail projects nationwide — part of his push to combine spending on infrastructure with job creation.

Obama also used his first State of the Union speech Wednesday to push nervous Democrats to forge ahead on health care, despite voters' worries and opposition from newly strengthened Republicans.

On Thursday, he turned emphatically toward Republicans and implored cooperation.

"Our political dialogue in this country has always been messy and noisy," Obama told the crowd at the University of Tampa.

"We're all Americans. We all should anticipate that the other person, even if they disagree with us, has the best of intentions. We don't have to call them names. We don't have to demonize them."

Hanging over the Obama agenda and wobbly support among Democrats were fears fueled by events such as last week's stunning GOP victory in the Massachusetts Senate race.

That setback may have cost Democrats their filibuster-proof Senate majority, Obama said, but "we still have the largest majority in decades, and the people expect us to solve some problems, not run for the hills."

He accepted partial blame for the deep troubles facing his health care push, but he implored lawmakers to finish the task rather than yield to public opposition.

"The longer it was debated, the more skeptical people became," Obama told the joint session of Congress and a nationwide TV audience. But health care problems will continue for millions, he said, and "I will not walk away from these Americans, and neither should the people in this chamber."

House and Senate Democratic leaders are scrambling to see if they can salvage the ambitious health care package, which Republicans almost universally oppose. Obama offered no new strategies for overcoming the steep parliamentary and political hurdles they face.

The president devoted most of his speech to job-creation proposals, such as eliminating capital gains taxes on small business investment and extending tax breaks for businesses to invest in new plants and equipment. But those proposals also face uncertainty in Congress, where Senate Democrats say they may need a selective, piecemeal approach to win enough votes.

Obama said Republicans share a responsibility for governing, and he proposed meeting with their House and Senate leaders monthly. But his olive branch seemed brittle at times.

Without naming George W. Bush, he pointedly noted that the previous administration left him a big deficit and a deeply troubled economy. For good measure, Obama said the United States killed more al-Qaida terrorists in 2009 than in 2008.

Obama rebuked the Supreme Court for a recent decision that "reversed a century of law to open the floodgates for special interests" and foreign corporations to make unlimited campaign contributions. At that, conservative Supreme Court Justice Samuel Alito made a dismissive face, shook his head in disagreement and seemed to mouth the words "not true."

Republicans in the House chamber generally greeted such remarks with stony gazes and smirks. The statements they issued as soon as Obama finished — or even before he finished, in some cases — were equally icy.

"We had hoped to hear a new commitment to keep his promises to govern from the center, change the tone in Washington, and work with both parties in a bipartisan way to help small businesses create jobs and get our economy moving again," said House Republican Leader John Boehner of Ohio. "Unfortunately, the president and the Democrats in charge of Congress still aren't listening to the American people."

Vice President Joe Biden, appearing in an interview Thursday morning on NBC's "Today" show, described Obama as upset with the way his program has been handled in Congress.

"One of the things that's most frustrating to him," Biden said, "is the obstructionist ways of the United States Senate, on the part of the Republicans, requiring 60 votes, a supermajority, for virtually every single, solitary initiative we've had. Now that we have 59 votes, it's time for everybody to start taking responsibility."

KRISTEN BELL PRAISES “DOWN TO EARTH” CHER

Kristen Bell says working with Cher has been like a "dream come true".

KRISTEN Bell admits she was starstruck when she first met Cher on the set of new their movie Burlesque — but insists the music legend was “very easy to be around”.

“She’s so cool and such a great actress,” Kristen said. “I could talk but I was definitely having to take a breath and going ‘I’m in a room with Cher right now’, but she’s so personable and down to earth, it’s not really what you expect, she’s very easy to be around.”

Bell says Burlesque — which hits theaters in November this year — is”about a burlesque club and Christina Aguilera plays a girl who moves from a small town and wants to perform there.

“Cher owns the club and we play best friends, I’m her lead dancer and Christina sort of comes in between the two of us and I’m not very happy about that!”

Bell — who’s currently dating comedian Dax Shepard — recently revealed that she puts her love life ahead of her Hollywood career.

“I think your significant other should be way more important than your work, personally,” she said. “I love working. I don’t know that I’d say I’m a workaholic because I also love maxin’ and relaxin’.

“I don’t think I’m a workaholic but currently, I feel like I’m at a really lovely place and I’m grateful to be where I am so I like working too, but I know what my priorities are.”

When she waded in to a water fountain in Rome to film a scene for her upcoming movie, Kristen Bell had little more on her mind than having fun.

Now, with "When in Rome" hitting theaters on Friday, it has dawned on the 29 year-old actress that she's carrying the success of an entire film on her shoulders for the first time, and with that comes the pressure to maintain a rising career.

"It's only now that I'm realizing that, wow, this is what people call your 'vehicle,'" the actress told Reuters.

But this 'vehicle' didn't pick up Bell without a lot of hard work ahead of it. Bell began acting in school, went to the New York stage, then moved to Hollywood where she landed the title role on television show "Veronica Mars" before starring in the movie "Forgetting Sarah Marshall."

Along the way, the petite, blonde-haired Bell, who grew up idolizing funny actresses such as Catherine O'Hara and Jennifer Coolidge, has been showcasing stage, music and comedy skills.

