World News

Tuesday - April 22, 2008


Yahoo Profit Tops Expectations

SAN FRANCISCO (The New York Times) — Yahoo reported financial results for the first quarter on Tuesday that were slightly above analysts’ expectations. And executives at Yahoo are likely to use the numbers to argue anew that Microsoft’s takeover offer undervalues the company.

The company said that net income rose to $542 million, or 37 cents a share, from $142 million, or 10 cents, a year earlier. The net income figure included a net non-cash gain of $401 million related to the Alibaba Group’s initial public offering of Alibaba.com. Yahoo owns a stake in Alibaba Group.

Overall revenue grew 9 percent, to $1.81 billion. Net revenue, which excludes commissions paid to marketing partners, grew 14 percent, to $1.35 billion, slightly higher than the $1.32 billion forecast by analysts.

XXIV International Training Session in Commedia dell'Arte
Directed by Antonio Fava

Reggio Emilia, Italy
28th July - 21th August 2008

Commedia dell'Arte. Its appearance in 16th Century Italy, its spread and adaptation throughout Europe, marked a highly important turning point in the history of the western Theatre: with it, the Theatre changed from ritualistic and amateurish to actual profession (art). The new actor was born, someone who possessed a personal acting "know-how". This gave rise to the Modern Theatre.

Commedia dell'Arte as presented nowadays, is an exacting discipline where practical ability and know-how are essential for those who intend to make the Theatre their career.

Professional actors who want updated information, pupils from schools of Dramatic Art, students and scholars who study theatrical disciplines are those for whom this Training Session is intended.

Applications for enrolment in the course in the form of a letter with the student's name, surname, date and place of birth, address, telephone number, e-mail address, curriculum vitae and two passport photographs should be sent to:

INTERNATIONAL TRAINING SESSION IN COMMEDIA DELL'ARTE / DINA BUCCINO
CP 404
42100 Reggio Emilia - Italy

or via e-mail: info@commediabyfava.it
Any other documentation may be attached to the e-mail.
Tel: +39 0522 436768 / Mob. +39 338 58 64 308

Monday - April 21, 2008


INTRO FEST - announcement:
Music scene in Balkans

NOVI SAD (Serbia) - Balkan Rock Council, Association Kulturanova and partners announce - "INTRO FEST", the original cultural event that will be held in Srpsko Narodno Pozoriste, Novi Sad - Club "Trema" on April 26-27.

This happening consists of three parts:

- Presenting music festivals from the region
- Musical programme with 7 bands from Vojvodina and the region
- Vojvodina's Off-Scene: Movies and presentations of books on music scenes from different cities in Vojvodina, the period since 1970s

You are welcome!
(Ask for more info)

Sunday - April 20, 2008


Tennis: Federer, Kirilenko, Serena Williams the winners

Serena Williams won the third clay court title of her career and first in nearly six years with a hard-fought win against Vera Zvonareva in the title match of the Family Circle Cup in Charleston, U.S.A. Maria Kirilenko defeated Iveta Benesova in the Estoril Open final to complete her first sweep of the singles and doubles titles at a Sony Ericsson WTA Tour event.

World No. 1 Roger Federer snapped a five-month title drought by winning his 54th career ATP trophy at the Estoril Open. The Swiss was leading World No. 4 and 2003 champion Nikolay Davydenko of Russia 7-6(5) 1-2 after one hour and 20 minutes, when Davydenko retired due to a muscle strain in his left leg that he sustained towards the end of the first set.

Friday - March 21, 2008


"KLA sold Kosovo Serb organs in Albania"

BELGRADE (B92, Beta) - The prosecutor is to look into the sale of organs of Kosovo Serbs who vanished during and after the 1999 bombing. "We are checking some informal statements we obtained through operative work that, in 1999, two trucks carrying imprisoned Kosovo Serbs were sent to Albania," said War Crimes Prosecutor Vladimir Vukčević. He said that the informal information had been obtained from Hague Tribunal investigators. According to those sources, there are unregistered mass graves with bodies of murdered Serbs in Albania.