In "When in Rome,' she plays Beth, a single art curator who travels to Rome for her sister's wedding, and once there, she falls for the groom's best man (Josh Duhamel).

But when she plucks several coins from a fountain, she finds herself pursued by a band of unwanted suitors -- played by Will Arnett, Danny De Vito, Jon Heder and Dax Shepard -- all of whom had previously wished for love on those coins.

In real-life, Bell has dated Shepard for two years, but she keeps her private life out of the public spotlight.

Shooting "When in Rome," capped off a trio of movies in exotic locations. Bell traveled to Bora Bora for ensemble comedy "Couples Retreat" and Hawaii for Judd Apatow-produced "Forgetting Sarah Marshall."

"I keep saying I've fired my agent and just hired a travel agent. I have no idea why I've had such dumb luck," said Bell. "I was not well-traveled before. I grew up in Detroit where they don't teach you to dream of traveling the world."

Growing up, Bell said she was "too small to play sports" so she joined community theater. After high school she moved to New York to study theater and landed the role of Becky Thatcher in the Broadway production of "Tom Sawyer." Other roles followed on- and off-Broadway including a "Reefer Madness" musical and "The Crucible" with Liam Neeson and Laura Linney.

"There I was, five-feet tall, weighing less than a 100 lbs, eating my bagged lunch next to (playwright) Arthur Miller in a little cafeteria outside our rehearsal studio," recalls Bell. "I thought, 'How did I get here?'"

GOING HOLLYWOOD

Eventually she moved to Los Angeles and landed the title role in "Veronica Mars," a television show about a high school student who moonlights as a private investigator. It debuted in 2004 and became a critical, if not commercial, hit.

"'Veronica Mars' is what set up my whole career," said Bell. "That got me in the door for 'Sarah Marshall,' and being accepted into Judd Apatow's camp is sort of a right of passage for actors. It was very, very lucky for me."

Yet the experience on it was bittersweet. On a break from "Veronica Mars" to film the comedy "Sarah Marshall," in which she portrayed an actress who dumps her boyfriend, she learned "Veronica Mars" was being canceled.

"I was shooting 'Sarah Marshall,' playing a girl whose show just got canceled," says Bell. "When we shot that scene where Sarah says, 'My show's canceled, where am I going from here?' those feeling were very real."

But unlike the fictional Sarah Marshall, Bell's career was far from stalling. She spent a season playing a young woman with extraordinary powers on hit series "Heroes," and continues to narrate the title character for TV's "Gossip Girl."

Meanwhile, her film career continues to grow. Bell is currently shooting "Burlesque" with Christina Aguilera and Cher and next stars in the comedy "You Again," opposite Sigourney Weaver and Jamie Lee Curtis.

Yet her stage roots are not long forgotten. Bell is working on a musical stage version of the film "Heathers," a coming-of-age comedy about girls in a high school, with "Reefer Madness" director Andy Fickman and writer Kevin Murphy.

The group has already staged several readings in Los Angeles with the goal of mounting a production there before taking it to New York. Bell plays the role of Veronica, which in the film helped make Winona Ryder a star.

In the meantime, the multi-talented Bell gets to showcase her musical chops during the end credits of "When in Rome" when the cast breaks in to a musical dance number.

"I still love musical theater," confessed Bell. "I'm never as happy as when I'm doing that."

Taliban on agenda for'Job offers'

A bid to lure Taliban fighters away from the insurgency with job offers will be high on the agenda when up to 70 countries meet for crucial talks on the future of Afghanistan.

The high-level event was convened in a bid to draw up a blueprint for Afghan forces to gradually take over responsibility for growing areas of their country - paving the way for the eventual withdrawal of international troops, who have been in the country since 2001.

Despite increasing public concerns over mounting military losses, however, it will not set any dates for withdrawal, with one senior diplomat predicting they could be there for another 15 years. Troop numbers are higher than ever and some of the 9,500 British forces in Southern Afghanistan are set to join a renewed Nato push to "assert control" over some parts of Helmand province.
Agreement to fund the Kabul-run scheme, which Afghan President Hamid Karzai is to detail at the one-day London conference, will be sought from international partners engaged in the campaign.

Mr Karzai will also face pressure to agree higher targets for boosting the size of the homegrown army and police and for tougher measures to tackle widespread corruption.

But officials also hope the conference will showcase a beefed up effort to better co-ordinate aid and reconstruction efforts, pave the way for an economic help programme from the International Monetary Fund (IMF) and secure stronger commitments of support from Afghanistan's neighbours.

Prime Minister Gordon Brown, who is co-hosting the conference with Mr Karzai and UN Secretary General Ban Ki-moon, wants at least five Afghan provinces - and some districts of the lawless Helmand region - back in Afghan control by the end of this year.

And on Wednesday night he backed the "re-integration" proposals to offer incentives to low- and middle-ranking Taliban fighters to abandon their armed struggle with British and other Nato troops.

Under the scheme, jobs in security forces and agriculture or education would be offered in a bid to attract insurgents who were not ideologically committed to the Taliban's fight but joined because of poverty - which it is thought could amount to around half of their number.

If successful, it is hoped that it would eventually attract more senior members although officials acknowledge that there are many "irreconcilables" who will have to be fought militarily. However, Mr Karzai is yet to explain how the incentive system, which the Taliban dismissed as a "trick", would operate.