In her book, "The Hunt", to be published in Italy on April 3, the former Hague Tribunal Chief Prosecutor Carla Del Ponte states that, during investigations into war crimes committed by the Kosovo Liberation Army, KLA, against Serbs and other non-Albanians, the prosecutor's office was informed that persons who disappeared during the Kosovo conflict were used in organ smuggling operations. The office obtained information that UNMIK investigators and officials had received from groups of so-called reliable journalists, according to whom, Kosovo Albanians had transferred 300 Serb and other non-Albanian hostages in trucks to northern Albania in the summer of 1999. Those prisoners were first imprisoned in camps in places like Kukes and Tropoje.

According to journalist sources, the younger and fitter prisoners were examined by doctors, got food and were not beaten. After that, they were kept in custody in other centers in Burel and the surrounding area. One group was held in barracks behind a yellow house some twenty kilometers to the south of that town, states the former prosecutor. One room in that yellow house, according to the journalists, served as an operation room where doctors extracted prisoners' organs. Afterwards, the organs, according to the sources, were sent abroad from Rinas airport near Tirana where they were used in transplantations for patients who had paid for it.

Daily Večernje Novosti brings more details from the book, which says that the Hague and UNMIK investigators, and several journalist, along with an Albanian prosecutor, made a trip to the yellow house in 2003. "It was now white," Del Ponte writes. "Despite the fact that investigators discovered traces of yellow paint on it, the owner denied it was ever repainted." In its vicinity, investigators also found pieces of gauze, used syringes, two plastic IV solution bags, "petrified in mud", empty medicine bottles, including muscle relaxants used during surgeries. Inside the house itself, forensics discovered traces of blood on the walls and on the floor in one of the rooms. A section of the floor, sized 180 by 60 centimeters, was clean.

"The owner of the house offered a series of explanations to the investigators when it came to the origin of the blood traces. First, he said that his wife gave birth in that room many years ago. But when the wife made her statement and said that all their children were born elsewhere, he claimed that his family used the room to slaughter animals in order to celebrate a Muslim holiday," Del Ponte writes. As for the Albanian prosecutor who accompanied them, the former chief Hague prosecutor says he at one point bragged he had cousins who were KLA members. "There are no graves of Serbs here," the Albanian official said. "But, if they took the Serbs from the Kosovo border and killed them, they did the right thing".

Serb suspended from Euro championships over Kosovo

EINDHOVEN (B92, Tanjug) - Swimmer Milorad Čavić has been suspended from the European Swimming Championships in Eindhoven. Čavić wore a t-shirt with the message "Kosovo is Serbia" during the medals ceremony for the 50 meters butterfly, where he won gold. The European swimming governing body LEN decided that the t-shirt worn by the new European record holder "contained a political message" which contravened the organization's rules.

"We have decided to suspend Mr. Milorad Čavić from the championships," reads a statement from the disciplinary commission. The Serbian Swimming Organization has been fined EUR 7000.

Čavić had been due to compete in the 100 meters freestyle and the 100 meters butterfly. Even though he will not be allowed to take part, it has been decided not to strip him of his gold medal. The swimmer said yesterday that he had only been trying to send "positive energy to the country he represents." President Boris Tadić condemned LEN's decision, stating that "Milorad Čavić in no way wished to politicize this big European competition with this gesture, or to bring politics into sport, rather it was led by a feeling of injustice inflicted on the country he represents." Meanwhile, Prime Minister Vojislav Koštunica called on "reasonable and responsible people" within the governing body to allow Čavić to continue competing, deeming the decision to ban him "a defeat for sport," adding that the swimmer was ready to "keep winning and breaking European records."

Monday - March 17, 2008


Kosovska Mitrovica: Brutal, savage action by UNMIK, KFOR

BELGRADE (Tanjug) - Serb Radical Party (SRS) Deputy President Tomislav Nikolić strongly condemned today's events in Kosovska Mitrovica. He said UNMIK and KFOR carried out a "brutal and savage action" against Serbs. In a statement for reporters, he said this reminded him of the reprisals that "Hitler's occupation regime conducted against the Serbian citizens in Kragujevac, Kraljevo, and other places" during the Second World War. "The women and men in Kosovska Mitrovica are guilty only of being Serbs and of wanting to return to their places of work."

UNMIK has decided to withdraw its civilian staff from northern Kosovo and Metohija, "which means that they remain a pure force of occupation in Kosovo and Metohija," Nikolić pointed out. "We must not and cannot look on peacefully as they murder our citizens and seize our territory".